Big Scrub Rainforest Day

The annual Big Scrub Rainforest Day is being held on Sunday 20th September at the Bangalow Showground. This year's theme is "All about the Big Scrub".

The day will commence in the A&I Hall at 10am with a Welcome to Country and Official Opening, followed by a talk from keynote speaker Dr Mary E White AM, author of "Greening of Gondwana".

Presentation and workshops will cover a wide range of topics from "Big Scrub Bats" to "Living on the land for beginners".

Every hour from 10am, buses will leave for walks led by experts in the Booyong Flora Reserve, offering opportunities to experience the magnificent biodiversity of the Big Scrub Rainforest.

For more info check out Rainforest Rescue

Totally Wild!

The story about our Nightcap Night Vision Walk went to air on 1 Sept. Thanks heaps to all those helped. Including: Stacey, Sean, Gary, Mel, Alicia, Sue, Peter, Savannah, Aaron, Fletcher, Oliver, Alan, Eddie and Gill. Cheers

Gold Coast Bulletin

We would like to thank Michael Jacobson from the Gold Coast Bulletin for writing such a great story about our Night Vision Walk. As a token of our gratitude we will give a 15% discount* to any Gold Coast Bulletin reader who mentions the article when booking. "A night out with nature: Our furry friends of the bush usually see us well before we stumble across their natural habitats. But with the help of Wendy Bithell and a pair of night vision goggles, Michael Jacobson turns the tables to get up close and personal with Australia's unsuspecting wildlife..."
Read the whole story...
*discount applies to standard adult or child price.

Bhutan Tours

We are currently investigating taking small group tours to the Kingdom of Bhutan.

High in the mysterious and majestic eastern Himalayas, nestled between Tibet and India, lies the small Kingdom of Bhutan, increasingly renowned as one of the Earth's last precious unspoiled spots. In this magical place, an intact Buddhist culture is integrated into every aspect of daily life, and spectacular mountain scenery provides a backdrop to pristine forests and picturesque valleys. The breathtaking landscape is dotted with fluttering prayer flags, colorful farmhouses amidst the terraced fields, and impressive monasteries clinging to impossible cliffs.

We are still sorting out costs and itinerary but we are excepting expressions of interest. Email

I just love winter

I mean it I really love winter in Byron Bay. Whilst on my morning beach jog today I saw 4 whales just cruising along. The sun is out, the sky is blue and it will reach a balmy 21C today. It certainly beats rushing around, trying to navigate my way through crowds trying to get to a job I didn't like that much.

Having a whale of a time

The annual migration of the humpback whales has started. In June - July every year they travel up from Antarctica to Hervey Bay, where they have their babies and mate. Then in Aug-Oct they head back with their calves. Byron Bay Australia's most easterly point gives people a front row seat to this annual spectacular. We now take people whale watching at Cape Bryon on our new Byron Sensations Tour. We have seen 3 whales thus far this week. Last weekend I spent a few hours at the Cape with my friends Jill and Tony and we saw about 12 whales, plus about 20 dolphins. At the moment the whales a only surface swimming and blowing. In the next few weeks, when the males really start showing off for the females we expect many more sightings and more extravagant behaviour such as breaching and flipper slapping. There is nothing quite like seeing a 45 tonne mammal launching itself out of the water. I love my job!

Extra night added

Due to overwhelming demand Byron Shire Council have agreed to an extra night vision walk to the World Environment Day celebrations. You can now attend the walk on Saturday 6th and Sunday 7th June (don't forget it is a long weekend). We still have places on the rainforest walk on 6th June with Gary Opit, but get in quick as places are going fast.

World Environment Day - Saturday 6th June

Vision Walks is proud to be a part of the Byron Shire Council 2009 World Environment Day celebrations. We will be providing a special half day rainforest walk with ABC local radio, Wildlife Wednesdays guru Gary Opit. This walk is at a special subsided price of $20pp. We will also be running a special subsidised Nightcap Night Vision Walk, at a special price of $25pp. For more information on Byron Shire Council 2009 World Environment Day celebrations check out their website

Totally Wild!

We had a crew from Channel 10's Totally Wild out last night filming our Night Vision Walk. It was a bit wet to start with but it cleared up. We spotted a Pademelon, some Fawn-Footed Melomys (Mosaic Tailed Tree Mouse), a Ring Tailed Possum, a Bush Rat, and a Great Barred Frog. It should be broadcast in July, I will post the broadcast date when I know it.

New Byron Sensation

We have just launched a new and innovative tour called the Byron Sensations Tour, where people can see, taste and feel Byron Bay. We will take them to the light house, whale watching, a glass design gallery, an organic skins care place, they will taste the famous Byron Bay cookies. Chill out at the Crystal Castle. Explore Bangalow and go Macademia and coffee tasting - yum. To find our more check out Byron Sensations Tour .

Changing of the guard

Just as soon as the whole Freshwater Crayfish invasion had started it has finished. Now we are occasionally seeing 1 crayfish if we are lucky. But there appears to be a changing of the guard. Although the moon was about 60% waning this week, it has been so late rising, it is as good as a new moon - which is great for spotting nocturnal marsupials such as Pademelon and Bandicoot (they tend to hide from predators when it is too light.) This week we have spotted 9 Bandicoot and 13 Red Necked Pademelon.

Something in the water

It appears the first pair of Freshwater Crayfish we saw a month ago were just the trend setters. Now we are regularly seeing 8+ Crayfish . These guys-girls range in size from about 15 to 40cm. They all just hang out in the creek, but sometimes if they get too close to one another there is a bit of pincher action. It appears that these freshwater crustaceans are in fact mating. Two months ago we noticed the Great Barred Frogs two at a time - if you know what I mean. Occasionally we get a bit close to campers and also hear some sounds we would prefer not to hear. There certainly seems like there is something in the water at Nightcap National Park.

