Your Expert Guide & Hosts David ‘Chook’ Crawford and Tracy are seasoned industry professionals who are dedicated to ensuring
you get the most from your Cape York Birdwatching Tour. Chook is the Resident Jabiru Safari Lodge Birding guide and has extensive experience leading
birding tours throughout Cape York and the Atherton Tablelands, building up a wealth of knowledge of the local area’s best bird locations.
After an extensive career leading small group 4wd safaris throughout Cape York and Northern Australia, Chook will bring unsurpassed local
knowledge in the environment to ensure a memorable cape York Birdwatching Experience.
Tour Itinerary
Departs: Sunday 18th October 2009.
Finishes: Wednesday 28th October 2009.
Pick up: From 8am at your accommodation in Cairns or the Northern Beaches
Cost: $3995 per person, twin share (Single Supplement $480)
Duration: 11 Days
Maximum: 9 participants (Minimum 4)
What’s included
* 10 nights twin share accommodation
* Expert Guiding with David ‘Chook’ Crawford
* All meals from arrival Day 1 to departure Day 11
* 11 Days 4wd touring
* Qantas flight Weipa to Cairns
* Complimentary Wildlife Conservancy of Tropical Queensland membership
Itinerary (Meal Code: B = Breakfast, L = Lunch, D = Dinner).
Day 1 Sunday 18 October 2009 Cairns to Jabiru Safari Lodge (L,D)
After being collected from your Cairns or Northern Beaches accommodation at 8am, we travel through rainforest-shrouded slopes up the Kuranda Range to the Cairns Highlands (Atherton Tablelands). The rainforest gives way to woodland savanna forest and after 1 &1/2 hours drive we arrive at the 2000 hectare Mareeba Tropical Savanna and Wetland Reserve. After meeting your Lodge Host, you check into your luxury African-style tented safari cabin with en-suite facilities before an early lunch on the deck overlooking Clancy’s Lagoon. 
After lunch, we indulge in some afternoon birding on the Reserve, including Pandanus Lagoon. Targeted species will be the Black-throated Finch, Squatter 
Pigeon and the elusive Black-backed form of the Brown Treecreeper. We return for sunset drinks and dinner tonight is a BBQ dinner on the deck as we get to know each other and plan for the week ahead. O/n Accommodation Jabiru Safari Lodge. 130km driving.
Day 2 Monday Jabiru Safari Lodge to Cooktown (B,L,D)
With an early start, we spend some morning time birding in the Reserve before travelling by 4wd to experience a range of habitats en route to Cooktown. Highlights and targeted species include Estuary & Coastal birds, Honeyeaters, Friarbirds, Waders and Raptors. O/n Accommodation. 300km driving.
Day 3 Tuesday Cooktown to Lotusbird Lodge (B,L,D)
Departing Cooktown, we travel via Isabella Falls to Battlecamp Road and into Lakefield National Park. Highlights and targeted species include Lovely Wren, Masked Finch, Banded Honeyeater, Rufous-banded and Rufous-throated Honeyeaters.
Travelling through Kalpower and the Hann River Crossings, we arrive at our luxury overnight accommodation at Lotus Bird Lodge and settle in for two nights. O/n Accommodation Lotusbird Lodge. 250km driving.
Day 4 Wednesday Lakefield National Park (B,L,D)
Another early start sees us return into Lakefield National Park in search of the Red Goshawk, Black-breasted Buzzards, Star Finches and the Bar-breasted Honeyeater.
We spend a great day birding before returning to the Lodge for dinner.
O/n Accommodation Lotus Bird Lodge. 150km driving.
Day 5 Thursday Lotusbird Lodge to Archer River (B,L,D)
We head out this morning in search of the elusive Golden shouldered Parrot around Musgrave Station. We continue north along the Peninsula Development Road (PDR) through Coen, stopping to seek Palm Cockatoo and Papuan Frogmouth. We arrive at the rustic Archer River Roadhouse late in the afternoon and settle in to our accommodation. O/n Accommodation Archer River Roadhouse. 280km driving.
Day 6 Friday Archer River to Iron Range (B,L,D)
We continue our journey north for a short distance before heading east towards Lockhart River and arrive at Iron Range National Park for lunch. We spend the afternoon birding in the rainforest, seeking Eclectus Parrots and Frilled Monarch, Fawn Breasted Bowerbird, Green-Backed Honeyeaters and Magnificent Riflebird. O/n Accommodation Iron Range Cabins. 130km driving
Days 7 and 8 Saturday and Sunday Iron Range (B,L,D)
An early morning departure allows us to seek Red-Cheeked Parrot, Northern Scrub-Robin, White faced Robin, Yellow-legged Flycatcher and Marbled Frogmouth Chestnut –Breasted Cuckoo, Black winged Monarch and the Buff-breasted Paradise Kingfisher. Late in the afternoon, we make our way to Chilli Beach in search of Palm Cockatoos and to watch the amazing display from Magnetic Starlings coming in waves to roost off the coast. O/n Accommodation Iron Range Cabins. 160km driving.
Day 9 Monday Iron Range to Morton Telegraph Station (B,L,D)
Reluctantly departing this magnificent rainforest birding paradise, we retrace our steps to the PDR and head north to Morton Telegraph Station. En route we seek various species in the lagoons and open savanna around Moreton. O/n accommodation Morton Telegraph Station. 214km driving.
Day 10 Tuesday Morton Telegraph Station (B,L,D)
Chook knows the Morton area well, having been caretaker there over the wet. We spend a day seeking the Trumpet Manucode (a bird of Paradise), Yellow- billed Kingfisher, Azure and Little Kingfishers before returning to our permanent safari camp accommodation. O/n accommodation Morton Telegraph Station. 100km driving.
Day 11 Wednesday Morton to Weipa (B,L,D)
We travel the Batavia Downs road and on to Weipa. Targeted species include the Red-headed Honeyeater, Spotted Whistling Duck and Estuary and Coastal birds. We fly out via Qantas at 7.15pm arriving in Cairns at 8.35pm for transfer to your accommodation after the end of a fantastic week of birding in Cape York. 135km driving.
Cost: $3995 per person, twin share (Single Supplement $480)
Duration: 11 Days
Maximum: 9 participants (Minimum 4)
To Make a reservation or to make an inquiry please go to info@billyteatravel.com or phone (+617) 40 320077.
