Born in the UK, I have been living and working as a teacher in New Zealand for 15 years. During that time, I have fallen in love with bird watching and have used photography as a way of documenting my experiences. I had enjoyed seeing and learning about endemic species and once border restrictions began to be lifted I thought it was time for a new challenge. So, I decided to follow my dream of traveling across Australia to photograph birds and wildlife. I had already spent some time in New Zealand in a campervan so I knew that would be the best way to see the best of the country. I arrived in Cairns, Queensland in February 2022 and after some Covid and vehicle bureaucracy I took possession of a small campervan and set off.
I spent the first couple of months circling Cairns until I got used to the new van and established how the various different kinds of camping sites operate. It was very different from New Zealand, beginning with the vastness of the country, the popularity of living in a mobile way and, of course, the heat.
My first highlight was just west of Cairns in Far North Queensland in a tiny national park campsite where a Southern Cassowary (Casuarius casuarius) was resident. Tourists are regularly frightened and enamored by this huge, flightless endemic bird that resembles a glamourous emu. They inhabit rainforest areas and can range over a large area. It was very special to be sitting in my campervan one afternoon with the back door open and one wandered past. You are warned to give them plenty of space (they do have sharp claws) but like most wildlife, if you give them room they reciprocate. And so it was that my first encounter was skulking around my campervan taking photos from a safe distance until it melted back into the forest.
Also in Cairns, I was lucky enough to see a family of Papuan Frogmouth (Podargus papuensis) at the Botanic Gardens. Although they are nocturnal birds, they can be seen during the day, particularly when they have young. I was thrilled to see them and amazed at how large they are, up to twice the size of their tawny cousins. The adults bracketed the chick and kept an eye on anyone who came too close.
A common sight in tropical Queensland is the Olive-backed Sunbird (Cinnyris jugularis). It is the only sunbird in
Also in Cairns, I was lucky enough to see a family of Papuan Frogmouth (Podargus papuensis) at the Botanic Gardens. Although they are nocturnal birds, they can be seen during the day, particularly when they have young. I was thrilled to see them and amazed at how large they are, up to twice the size of their tawny cousins. The adults bracketed the chick and kept an eye on anyone who came too close.
A common sight in tropical Queensland is the Olive-backed Sunbird (Cinnyris jugularis). It is the only sunbird in Australia and is tiny, 12cm long. It nests in long conical constructions suspended from pretty much anything – doorways, overhead beams and such, having to be carefully moved at times. Like other insectivores, it feeds on nectar and digs out bugs from crevices. I saw many sunbirds and loved photographing them, although they are seldom stationary.
The Eastern Osprey is a relatively common sight wherever there are tracts of water in Australia. I was photographing some waterbirds on the coast of Queensland and as I got back in the campervan I saw this bird right above me feeding on a fish. The joy of being so mobile is that I can stop and use the campervan as a mobile hide, getting closer to the birds than being on foot. I can also stay as long as I like and there have been many occasions when I have sat in the back on the bed with a cup of tea photographing wildlife out of the open back door. I have never had this kind of close experience before and this osprey is a great example of that. It knew I was there, kept an eye on me but carried on eating totally unperturbed.
The furthest north part of Queensland is Cape York and it really is a wilderness with difficult access and very remote communities. I ventured onto the peninsula to see the very rare Golden-shouldered Parrot (Psephotus chrysopterygius). The disadvantage of my campervan is that it is not really suitable for rough, gravel roads. In this area, the unsealed roads are only graded once a year and with heavy rains, they become uneven and full of corrugations. My poor van became pitted with chips on the bonnet, and a crack on the screen and the bone-shaking left me feeling equally jarred. It was, however, all worth it to be in such a wild place and see these incredible birds.
One of the real and present dangers of tropical Queensland is the presence of the Estuarine Crocodile (Crocodylus porosus). I had to promise my mum to stay away from water at all times and the danger was really brought home to me when I was sitting in my van parked next to a boat ramp on the Hull River. I saw this huge beast (estimated at 5m long) swimming close by. I was very grateful to be in my campervan and quickly closed the door.
From Queensland I headed west into the Outback and as the land got drier and drier, the birds changed as well. I loved seeing new species and having different opportunities to get close to them. This Weebill (Smicrornis brevirostris) is the smallest bird in Australia at only around 8cm long. I stayed in rest areas a lot on this part of my trip, which are usually just designated areas next to the highway for travelers to stop overnight. There were several of these areas where the Weebill were in good numbers. I would sit in the shade of my van and listen to their chatter and watch them flitting about. It was incredibly special when this bird perched at eye level to me and sang.
I spent a while in Central Australia and the red earth of the desert played host to more animals than I expected. This magnificent Eastern Barn Owl (Tyto alba) was being harassed by the smaller resident birds in a park but was more concerned by myself. Without the cover of my van, I was very visible and it watched me intently. A wonderful experience for me, maybe not so much for the owl or the other birds. I took some photographs and moved on.
While tropical Queensland has the most bird species in Australia, the central desert has species that are just as interesting and beautiful. I was sitting in the camper one morning trying to track a particular bird when I spotted a fledgling on the ground looking a little lost. I didn’t know what it was initially, but when the parent appeared close by and began calling it was easy to identify as an Orange Chat (Epthianura aurifrons). I had never seen one before and was struck by the vivid colors.
A common but very elusive bird of Central Australia is the fairywren. There are several species and they all have stunning plumage. My favorite was the White-winged Fairywren (Malurus leucopterus). The females and juveniles are all dull brown variations but the male is a vivid, almost neon bright blue with a startling white wing. Usually bouncing around in the bushes, it took quite some time and patience until I saw this male sitting atop one. It was worth the wait.
There are also some spectacular animals in this arid landscape. Whilst driving, I am always on the lookout for birds and sometimes I find other wildlife. A common sight (but difficult to photograph as they disappear very quickly) is the Central Netted Dragon (Ctenophorus nuchalis). A small lizard, it has a delicate webbed pattern across its back. One advantage of driving on rough tracks is that the lack of traffic means I can stop quickly when I need to. And so it was that I saw this dragon perched on top of a mound of the red earth and was able to snap it quickly. Being in Australia, you see a lot of marsupials.
There are different species of kangaroo and the smaller wallaby but most people (including me) have never heard of the wallaroo. Sized somewhere between the kangaroo and wallaby, it is seen less often and is distinctive because of its almost dog-like face. I was surprised by their cuteness when I first saw one.
I am now in Western Australia, a state unique in its mix of dry and temperate climates and fauna. It is stunning along the coast with huge eucalyptus trees and endemic bird species. One such bird is the Western Rosella, a small and vividly coloured parrot. Usually shy but if you can find one feeding, they can be tolerant of humans.
A target bird of mine has been the emu-wren. Named after the coarse texture of the tail feathers (always numbering 6), these are tiny birds usually found in the depths of thick, native bushes. In the middle of spring is a good time to find them being more active.
Western Australia is the best place in Australia to find the Australian Fairy Tern. One of the smallest tern species, it is gregarious, noisy and very active. The sharp facial markings distinguish it easily from other terns.
I have driven around 20,000km in my first 8 months in Australia and while there are some downsides to living in a campervan (insect invasions being the main problem), the freedom to go where the wildlife is and get close to it in comfort has been a revelation and the thrill of a lifetime. Next, I am heading east towards Victoria and New South Wales to find more endemic species and continue to improve my photography skills. I am documenting my journey and hopefully other birders and photographers might find it useful.
