• Participate in a wildlife research project and make an active contribution to conservation while enjoying a holiday.
• Led by a naturalist guide, you will learn so much about Australia 's wonderful native wildlife and see animals rarely seen by the casual observer. Gain an understanding of the fine balance in nature.
• Help ensure a more secure future for our native wildlife as we collect data on rare and threatened species.
• Sponsor a research program

Photos: G. Greenwood

March 21, 2008            Easter
4 days ex. Bairnsdale $900

Photos and comments

Threatened Wildlife of Forlorn Hope Plain
Graded: Easy-Moderate

3 nights camping

Easy-moderate walks

Combine having a holiday with a fantastic learning experience and make a contribution to conservation.

This is an amazing opportunity to join a naturalist guide in the Alpine National Park and participate in a research project looking at wildlife after the summer 2003 alpine bushfire. The setting for this ecotour is Forlorn Hope Plain which is home to a number of threatened species of wildlife.

What animals survived the fire and what are they doing now? Are they facing new threats? The regeneration is amazing, but are they moving back into the burnt areas yet? Learn about small mammals, frogs, birds, rare skinks and more. Data collected will assist Parks Victoria to better manage this area during it's recovery from the fire and help provide a more secure future for some of our native wildlife.

We will camp on a beautiful sub-alpine plain, which remained largely unburnt although it is surrounded by severely burnt country and our days will be filled with short walks and activities related to the wildlife survey. The trip will be led by two guides, one of whom will be a naturalist.

Spend a fantastic four days in the Alpine National Park, learning about our native wildlife, making a significant contribution to our knowledge about wildlife ecology and relaxing in a serene remote Alpine setting.

The current research project also incorporates a population study of Broad-toothed Rat (Mastacomys fuscus), monitoring of Alpine Water Skink (Eulamprus kosciuskoi), searching for Smoky Mouse (Pseudomys fumeus), and Alpine Spiny Crayfish (Euastacus crassus).

Would you like to be involved in this project by providing sponsorship for some aspect of the research work?   

Smoky Mouse

Alpine She-Oak skink

5 Day Threatened Fauna of the Cobberas
Graded: Easy-Moderate

1 night accommodation, 3 nights bush camping.
(Select departures offer 4 nights accommodation)

Easy - Moderate Walks

The Cobberas area is home to a number of threatened wildlife species and in this remote part of the Alpine National Park, much work is needed to identify the location of threatened species populations and ascertain numbers. In addition it is important to identify management issues that affect these species such as introduced predators, feral competitors and fire regimes.

Target species are Alpine She-Oak Skink, Alpine Water Skink, Smoky Mouse, Broad-toothed Rat and Alpine Spiny Crayfish.  Some of these are found together together, for instance the Alpine Water Skink often hides in holes made by the endangered Alpine Spiny Crayfish in the stream banks!

You will be led by two local naturalist guides who will share with lots of fascinating information on Alpine wildlife in general as well as specific information about our target species.  You will learn how wildlife species interact with each other and the Alpine ecosystem.

Contribute to conservation while you enjoy a holiday and see animals rarely seen by the casual visitor.  Your participation in this project will help provide a more secure future for some of Victoria’s threatened wildlife.

November 3, 2008
6 Days ex. Bairnsdale $1530
6 Days ex. Melbourne $1620

April 21, 2009
6 Days ex. Bairnsdale $1530
6 Days ex. Melbourne $1620

Would you like to be involved in this project by providing sponsorship for some aspect of the research work?