Great Dividing Range Tour - one day - October to mid-March only

In the warmer months of spring and summer exploring the hills and mountains east of Melbourne deserves a full day. Breeding is in full swing and migrants add to the resident birds.

Driving through the suburbs various wetlands and riverine woodlands may be visited. At certain times roosting sites for Tawny Frogmouth and Powerful Owl can be worth checking whilst rails and crakes are possible in the right season as well as a variety of commoner waterbirds and bush birds

The majority of the day will be spent further out in the tall lush mountain forests of the Yarra Ranges, Yarra State Forest and other conservation reserves. These spectacular forests of towering Eucalypts and giant Tree Ferns support a range of birds that reach the limits here including the Superb Lyrebird, Pilotbird, Lewins Honeyeater, Large-billed Scrubwren, Black-faced Monarch, Eastern Whipbird and Brown Gerygone

Other wet forest specialities to look for include such gems as Olive Whistler, Flame, Rose and Pink Robins, Gang Gang Cockatoo, Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoo, Australian King-parrot, Brush Cuckoo, Cicadabird, Rufous Fantail, Satin Flycatcher, Satin Bowerbird, White-throated Needletail, Bassian Thrush and Red-browed Treecreeper plus many other commoner forest species

On some tours our route may also include some of the woodlands found to the north-east of the city area where rocky soils on low ranges support stringybark and box trees with diverse wildflowers. Crested Shrike-tit, Sacred Kingfisher, Scarlet Robin, Olive-backed Oriole, various Cuckoos, Pardalotes, Honeyeaters, Thornbills, Weebills and Varied Sitellas may be sighted in the lower and more open forests

This stunningly beautiful countryside holds some sought after south-east Australian endemics to be found in idyllic surrounds.

Aus$680-00 total for a single person/couple Aus$780-00 total for a shared tour (2-4 people) - includes drinks and snacks, lunch not included - larger groups are possible