But Australia doesn't stop there: the wildlife is brimming with cooperative and unusual ways to survive an unrelenting environment where rain comes about one per decade. Check out the Thorny Devil, a reptile that slurps dew from its feet into the corners of its mouth through a surface-network of microscopic aqueducts. Or the large number of Australian bird species whose older siblings put off breeding to raise and feed their new brothers and sisters, while their parents have time to teach them long-term survival skills for the lean years. Or the ant-plants in tropical Queensland that have become entirely dependent between insect and plant for an exchange of nutrients. Or the beautiful flowering Banksia that "spike" their nectar with essential amino-acids so their pollinating Honeyeaters don't need to waste time hunting high-protein food elsewhere.
This book shows ecotravelers what to look for and why, plus how to get the best experience at each destination. From the Great Barrier Reef to Queensland Wet Tropics, Ayers Rock to Sydney and the Blue Mountains, Hannah Robinson helps you find human-sized birds, understand the local geology, and much more.
Travel destinations include many World Heritage sites of universal value due to their biological diversity, exceptional natural beauty, outstanding examples of earth history, or significant ongoing ecosystems. Resources included in the book will help you make the most of any visit: list of wildlife guides, safaris, nocturnal expeditions, and dive companies; descriptions of hikes from a half-hour to nine days in length, plus rafting trips, 4WD spots, and more; wilderness lodges, cabins, and starlit accommodations information.
This is the definitive ecotravel guide to Australia.
Chapters included: Sydney (including Blue Mountains) Lord Howe Island Fraser Island Queensland Wet Tropics Great Barrier Reef Red Center (including Ayers Rock) Top End (including Kakadu and Katherine) West Australia (including wildflowers, Shark Bay, Ningaloo Reef) Tasmania Resource listing