Wired for rescue

Our trips into Nightcap National Park allow us to see fit an healthy wildlife, just getting on with there lives. Unfortunately on a few occasions, I've had to either rescue (and hand them over to WIRES) or move wildlife that other people had run over and left. Animals I have rescued include: echidna, tawny frogmouth and pademelon. Other less fortunate animals were dead when I found them, so all I could do was drag them off the road and check their pouches.

I just spent the weekend on a WIRES wildlife rescue course, it seems that I have been doing the right thing, but now I also have the right equipment and a great support structure behind me. I just want to reiterate though, the best thing people can do is drive slow enough so that they can stop or avoid hitting wildlife in the first place. Last night whilst driving out to Minyon Falls, I avoided hitting a Bandicoot and a Bush Rat because I was driving at a responsible speed. Prevention is better that cure.

Natural Born Spotters

I find it really amusing why some people spot animals so naturally and others have to work at it. I can spot animals because I'm interested, and I practice it almost every day - but it is a learned skill. It never ceases to amaze me when people in a totally new environment, with night vision goggles (a new way of looking at the world) spot animals so naturally and easily. Almost every time I go out on a walk there is someone who just spots everything. Last night it was Chris, the night before it was Peter, but others stand out, Mum, Robin, Pauline from Ireland, Monica from Germany, to name but a few. It makes me wonder what is it they have so naturally that I have to work at.

Water, water everywhere

Well, it has been pretty dry down south in Victoria, but up here in Northern NSW, it's been a bit damp to say the least. A great benefit of wet weather is that everything is lush and green, and the waterfalls are gushing with water. When we went out last night, Minyon Falls were magnificent, especially under the stars. We must have seen about 20 Great Barred Frogs, not to mention the 8 pademelons munching on the fresh green grass at Rummery and the Crayfish were still there hanging on in the very fast flowing water. I wish there was a way we could send some of this water to our brothers and sisters in Victoria Tasmania and South Australia.

Sea change

Often on my walks I talk about how I used to live in London, Sydney etc. I really enjoyed myself, living the dream, working in the media, going to fab parties, eating out, shopping, travel, clubs etc. But there came a moment when I realised that I'd had enough and need a change - I needed to slow down, I needed less clutter in my consciousness.

So I sold my flat moved to Byron Bay and started my bush walking business. When I talk to people about it they say how brave I am for taking steps to making a better life for myself. I don't think I'm brave, I was unhappy and the only person who could change things was me. So I really wonder if given a clean slate how many people would leave the city for a slower less cluttered life. I have put a poll on my blog "If given the opportunity would you prefer to live: in the city, by a lake, in the mountains or by the sea." It would be great to know what you think.

Donate to Wildlife Victoria

Another horrible consequence of the fires in Victoria is the devastation of the wildlife in the area. It is estimated that millions of animals have been killed or injured. Wildlife Victoria look after sick and injured animals and need your help. I quite often have to deal with wildlife carers in NSW (WIRES, Friends of the Koala ) when I find injured wildlife on the road - I know how hard these volunteers work in normal circumstances, I can't begin to imagine the heartbreaking task that lies in front of them.

I am not underestimating the human suffering, just asking if you have some spare money please consider donating it to Wildlife Victoria .

Age of Aquarius

Byron Bay has been a buzz this week with the knowledge that on Friday the moon was in the seventh house, and Jupiter aligned with Mars. Well, according to the "Hair" lyrics from now on we are in the Age of Aquarius where peace will guide the planets and love will steer the stars. Apparently from now on harmony and understanding, sympathy and trust abounding, no more falsehoods or derisions, golden living dreams of visions, mystic crystal revelation and the mind's true liberation. I certainly hope all this is true.

I often get to gaze at the stars at Minyon Falls, far away from any man-made light, but unfortunately we have been experiencing torrential rain for the past 3 days and the cloudy skies have obstructed our celestial view. It would have been great to see - did anyone see it?

I hope we (don't) see a .....

Living in Byron Bay, I'm surrounded my new-age spirituality. One of my mates always says "be careful what you put out there". This became evident the other night when I took out a nice couple Lesley & Jez, from the Sunshine Coast. They really wanted to a wild Koala (we sometimes see them but not all the time). They had really enjoyed the experience thus far but on the way back in the bus, I spotted sometime in the middle of the road. It was a cute little Koala running down the road - it made their night.

This appears to work for things you don't want to see, so be careful what you wish for, this includes any or our reptilian natives. I took a nice English couple (Henry & Chris) on day walk the other day - one of them was really snake phobic. We saw a Green Tree Snake (non venomous) briefly on the track, (it just got out of our way) - this is the first and only time I have seen a snake on that track. I just want to add I rarely see snakes, when I do they just try to get out of the way.

Is that a lobster?

On our walks we usually see Pademelon, Possum, Bandicoot, Frogs and Bush Rats. We sometimes see Koala, Tawny Frogmouth, Owls etc. Imagine my surprise the other night when we were on the bridge looking into the creek, Emily from Detroit, USA, asked "Is that a lobster?", it wasn't a lobster but it was a huge freshwater crayfish - a pair of them actually. Wow, I have been taking these walks for almost a year and that is the first time anyone had noticed a Crayfish. I took another group out the next night and the Crayfish were still in the same spot.

Welcome

Welcome to the new Vision Walks blog. On this blog we will post interesting observations and relevant information that relate to our walks.