Our Wildlife News Blog
Bushfires 2020: What are we doing?
Since the fires began, Echidna Walkabout has dedicated many hours to planning, advocacy for koalas and advice to koala groups. Co-owner Janine Duffy is currently volunteering full time on koala projects. .. Our not for profit, Koala Clancy Foundation is fundraising...
Cool As: Rock-Wallabies of Australia
Rock Wallaby? What is a rock wallaby? A wallaby is a well known Australian animal, and a member of Australia’s national rugby team. Normally when you put the word rock in front of something it makes it harder and cooler. Rock climbing: Climbing, but harder. Rock...
Koala Future: Joeys of 2019
Do koalas have a future in the wild? We think they do. In the You Yangs near Melbourne, a population of healthy wild koalas have been monitored for 13 years by Echidna Walkabout & Koala Clancy Foundation. The population is declining, but that is not because of the...
Koalas & Bushfires: How You Can Help
Globally, koalas are the face of Australia’s terrible bush fires. It is estimated that more than 2,000 koalas have been killed by fires over November 2019. This article explains how you can help koalas affected by bushfires in Australia. All over the world, people...
Night sounds of the Northern Territory
At night, the Northern Territory Top End is for listening. There’s a special tropical hum in the air – the wonderful sound of healthy insect populations, particularly crickets and katydids, that come to life after dark in the Top End. But there’s another sound, a...
Trip Report: East Gippsland December 2019
Summary: A cool windy week. Shrubs flowering, including some showy bottlebrushes & tea-trees, but few large trees flowering. Rainforest fruits few, with exception of Muttonwood and Cabbage Tree Palms in Snowy River area. Forests to west of area (Lakes Entrance)...
Frill-necked Lizard in Kakadu
“Frilly!!” The vehicle swiftly pulled over and did a U-turn on the Arnhem Highway, somewhere in Kakadu between the South Alligator and Mary Rivers, Northern Territory. Frilly was still there, standing up with that upright posture that dragon lizards (agamids) have....
Antilopine Kangaroos of northern Australia
Antilopine Kangaroos / Wallaroos Osphranter (Macropus) antilopinus are large, graceful kangaroos of the tropical savannahs of Northern Australia. They replace the Red Kangaroo north of about 19 S latitude and are similar in colour and behaviour. They overlap a little...
Interesting Rainbow Pitta behaviour
The track through Kakadu beside the East Alligator River is narrow, short and walked by many. It is also one of the most reliable places to see a glorious top end bird: the Rainbow Pitta. Rainbow Pittas Pitta iris live in the monsoon forests of Australia’s Top End...
Why I love visiting the Western Treatment Plant
by Janine Duffy A pair of Brolga – Australia’s native crane – herd their vulnerable chick through the sedge swamp. The chick stands as tall as a 4 year old child, but still can’t fly, so the parents are cautious. Suddenly, a large brown bird erupts from the sedge,...
Bird tours with ethics
On Echidna Walkabout Bird Tours, ethics is top priority. Seeing as many birds as possible, and seeing them well, is a close and very important second. But on a bird tour, as on any tour, ethics can only be number one. Because nothing should ever be allowed to erode...
Wildlife Journey October 2019
List of animals seen on Wildlife Journey tour to East Gippsland, Australia, from 14 to 17 October 2019, with Wildlife Guide Martin Maderthaner: .. Birds seen: Ruddy Turnstone (our first sighting in East Gippsland!), Rufous Whistler, Mistletoebird, Laughing Kookaburra,...
5 Amazing Facts about Galahs
Galahs are one of Australia’s favourite birds. You can see Galahs in almost any part of Australia, mucking around, playing, squawking and having fun. In East Gippsland on the Wildlife Journey tour we often see Galahs near the Snowy River at Orbost, where we stay at...
