The Audubon Naturalist Society had not offered a trip to Australia for 18 years, so it was definitely time to go back!  We worked with the small Australian company Bellbird Birding Tours and their affable and knowledgeable guide Steve Potter.  Our trip featured a meandering journey from Melbourne to Adelaide in the southeastern portion of the continent, searching for birds and other wildlife in a wide variety of habitats along the way.  This was followed by an optional extension to Queensland in the northeast, highlights being a day on the Great Barrier Reef and explorations of Australia's tropical forests.  Here are a few photos from this great trip.

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Our trip started in Melbourne and then headed to the temperate rain forest just east of the city.

Beautiful forest and nice trails for seeing birds and other wildlife.

We traveled next through beautiful farm country.

Our delightful group.

Anyone care for some South Australia wine?

We then headed to dry forest habitat.

We passed through many small towns.

Habitats on our itinerary included forests of tall eucalyptus, the scrubby environment called mallee, and the gorgeous Flinders Range.

At Parachilna we entered the edge of the massive, arid Outback.

Next we flew to Cairns and took a boat out on the Great Barrier Reef.

We traveled to (l to r) the tropical Atherton Tablelands, the Daintree River (by boat), and the Queensland coastline.

Cool birds: (l to r) Plains-wanderer, Painted Honeyeater, Sulphur-crested Cockatoo, Little Penguin.

Below, l to r: Galah, Superb Parrot, Australian Pelican

More cool birds: (l to r) Noisy Friarbird, Tawny Frogmouth, Spiny-cheeked Honeyeater, Rufous Whistler, Emu.

Below, l to r: Australian Kestrel, Brown Booby, Rainbow Bee-eater, Pied Stilt.

Mammals too: (l to r) Gray-headed Flying Fox, Wallaroo, Koala, Striped Possum.

Below, l to r: Tree Kangaroo, Duck-billed Platypus, Rock Wallaby