Wildlife Archives - Australia 2000 Travel

March 15, 2018

Thank you from Christine Riggle

Dear Karen and Wendy,

Wharariki Beach and Archway Islands – Photo Credit to Christine Riggle

It has been two weeks, but I think I?m finally recovering from jet lag! I want to thank you both for the arrangements you made for Faith and I for our February trip to NZ. Our stay in Pohara was just what we needed to start the trip. Steve at Ratanui Lodge was wonderful. On our free day we followed his suggestions to visit Wainui Bay and Wainui Falls and to go to Toto?s for lunch and had a great time. I would recommend Pohara and Ratanui Lodge to any of your clients. The highlight of our stay in Golden Bay has to be the day we spent with Lucy of Wine, Art and Wilderness Tours. Although we were disappointed that we would not see Noel, Lucy was a wonderful substitute. She took us to Wharariki Beach which was amazing.

Sea lion near Dunedin – Photo Credit to Christine Riggle

The only bad weather we experienced was in Queenstown the day we were scheduled to go on the Dart River jet boat tour. We were lucky enough to be able to reschedule for the next day. Not only was it a beautiful day to spend outside, but the jet boat tour was a lot of fun and the scenery was absolutely gorgeous.

I really have to thank you for recommending the kiwi spotting tour while we were at Stewart Island and the day we spent with Brian (who was a pleasure to spend time with) of Classic Jaguar Tours visiting Lanarch Castle, the Royal Albatross Centre and the Penguin Place Conservation Reserve. We actually spotted a kiwi!–a very hungry kiwi apparently who we were able to observe for a good 20 minutes. This is the first trip to NZ during which we?ve seen so much wildlife. It was amazing!

So thank you both for an awesome trip!

Christine Riggle

June 16, 2015

Australia 2000 Travel ~ Dreams Become Reality

Whatever your dream, Australia 2000 Travel makes it happen for you. Perhaps you envision discovering majestic destinations such as the Bay of Islands in New Zealand aboard a privately chartered yacht. No worries mate! Our local booking agents organize every element of your exhilarating adventure from start to finish.

A chauffeur driven car will transfer you from your luxury accommodation to the marina where your captain who will be waiting to welcome you on board.? As you set sail doors open to spectacular scenery and numerous entertaining activities.? Explore largely sheltered waters amid a variety of scenic islands teeming with wildlife is just one of them. Dolphins, blue penguins, North Island robins, snapper, kingfish, and other marine and land animals abound. Some locations are premier sites for scuba diving on rocky bottoms, in caves, and around shipwrecks. Snorkeling and swimming are excellent. Pristine white-sand beaches, walking trails to admire stunning sea views or explore historic sites, the delights of laid-back resorts, and browsing in the shops and dining in the restaurants of small harbor towns are just a few of the pleasures a Bay of Islands yacht charter has to offer.? Contact us your personalized sailing adventure is waiting for you!

January 28, 2014

Thank you from David & Adrea Benkoff

Dear Karen,

We traveled to Australia and New Zealand for 3 ? weeks on a spectacular tour tailored to our tastes. We hopscotched around Australia from Sydney to Cairns, Ayers Rock to Kangaroo Island. Every stop included personalized tours, wonderful people and terrific wildlife experiences. We even spent a day in Barossa wine country sampling from four wineries.

The scenery in New Zealand was picture postcard perfect. The experiences that Karen provided in Arthur?s Pass, Queenstown and Doubtful Sound highlighted the natural beauty and provided exciting activities such as a Jet Boat Ride, overnight cruise and sheep shearing. We toured with an Aboriginal and Maori guide and experienced their lifestyle first hand.

Whether we had a private tour or joined with others, all the selected tour guides were personable, knowledgeable, and genuinely enjoyable to spend time with.

Australia 2000 made this the adventure of a lifetime.