Raising money for Australian birds: Twitchathon 2019
Some say that birders/bird nerds/birdwatchers are a bit crazy. Australian BirdLife’s annual Twitchathon fundraiser shows that it might be true. Twitchathon is "The Amazing Race" for bird lovers. For one mad weekend, teams of birders race each other for the prize:...
East Gippsland vines: flowers and fruit
In the rainforests of East Gippsland, the first flowers you see are on native vines. Vines and climbing plants cover rainforest trees and many have showy flowers and fruit. Glorious sprays of starry white Austral Clematis flowers cover the tops of Lilly Pilly trees. A...
Small Lizards (Skinks) of East Gippsland
Lizards are a little wildlife gem often seen at midday in East Gippsland, when other animals are snoozing or hiding. Our Wildlife Guides’ quick eyes pick up a rustle in the undergrowth, and soon find a shiny bronze Delicate Skink, or the humbug candy-coloured...
A future for the You Yangs region
Parks Victoria are putting together a Master Plan for the You Yangs Region. Submission deadline is 16 October. We, and the koalas, urgently need your input. An email letter is the best way to get your voice heard. You can say what you want about the You Yangs and...
5 Amazing Facts about Brushtail Possums
by Morwenna Petaia ‘Brushies’ are some of our favourite animal sightings on tours. Though considered common*, they are quite secretive and solitary in the Australian Bush, and seeing a Common Brushtail Possum Trichosurus vulpecula at night is a special and wonderful...
An Aboriginal Welcome to the You Yangs
There is something welcoming about the You Yangs. Other mountains exist, higher and more dominating, but the gently-rounded triple peaks of the You Yangs capture everyone’s attention. .. They rise, indigo, out of a sea of golden grasses on the plains west of...
Kangaroo mother and joey playing
Eastern Grey Kangaroos live in a matriarchal society, where mothers and joeys have a strong bond. Kangaroo females and their daughters have a long-lasting, very close relationship that usually lasts their whole lives. Wildlife Guide Dan took these beautiful...
A day in the life of a Koala Researcher
It's 06.57am and the first Whats App message comes through: “Weather 7-13 cloudy” The sun has just risen, and already a Koala Researcher is walking through the gum trees, looking. The morning is full of life – Laughing Kookaburras & Rufous Whistlers are yelling,...
Bushfires 2020: What are we doing?
Since the fires began, Echidna Walkabout has dedicated many hours to planning, advocacy for koalas and advice to koala groups. Co-owner Janine Duffy is currently volunteering full time on koala projects. .. Our not for profit, Koala Clancy Foundation is fundraising...
read more
Cool As: Rock-Wallabies of Australia
Rock Wallaby? What is a rock wallaby? A wallaby is a well known Australian animal, and a member of Australia’s national rugby team. Normally when you put the word rock in front of something it makes it harder and cooler. Rock climbing: Climbing, but harder. Rock...
read more
Koala Future: Joeys of 2019
Do koalas have a future in the wild? We think they do. In the You Yangs near Melbourne, a population of healthy wild koalas have been monitored for 13 years by Echidna Walkabout & Koala Clancy Foundation. The population is declining, but that is not because of the...
read more
Koalas & Bushfires: How You Can Help
Globally, koalas are the face of Australia’s terrible bush fires. It is estimated that more than 2,000 koalas have been killed by fires over November 2019. This article explains how you can help koalas affected by bushfires in Australia. All over the world, people...
read more
Night sounds of the Northern Territory
At night, the Northern Territory Top End is for listening. There’s a special tropical hum in the air – the wonderful sound of healthy insect populations, particularly crickets and katydids, that come to life after dark in the Top End. But there’s another sound, a...
read more
Trip Report: East Gippsland December 2019
Summary: A cool windy week. Shrubs flowering, including some showy bottlebrushes & tea-trees, but few large trees flowering. Rainforest fruits few, with exception of Muttonwood and Cabbage Tree Palms in Snowy River area. Forests to west of area (Lakes Entrance)...
read more
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