Will we get to see Koalas and Kangaroos on a half or full day experience?
There is a very high possibility that you will get to see these iconic Australian animals without needing to go to a zoo or sanctuary. We make every endeavour to show you what you want but don’t guarantee that we will see everything as animals have a mind of their own J
We’ve heard about the Werribee Treatment Plant but how big is it?
The entire Werribee Treatment Plant is bigger in area than the World’s 5 smallest sovereignties, coming in at approx 105km2 or just over 40 square miles. Most of this area is the operational parts of the WTP and is therefore off-limits to birdwatchers. That said, it is still too large to walk around so a vehicle is needed.
You mention providing morning and afternoon tea but what about lunch and or dinner?
Lunch and / or dinner will need to be organised for yourself. As many of the destinations don’t have food facilities close-by, lunches can be pre-made or we can stop during the day to purchase lunch and dinner (if required). Dinners would generally be at a hotel or other food venue.
For morning and afternoon tea, we can cater for people’s specific dietary requirements eg vegetarian, gluten-free, lactose-free but we will need to know this before the experience starts. Morning and afternoon tea generally consists of tea and coffee, water, fruit and biscuits/cookies and cake.
Can we extend a day experience to include night-time spotlighting?
Yes, we can extend a half day or full day experience to include spotlighting. There is an additional cost but not as much as a nocturnal experience by itself. This can be arranged prior to the day.
What are your starting and finishing times for the tours?
The starting times for our tours vary with the seasons and daylight saving, but they are generally 7am start for half or full day experiences and 7pm for nocturnal experiences. Daylight savings starts in early October each year and ends in early April the following year, so experiences can start and finish earlier or later depending on the destinations for the day. For nocturnal experiences during the daylight saving period, these will start at 8pm. It often doesn’t get dark until after 9pm during summer. Times will be confirmed once all of the planning is undertaken.
Do we need a guide or can we just go to Werribee Treatment Plant ourselves?
The Werribee Treatment Plant has a process by which birders are allowed to visit the facilities. Interstate and International visitors can get a "day pass" and key but this limits your access to some areas of the WTP. Guides should have undertaken the full WTP induction which allows them to enter all areas that birdwatching is permitted. WE has this "access all areas" permit so can take you across the width and breadth of the permitted area. As WE also undertakes fauna consultancy work at many other parts of the WTP, we can also give you an indepth understanding of what happens on other parts of the facility.
On extended tours, what accommodation is available?
Accommodation on extended trips will generally be at decent motels but may also include caravan (trailer) parks, camping sites or other facilities. The pricing for accommodation will be additional to the experience costs that are outlined on our Pricing tab. Accommodation reqiurements and styles can be discussed during our planning of your experience. Our aim is to be you as close to the action as quickly as possibly each day, rather than travel for an hour or so before the day starts.
Are commercial operations included in the tours?
Commercial operations such as Healesville Sanctuary and Phillip Island Penguin Parade can be included in a tour and are an opportunity to get close to many of our unique fauna and make photography easier. If you would like to incorporate these, or others, into your experience please advise us when booking so we can add these to your experience. The cost of admission will be an additional extra in the price of your experience.
What is my partner is not into wildlife. What can they do while I’m out with you?
If your partner is not into wildlife, there are many cultural attractions, shopping and entertainment venues around Melbourne. These may include the National Gallery of Victoria (NGV), Australian Centre for the Moving Image (ACMI) at Federation (Fed) Square, for film, television and digital media or the Royal Botanic Gardens. Melbourne is blessed with many museums including Museum Victoria, Immigration Museum and for the sporting-minded, the National Sporting Museum at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) the home of Australian Rules Football and Boxing Day Cricket test match.
Entertainment venues include many theatres for stage productions, Crown Casino, South Bank ( of the Yarra River) comedy clubs etc. While shopping is endless with shopping precincts like Bourke Street Mall and Melbourne Central a big hit with visitors to our great city. Melbourne's cafes and laneways are world renown and well worth a visit also.
To get around to these venues you can catch a taxi/cab, Uber, tram, train, bus or walk. If you plan to use public transport (tram, train or bus) we can advise you about purchasing a “myki card”, the electronic ticketing, used for public transport or we can loan you one for the duration of your stay. All you have to do is put money on it to cover your fares.
Alternatively, your partner can come with you and we can incorporate some of their interests into your wildlife experience. See the section on Build-your-own Tours for an example of how we did this recently.