Little Desert Discovery Naturewise Experience
Description
The Western Victoria’s Little Desert region holds some of the last remaining pockets of untouched Mallee, and provides critical habitat for a range of species including the endangered Malleefowl and Red-Tail Black Cockatoo. Invasive plants and animals, urban development and natural disasters have caused these last remaining reserves to become fragmented, placing pressure on the region’s biodiversity. The constantly changing environment has also resulted in a distinct lack of knowledge on the region’s species diversity and population numbers. This knowledge is vital and supports effective conservation management of the landscape.
Join Conservation Volunteers and Parks Victoria and make a big difference at Little Desert! You will undertake important research through remote camera monitoring and other hands-on conservation activities. You will also learn about the endangered Mallefowl recovery program and encounter a range of native wildlife species held at the Little Desert Sanctuary for research purposes including Sugar Gliders, Brush-tailed Bettongs and Bush-stone Curlews.
Participants will work in one of Victoria’s most striking environments. The vast, unforgettable surrounds of Little Desert National Park provide an iconic setting for our conservation work. Participants will work alongside Parks Victoria and Conservation Volunteer to undertake important fauna research. You will be walking along transects and collecting remote cameras. You will also help record the collected data, and set up the cameras in the field. Your work will contribute to the region’s species diversity and population numbers.
Day 1 Melbourne city pick up and transfer to Little Desert Nature Lodge. Along the way we stop for lunch at Mt Arapiles lookout providing views over Little Desert National Park. On arrival at the Lodge we settle into our accommodation before a safety and program briefing. Dinner at the lodge is followed by a Nocturnal Wildlife Encounter where you’ll experience the creatures of the bush including the delightful Sugar Gliders, Bettongs and Stone-Curlews. Listen in amazement as our guides interpret the many sounds of the night such as Owls, Nightjars, Bats and Frogs. (LD)
Day 2 Breakfast will be followed by an introduction by Parks Victoria staff on the day’s monitoring program. Travel to a nearby Parks Victoria Reserve to collect camera traps which are used to record and identify wildlife movements through the Park. During the afternoon the group will take part in an interpretive habitat walk to learn more about the local biodiversity and wildlife. Dinner will be followed by a night session of reviewing camera data from the cameras collected earlier in the day, and recording information on wildlife captured on film. (BLD)
Day 3 Breakfast is followed by a guided tour of the Malleefowl Aviary. The Malleefowl Aviary is the only captive breeding program for Malleefowl in Victoria. Observe these endangered birds as they work on their huge incubation mounds, constructed from leaf-litter, sticks and sand. Following lunch at the lodge, we travel to a nearby Parks Victoria Reserve in the afternoon to set up camera traps. Dinner at the lodge. (BLD)
Day 4 Following breakfast, the group will depart the lodge for Melbourne, stopping en route for lunch. The approximate return time to Melbourne city will be 6pm. (BL)
Meal Code: B – breakfast L – lunch D – dinner
Useful Information
Activity Rating: Easy. Conservation activities involve walking on average up to 4km per day through bushland on unmarked tracks.
Group Size: Guaranteed Departures, maximum 8 people per group. Departure is guaranteed, subject to 4 people travelling.
Minimum age for participation is 10. Participants under 16 are to be accompanied by an adult.
Program Location: Little Desert National Park is located 370km west of Melbourne.
Accommodation: Fully Accredited accommodation set on 119 hectares of natural bushland at Little Desert Nature Lodge. Choose between twin room accommodation with ensuite, or bunk bed dorm-room accommodation with shared bathroom facilities.
What to Bring: Standard comfortable outdoor and walking gear as detailed below.
Long sleeved shirt and trousers, casual and comfortable clothing, waterproof hiking boots or closed toe walking shoes, a comfortable pair of shoes to relax in after the outdoor activities, day pack, personal water bottle, warm clothing (beanie, gloves, thermals, fleece tops etc.), waterproof jacket and pants, personal toiletries, insect repellent, wide brimmed sun hat and broad spectrum sunscreen (factor 30+), sunglasses, any personal medication and any personal items you may require.
Contact
- Conservation Volunteers
- Phone: 1800 032 501
- Phone: 03 5330 2600
- Email: bookings@naturewise.com.au
- Website: http://www.conservationvolunteers.com.au/get-involved/holidays/little-desert-discovery
- Cost: $615
- Booking required
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Little Desert National Park, VIC Little Desert Nature Lodge, Little Desert, Victoria, Australia
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