Thanks, Adrea and David Benkoff

June 8, 2011

Australian Islands

ORPHEUS ISLAND

Orpheus Island is a true Great Barrier Reef island, located fifty miles north of Townsville, one hundred and twenty? miles south of Cairns and fifteen? miles offshore. ?It is fringed by sheltered bays and seven unspoiled sandy beaches, wreathed in spectacular coral gardens and invigorated with native flora and fauna. While snorkeling guests will view giant clams in their natural environment and? look for over a thousand species of tropical fish and more than three hundred varieties of reef coral in the underwater gardens surrounding the island.

The entire island, 3380 acres was declared a National Park in 1960.? ?Guests are likely to see echidnas and bandicoots, harmless brown and green tree snakes and green tree frogs in the rainforest, woodland and around the resort.? Many native birds can be found on the island including the orange-footed scrub fowl, brilliant yellow-bellied sunbirds, friar birds, boobook owls, sulfur crested cockatoos, ospreys, spangled drongo, brahminy kite, reef heron and rainbow lorikeets.

KANGAROO ISLAND

One of Australias true wilderness areas, Kangaroo Island is a place of rugged cliffs, roaring surf, pristine beaches, vivid blue ocean waters, dramatic caves, beautiful bush land, national parks and home to an abundance of wildlife.?Its natures paradise with unique flora and fauna found nowhere else in the world.

To derive the greatest pleasure and value from any visit to KI we always suggest?exploring the island with one of our specialist guides who know just where to find the timid Aussie wildlife and where best to observe the?spectacular scenery along the South Coast.

LIZARD ISLAND

Situated right on the famed Great Barrier Reef, Lizard Island is an exclusive island; with 24 soft white beaches and fringed with coral reefs. Guests are limited to just 80 at any one time. This is an island where you can enjoy a wide choice of activities or simply take a break and luxuriate in the peace and solitude of the islands delightful natural environment.

LORD HOWE ISLAND

After flying over 370 miles of empty ocean from Sydney you will be in awe as you approach the breathtaking World Heritage listed Lord Howe Island, formed when a volcano erupted 6 million years ago. Snorkeling on the most southern coral reef in the world that teems with marine life of over 500 species of fish and 90 species of coral is a popular past time. World-class bush walks through the natural forests of spectacular Banyan trees and Kentia palm range from easy level-ground walks to challenging hikes to the peak of Mt Gower. In order to maintain the islands pristine environment and uniqueness the number of visitors is limited to 400 at any time.

MARIA ISLAND

Get off the beaten path on an award winning four day guided walk on historic Maria Island where peak hour traffic is a line of little blue penguins emerging from the sea.

During your four day hike you?ll see world-rated fossil cliffs and tread softly through a refuge of rare wildlife and plants.? You?ll trace the history from the era of convicts back to the ancient supercontinent of Gondwana.? The entire island is a national park, surrounded by pristine beaches and secluded coves.

Maria Island is a wildlife haven for mammals, birds and marine creatures and home to many rare and endangered species found nowhere else on earth.? The meeting of the warm and cold ocean currents surrounding the island provides a rich source of food for bait fish, seals and sea birds.?? The island lies on one of the great whale migration paths.? Maria Island has long been a prized destination for the keen birdwatcher with 11 of Tasmania?s 12 endemics and over 130 recorded species.? There are almost too many animals to take in.? Rare Tasmanian mammals that hop, climb trees, burrow underground or even lay eggs, seals and dolphins splashing happily in the sea are all to be found during your adventure on? Maria Island.

June 8, 2011

Australian Outback

ARKAROOLA – SOUTH AUSTRALIA

Yellow Footed Wallaby at Arkaroola Wilderness Sanctuary, Arkaroola, Flinders Ranges Copyrighted Image Tourism Australia

Arkaroola is a 380 square miles privately owned wildlife sanctuary in the rugged Northern Flinders Ranges just to the east of the Gammon Ranges National Park in South Australia. The surrounding area includes spectacular arid zone mountain terrain, picturesque gorges, water holes and wildlife unique to the area. It is a truly fascinating region with dramatic, ancient hills where some of the rocks are estimated to be older 1,000 million years and marine fossils are being found from 600 million years ago giving proof to the fact that our Outback was once an inland sea.

