Atherton Tablelands Spotlighting Tour
Adults - $220.00 per person
Children - $20.00 for children 3 - 15 years
Under 3 years old are free.
Available 7 days
5 hours
Minimum 2 adults
Pick up at 5:30pm & return at 10:30pm
This can be discussed at time of booking and wil depend on your accommodation is situated.
Details & Itinerary
Please be aware that looking into white light can seriously damage the eyes of people and night creatures. Most nocturnal animals run away as soon as a strong white light is shone on them. While a weak white light is useful for finding your way along unlit footpaths at night we use red light torches to look at animals. Most animal’s eyes do not register red light and we can get far better views of them and cause less disturbance if this is the light we use.
Schedule
- 5:30pm – Pick up from your accommodation
- Spotlighting at a number of sites on the Atherton Tabelands
- 10:30pm – Return to your accommodation
Tour Inclusions
- Tour Guide Fees
- Transport in a comfortable tour 4WD air-conditioned vehicle
- Lunch
- Permits & entrance fees
- Accommodation pick up and drop off
- Bottled water in vehicle
Tour Excludes
- Items of a personal nature including soft drinks and snacks
What You Should Bring
- Comfortable covered walking shoes – while there are no major hikes during this tour there will be some walking on potentially rough paths
- Lightweight long-sleeved shirt and long trousers- some plants can be rather scratchy
- Lightweight raingear
- Hat
- Sunblock
- Insect repellent
- Camera and binoculars
What we may see
At dusk the Fruit Bat camps disperse and these flying mammals can be seen in great numbers flying over the road if you are anywhere near them. We will also be looking for nocturnal birds as we travel. These may include the Pacific Barn Owl, Northern Boobook Papuan Frogmouth and if we are very lucky Lesser Sooty Owl.
Most of the mammalian fauna of Australia is nocturnal and we will be keeping our eyes open as we go for Kangaroos and wallabies. Many of these can exhibit suicidal tendencies and hurl themselves at vehicles when spooked or dazzled by the lights, which is why they are such a common roadkill in Australia.
While some snakes are diurnal hunters, others hunt at night. They also like to soak up the heat from the roads. This means it is often possible to see them enjoying a rest on the tarmac which still retains the heat from the day. Boigu (also known as Brown Tree Snakes or Night Tigers) and Pythons are particularly keen on this activity. Unfortunately a number of snakes lose their lives due to a lack of road sense.
Looking for eyeshine is one of the best ways to pick up animals at night. Although most eyeshine tends to be tiny spiders we are often rewarded by a variety of possums including Striped Possum, Green Ringtail Possum, Common Ringtail Possum, Common Brush-tailed Possum and Sugar Gliders. Northern Brown and Long-nosed Bandicoots, Fawn-footed Melomys, Antechinus and Uromys (the Giant White-tailed Rat) are also a possibility as are Platypus and Lumholtz’s Tree Kangaroos. Frogs tend to be more active at night. They are particularly common after rain. During the wetter months the cacophony of sound they make after a shower can be deafening.
Pick up is usually at around 1730 and drop off around 2230. However, this can be discussed at time of booking and will depend on where your accommodation is situated. For those who want to go further afield and spend more time in the field we do offer an extended spotlighting tour.
Book now and join us on an Atherton Tablelands Spotlighting tour.