AUSTRALIA
Australia is a home to a plethora of varied wildlife species. It has so many different types of habitats for wildlife to thrive in: islands, beaches, rainforests, eucalypt forests, granite country, snowfields, desert and the outback, to name but a few.
Here are some of the best wildlife photography locations in Australia.
Cradle Mountain, Tasmania
Situated at the south of the Australian mainland, Tasmania is Australia’s ‘island state’ only accessible by plane or ferry from the state of Victoria. Cradle Mountain, on the western side of Tasmania, is an incredibly beautiful natural wonderland includes the common wombat, the large marsupial that can be seen feeding on the open fields especially just before sunset. Skittish and shy Benett's wallabies are also found at Cradle Mountain. Sometimes you can spot a spotted -tailed quoll or tiger cat roaming the edges of the forest at dusk.
Girraween National Park, Queensland
Girraween National park , also known as 'granite country', is a remote area and is a four hour drive from Brisbane in Queensland and well populated with wildlife species such as the spotted-tailed quoll, various wallabies and kangaroos, the turquoise parrot, striated pardalote, scarlet robin, and a variety of reptiles including the striking lace monitor.
Kangaroo Island, South Australia
Kangaroo Island is the second largest island in Australia and can be accessed either by flying from Adelaide to the main town of Kingscote, or by taking a bus/ferry/bus combination to Kingscote. Unfortunately, bush fires ravaged parts of the island in 2019 but there are still plenty of locations to visit where you can see and photograph wildlife.
There are lots of different bird species, including scarlet honeyeaters, cape barren geese, and various birds of prey are scattered throughout the island.
The rare glossy black cockatoo, which only feeds on the nuts of casuarina trees, can be found by listening to the crunching sounds the birds make high up in the trees while they feed on the nuts. The gorgeous gang gang cockatoo is another ‘local’ well worth looking out for.
It is, however, the koalas, echidnas, and Australasian sea lions that the island is famous for. Koalas can be seen either sleeping or feeding on the tips of the eucalyptus tree leaves and are seen often quite low in the canopy– this makes it very easy to get decent shots of these adorable marsupials. Sometimes, if you are lucky, you will find a mum with a baby on her back or belly.
Echidnas, one of only two monotremes (egg-laying mammals) in the world (the other being the platypus), can be seen foraging on the grassy flats throughout Kangaroo Island. They should be approached very slowly, as once they sense your presence they will curl up into a ball as a defence mechanism.
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The most famous wildlife species on Kangaroo Island is the Australasian sea lion. Totally protected, these sea lions can only be visited at Seal Bay by booking a 45 minute ranger-guided tour.
The sea lions often come right up to you – and this includes tiny, very cute pups which are more curious of you than you are of them! The best way to photograph them is to slowly squat down and get as close to eye level as possible. It makes for a much more pleasing perspective than looking down on the individuals from above.
Lamington National Park, Queensland
Lamington National Park include the rare Albert’s lyrebird, the regent and satin bowerbird, noisy pitta, and eastern spine bill (amongst 245 or so species of birds found in Lamington National Park).
A two hour drive from Brisbane, or a one hour fifteen minute drive from the Gold Coast, Lamington National Park is World Heritage listed for good reason.
Habitats vary from subtropical and remnant rainforest, ancient Antarctic beech forest, and sclerophyll and eucalyptus forest. Mammal species include a cute macropod called the red-necked pademelon, which often frequents the visitor areas, as well as the nocturnal brush-tailed and ring-tailed possums which are regular visitors. Two of the many reptile species that can be seen and photographed include the leaf-tailed gecko and the pure black land mullet (Australia’s largest skink).
Lord Howe Island
Lord Howe Island is a small island off the east coast of Australia and is officially a part of New South Wales and can be accessed by flying from either Sydney or Brisbane.
It is one of the favourite locations in Australia to photograph wildlife. The island is full of birds, specially the angelic white terns can be seen hovering above your head down near the island’s pier, making it quite easy to get shots of them in flight. Sooty terns are also attractive ones.
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The most famous bird on the island is the Lord Howe Island woodhen. This bird is only found on Lord Howe Island and nowhere else on earth! At one stage, there were only 30 or so birds left in the world, but due to a concerted conservation breeding program there are now an estimated 300+ individuals. The Lord Howe Island Woodhen can be frequently seen foraging on the ground around the island and are quite used to people.
Yellow Water in Kakadu National Park, Northern Territory
Yellow Water is one of the incredible place with bird and wildlife experiences, situated in Kakadu National Park in the Northern Territory. Yellow Water is approximately 300kms from Darwin. The unbelievable over 280 species of birds is truly breath taking. Species such as comb-crested Jacana or "Jesus Bird" , White -Bellied sea eagles and majestic Jabiru are common amongst the lagoons. Reptiles likes saltwater crocodiles , frill neck lizards, geckos and monitors are also common. And mammals like dingo, northern quolls, agile and short-eared rock wallabies and bandicoots.