BROKEN HILL – NEW SOUTH WALES

Broken Hill, NSW, Copyrighted Image Tourism Australia

People used to say that you would find Broken Hill beyond the Darling River on the edge of the sundown, as if there was nowhere further to travel in Australia.

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Perhaps it was the feeling of being confronted by an unspeakably vast space that looked like an inland sea rolling into the sunset. The desolate landscape surrounding Broken Hill is like driving towards a painting of soft mauve and sage hues. Is it any wonder the city has become known as a Mecca for artists? It is there that the magnificent clear blue skies and the magic light are much loved by film makers from Mad Max 2 to Priscilla, Queen of the Desert.

It is in Broken Hill that the big red kangaroos will run one hundred and twenty five miles in a night chasing a thunderstorm, and the unique Sturt Desert Peas bloom in dark red soils. The Tower Mulloch heaps around Broken Hill represent billions of dollars spent on mining that drove the economy of a fledgling nation. In this historic city it is easy to be reminded of the struggles of the pioneers. What greater adventure can there be than to travel to the Australian Outback via the Indian Pacific train where our special guide will meet you at railway station when you arrive in Broken Hill. You will be taken on a journey through the national parks to discover the Outback and the opal mining area of White Cliffs. There will be time to noodle for opals as you walk around in the old field At Lightening Ridge you will discover the true meaning of the word remote Here people live in houses built under the ground to escape the extreme heat of the Aussie sun.

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June 8, 2011

Australian Wildlife

KOALAS

Koala, Queensland ~ Photo Credit to Tourism Australia

Often referred to as koala ?bears? they are not bears at all but rather marsupials.? These cuddly, gentle creatures live in Eastern Australia rarely leaving their beloved eucalyptus trees.? When not nuzzled up in the crook of a gumtree sleeping for up to 18 hours a day, these adorable creatures get their nutrition and moisture from the two and a half pounds of gum leaves eaten each day.? Younger females give birth to one offspring per year while older females only reproduce every two or three years.? After giving birth, Joeys (baby koalas) while blind and furless, measuring only 2 inches long, make the extraordinary journey to the mother?s pouch.? From the safety of its mother?s pouch a Joey drinks milk for 6-7 months until it can tolerate the delicacy of koalas? favorite food, gum leaves.

KANGAROOS

When you think of Australia you may naturally think of our iconic kangaroo.? Belonging to the Macropus family that literally means ?big foot? these nocturnal, timid creatures make their homes in Eastern Australia. Possessing very powerful hind legs and large feet kangaroos can leap 30 feet in a single bound and run more than 30 miles per hour.? If threatened kangaroos pound their feet as a warning to predators. They use their tail as a means of balance giving them the ability to station themselves while boxing with their front legs and to raise up their hind legs delivering powerful thrusts.? While most people know that baby kangaroos (Joeys) are cradled safely in their mother?s pouch many don?t know that if the mother feels in danger she will throw her joey out of the pouch to provide a chance to for it to survive.? Did you know that kangaroo mothers produce two types of milk, one for a newborn and one for the baby as it grows?? Females also have the remarkable ability to shut down their reproductive system completely in times of drought.? When the joey is about 4 months old it will leave its mother?s pouch making short outings to graze on grass and shrubs.? Around 10 months the joey is mature enough to leave its mother?s pouch to head out into the world.? Kangaroos have few natural threats other than dingos (wild dogs) and humans.

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August 8, 2010

Thank you from Carolyn

Hi Karen,

You did an excellent job figuring out from our conversations which activities we would enjoy; the zookeeper-led tour, the bike tour and the wildlife tour were all a big hit with Peter. Our trip to the Blue Mountains was “self-directed” once we were there, and when we were fogged in on the day we expected to walk along the cliffs, we found we could take a bus tour to the Jenolyn caves. An excellent adventure as well!

Thank you so much!

Carolyn Pierce

Traveled to Australia July 2010

Thank you from Christine Riggle

Australia 2000 Travel ~ Dreams Become Reality

Thank you from David & Adrea Benkoff