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One year in Australia

PostPosted: Sun Oct 13, 2013 8:37 pm
by Alexandre Roux
Hi everybody !

I'm going to go to Australia with a Working Holiday Visa.
I'll stay around Brisbane during the first 6/7 months to work (maybe as a snake catcher !).
I would like to take some time to visit the country and find reptiles ans amphibians.
In the beginning I would like to move in the South to join Adelaïde and swim with the Great White Shark.
But I will cross some cities as Sydney, Alice Springs and maybe Darwin.

Whar I really want to see are:

- Costal Taïpan
- Common death adder
- Saltwater crocodile
-Centralia carpet python

And of course, the Great White Shark.

Ok this list shows some objectives but I would dream to see everything (won't you?).

Does anybody knows the Brisbane region?
Do you have some experiences? Some contacts?

Thanks in advance !!!!

Re: One year in Australia

PostPosted: Mon Oct 14, 2013 6:15 pm
by GertJan Verspui
Alexandre, what a nice way to 'waste' an other year!!

I have no contacts or something like that, but I was there for 5 months 2002-2003, it was when it was summer there, I did not see many snakes and no Great White, but herpwise that area is rich in almost anything...

If you want to see some slides that I made digital then click this link.

http://gjv-natureview.jimdo.com/world/a ... 2002-2003/

I want to go again........

Re: One year in Australia

PostPosted: Mon Oct 14, 2013 8:52 pm
by Alexandre Roux
Thaks GertJan !
Very nice pictures you did there I wish I will see those beautiful creatures you've seen !
But I also wish to see snakes and sharks ! (I can't go to Australia without a diving with shark !).

Re: One year in Australia

PostPosted: Tue Oct 15, 2013 8:59 am
by Niklas Ban
Have fun and watch your fingers.. I thought about doing the same, but it didn't managed it, because of I had other things to do :|

Re: One year in Australia

PostPosted: Thu Oct 17, 2013 4:10 pm
by Ray Hamilton
Hi Alexandre, sounds like a great trip! Queensland is pretty good for reptiles all over.

Sorry no contacts for you but if you are looking to see as much of the wildlife as possible, here's my sixpenneth...

Toowoomba, inland from Brisbane is a really good area. Try 'Crows Nest National Park' for reptiles. As a bit of an 'aside' we made a quick stopover at a little place called Cooyar. Although we didn't have enough time to check it out at the right time of day (first light), it is apparently a great place to see Duck-billed Platypus. The locals are very proud of their platypuses.

Fraser Island is a nail on for Dingo sightings and lots of other wildlife, it is also beautiful. There is a chance of shark spotting from some of the high dunes overlooking the sea. If heading to Fraser island also take in Hervey Bay on the mainland. The sight of thousands of fruit bats leaving their roosts at dusk and heading out to feed on the islands is stunning and unforgettable.

Brisbane Botanical Gardens for Fruit bats also. Wait till after dusk and you'll hear them crashing into the fruit trees and squabbling. Also two species of Possum are easy to spot there.

You'll have a great time where ever you get to. Wish I had the funds and time to go back there!

Re: One year in Australia

PostPosted: Wed Nov 06, 2013 9:58 pm
by Alexandre Roux
Thanks everybody for these details.
Do you know great field guide for Eastern Australia? I will not stay in Queensland I think I'm going to move until Alice Springs, Sydney, Darwin or Melbourne... All the East part in fact !

Re: One year in Australia

PostPosted: Wed Nov 06, 2013 10:37 pm
by Frédéric Seyffarth
Hello Alexandre,

Just an advice, think about the huge distance between every places there. I was in Queensland for three months, wanted to see more, but not enough time.
Have a good time, great destination with so many particular species...

Re: One year in Australia

PostPosted: Wed Nov 06, 2013 10:42 pm
by Alexandre Roux
I know... I think I'm going to take 6 weeks travelling from Brisbane to Alice Prings (passing by Cairns and Darwin) and the coming back to Brisbane (passing by Melbourne and Sydney). The rest of the year, I'll be in Queensland (and maybe I'll travel again in the end of my stay).

Re: One year in Australia

PostPosted: Thu Nov 07, 2013 8:48 pm
by Frédéric Seyffarth
For the coastal Taipan, take a look around Mackay.
Not a really nice place, but a really good place for Taipans...lot of sugar cane. Crocodylus porosus is easy to see everywhere, but be careful, the advertissements in some places are not here for decoration...
Tu vas prendre ton pieds...

Re: One year in Australia

PostPosted: Mon Jan 20, 2014 3:28 pm
by Alexandre Roux
Does anybody have good pdf guides for wildlife of Australia (especially Queensland)?

Thanks