capmike Loc: New Bern, NC

We are planning to visit Australia next year. I am in search of personal recommendations for a guide or two who could show us the wildlife.

Thanks,

Mike

Goober Loc: Southeastern PA

It would be a big help to define the area of Australia you are headed to.....it is a very big country. “

Linda From Maine Loc: Yakima, Washington

dennis2146 Loc: Eastern Idaho

When you decide what part of Australia you want to visit go online and look up personal travel guides for that area. When my wife and I visit different countries we do that so as not to pay the inflated price for a ship excursion. We have found personal guides in Scotland and Berlin that were exceptional and were much cheaper than we thought.

Dennis

Bob Mevis Loc: Plymouth, Indiana

The suggestion above, to look online is valid. There is an author, named Bill Bryson, who wrote several years ago, a book called, In a sunburned country. It,s readily available online. It's a most excellent book about Australia. I highly recommend that you read it before you go. It just might be what you are looking for.

capmike Loc: New Bern, NC

We'll have about 3 weeks there. I realize it is a big country, and not going to see it all. Looking for an individual who lives there to tell me what I could and should see. Again, wildlife, without flying across the country.

Thanks,

Mike

RichardTaylor Loc: Sydney, Australia

What kind of wild life are you interested in? Birds and/or or animals?
What are your other interests? Cities, history, surfing, diving, scenery, hiking?
What time of the year are you likely to be visting here? It can make a big difference.
How are you getting around when you get to a location?

Wildlife out in the country can be very skittish. In some of the national parks, especially those near big cities, it is a lot easier to to see and photograph them.

I feel the highlights would be (and I have never been to Western Australia):
Barrier Reef (go out and stay on one of the islands - say Heron Island (I think it is the only accomodaton on the actual reef itself).
Sydney and surrounds
(possibly Canberra, our national capital).
Melbourne and surrounds.
Tasmania (history and scenery)
And a lot further afield - Central Australia (I have visited there) and some of the parks in the Northern Territory like Kakadu (I havn't been there).

I am an Australian who lives in suburban, Sydney.

capmike Loc: New Bern, NC

We will be there next October. All wildlife, focus on birds. We are 71, so not looking for an endurance test. Looking for the name of a good and reliable guide, preferably someone who works with photographers. Once I get one good guide, even for one general area, I'm confident that he/she could recommend others in different areas.

Thanks,

Mike

Linda From Maine Loc: Yakima, Washington

Australia is nearly the same physical size as continental U.S. What city is your flight destination? How far are you willing to travel from there? And possibly, just as important, how much of your time are you willing to spend on other flights or road trips vs. remaining in a single geographical area?

RichardTaylor Loc: Sydney, Australia

I have never heard of anybody down here using a (paid) guide, except for day (or a little longer) tours. I have shown some American friends around Tasmania and here (in the Sydney area) a few years ago.

Here is a Sydney photography group I have shot 'scapes with with a couple of years ago. They are mostly 'scapers. I am still a member.

https://focusphotographers.org/

The Executive Chairman - John Armytage, maybe somewhere to start (he sometimes takes photographers on trips and workshops), and may have contacts who can help you. He can be contacted via the above site.
Also have a look at some of the trips and workshops comming up, although a lot of them are overseas. (there are a few dead links). Some of those people may be able to help you.

https://focusphotographers.org/photography-trips/

Richard

Bill 45

The 3 weeks is that for being in Aust. or is that add in fly time. Remember give your self two days when you get to Aust. and two day when you get back home. Jet lade I was in Western Aust. for a month . Western Aust. is very big. Do enjoy your self, it once in life time trip.

capmike Loc: New Bern, NC

We do not have a destination city. We are waiting to speak with a guide who will direct us as to the best starting point. We do not have a locked in timetable, other than October. We are completely flexible. We most definitely would fly from point A to point B rather than spend one or two days getting someplace. We will go wherever our guide takes us. That is why I am looking for a personal recommendation of someone good.

Thanks

RichardTaylor Loc: Sydney, Australia

You may find this site helpfull (They are in Australia) - Although I do not see any specfic photography tours.
https://www.toursbylocals.com/

John Sh Loc: Toronto, Australia

Hopefully by October 2020 we may have had some decent rain and there will be wildlife about. That's if we're not flooded out, which is usually what happens after a drought. We are after all "A land of drought and flooding rains" Dorothea MacKella. I had an English acquaintance out here for three weeks a couple of years ago. They saw the inside of airoplanes, a few cities, the stars at Alice Springs and one kookaburra. Please do come but don't expect to see much in three weeks. And good luck finding a guide, I've lived here and about for 80 years and I've never heard of, or really looked for, one.

chrissybabe Loc: New Zealand

My personal experience is that you select a destination and then devote a day getting there and back. Australia is a BIG place and apart from a few larger cities (that you can fly between) everywhere else you drive. If you have 3 weeks (21 days) I would expect you to have about 10 days of actual sightseeing/photography and the other 11 days will be spent organising and travel. I have not ever seen any guiding organiser who can do what you want to allow you to hit the highlights. Other than trips organised for the Chinese tourists who just want to say 'been there, took a selfie' and even they don't get to see it all in only 3 weeks. We took 30 days once to get from Darwin, down to Alice Springs, back up to Broome and then back to Darwin. Look at a map and that is only a small part of Australia. We drove. Flying etc (and the subsequent stuffing around organising transport at various locations) would have taken the same. To seriously reduce the time get a personal assistant and rent a helicopter for 30 days and I am half serious here. Once again Australia is a BIG place with only 1/20th the infrastructure of the US. Other than the capital cities you DO NOT have flights every 1/2hr and they are more measured in weekly intervals and are often booked ahead. The place is BIG and EMPTY. And EXCITING.