Cape York and Iron Range Tour

Sunday 14th November 2010 - Saturday 27th November 2010

ITINERARY

Saturday 13th November - Cairns - Evening Drinks and Introductions

DAY 1: Sunday, 14 November
Cairns to Musgrave Station
We depart Cairns this morning at approx 7.00am, and begin our climb through the lush rainforest of Kuranda Range, and on to Mareeba, where we'll pause at Lake Southedge (for views of Black Swan, Blacknecked Stork). We continue on to Lakeland Downs for lunch (view Red-tailed Black Cockatoo, Bustard), and later join the Peninsula Development Road through huge cattle stations and "Quinkan" Aboriginal country. On reaching Musgrave Station, our base camp for 2 nights, we will enjoy a late afternoon walk around the local environment.
Overnight: Musgrave Station (camp with facilities).

DAY 2: Monday, 15 November
Musgrave and environs
Early this morning we'll embark on a dawn chorus walk with our host, Sue Shepherd, to visit waterholes frequented by Golden Shouldered Parrots. Before departing for an excursion to the 18-mile lagoon we will enjoy breakfast at camp, and in the late afternoon, a visit to a local waterhole for observation and listening.
Overnight : Musgrave Station

DAY 3: Tuesday, 16 November
Coen, Archer River
An early departure today as we head north and over the Bamboo Range of the Great Divide. Our mid-morning rest stop is Coen, where we will fuel-up and gather provisions. We will pass through Mungkan Kaanju National Park en-route to our lunch spot on the wide, sandy Archer River, and there will be time for a stroll beneath the lightly forested riverbed. Here we get our first taste of some of the Cape York birds, like Trumpet Manucodes and Palm Cockatoos.
Overnight: Archer River Campgrounds (facilities and shop)

DAY 4: Wednesday, 17 November
Iron Range National Park, Base Camp
Travelling through diverse landscapes and mountainous scenery, we check out the historical Wenlock River Goldfields,  and cross the Pascoe River today before entering Iron Range National Park via Tozer's Gap. We will endeavour to stop frequently en-route in shady areas to rest, and observe local birdlife. The park features the largest area of tropical lowland rainforest remaining in Australia. Rare fauna and flora includes Palm Cockatoos, Electus Parrots, Spotted Cuscus, Green Pythons, palms and orchids. We stay 5 nights at our established base camp in a cleared area surrounded by rainforest.
Overnight: Iron Range N.P (Camp with facilities)

DAY 5-8: Thurs, 18 Nov to Sun, 21 Nov
Smuggler's Tree, Gordon Creek Area, Portland Roads, Chilli Beach, Claudie River, Quintel Beach
Enjoy 4 full days in the field exploring the national park walking tracks, rainforest galleries, open woodland, mangroves and the seashore. Take an evening walk in search of nocturnal wildlife by spotlight. Birds frequenting the immediate vicinity of our base camp in are likely to include: Brush Turkeys, Trumpet Manucode, Yellow-billed Kingfisher, Northern Scrub-Robin, Tropical Scrub-Wren, Red-Cheeked Parrot, Lovely Fairy-Wren, White-eared Monarch, Magnificent Riflebird, Noisy Pittas, Frilled Monarch and Spangled Drongos (nest building). Also, Red-Bellied Pittas are usually arriving from New Guinea as they begin to breed.
Accommodation: Iron Range N.P (Camp with facilities)

DAY 9: Monday, 22 November
Pascoe & Archer Rivers
Today we re-cross the Pascoe and Wenlock Rivers to overnight back at the Musgrave Station where everybody gets a chance to do some washing if they wish and have a quiet drink at the Musgrave Station licensed bar.
Overnight: Musgrave Station (Camp with facilities)

DAY 10: Tuesday, 23 November
Coen, Lakefield National Park
Continuing on to Coen we pause for a refreshment stop at Musgrave, before turning East towards Princess Charlotte Bay. Today we will traverse almost the entire length of Lakefield National Park, which is an amalgamation of 3 huge cattle stations, and now a haven for many birds and animals native to this unique area. Lagoons, billabongs and wide river-lakes are home to teeming waterfowl such as Magpie Geese, White Pygmy Geese and Brolgas. We also cross the wide open savannah of Nifold Plain, renowned for its grassland dotted by tombstone-like termite mounds, where on our last visit we saw the rare Star Finch, freshwater crocodiles, Sugar Gliders, wallabies, frogs, snakes and lizards. Our base camp for 1 night is at Kalpower Crossing, an established park site with showers and flushing toilets, high up on the banks of the Normanby River.
Overnight: Kalpower Crossing (Camp with facilities)

DAY 11: Wednesday, 24 November
Lakefield National Park
Today we pack up early and work our way along the track in Lakefield to Kennedy's bend where we have a chance of seeing a huge Crocodile over 5 metres long.  Then we head off along the Battle Camp road to Cooktown where we have lunch and time to look through this historical town.  Finally we head south into the mountains to a hidden campsite in lush rainforest with a fantastic swimming hole and many birds.
Overnight: Home Rule Mts.

DAY 12: Thursday, 25 November
Home Rule to Julatten
Today's day trip includes visits to local endemic habitats. Residents include Buff Breasted Paradise Kingfisher, Red-necked Crake and Wompoo Pigeon. In the early morning we depart south to the Bloomfield River and cross over the Cowey and Donavon Ranges and finally the world-famous Daintree River.
Overnight: Julatten (Kingfisher Park, camp with facilities)

DAY 13: Friday, 26 November
Daintree, Mt Lewis area
In the morning we head for the Daintree River for an early cruise, and tour tropical habitats to locate abundant birdlife, and perhaps a crocodile. We hope to see Great-billed Heron, Little Kingfisher, Macleays Figparrot, Shining Flycatcher and Black Bittern. Species generally found include Yellow Oriole, Helmeted Friar Bird, Pacific Swallow, Osprey, and Honey Eaters. We negotiate the tropical highland rainforest and woodland of Mt Lewis in search of Blue Faced Parrot Finch, Golden Bowerbird and Tooth-Billed Bowerbird.
Overnight - Julatten (Kingfisher Park, camp with facilities)

DAY 14: Saturday, 27 November
Daintree to Cairns
Visit local environs for observation and listening. The Mt Lewis Forest Reserve contains some of the most accessible and scenic upland rainforest in the area and offers protection to a variety of rare and threatened wildlife. It is also part of the Wet Tropics World Heritage Area. In the mid-afternoon we return to Cairns, where we bid farewell to our tour companions.
Tour concludes in Cairns - make own accommodation arrangements.

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