Mission Beach Birding

It goes without saying that the Southern Cassowary is the most sought after bird in the Mission Beach area. The species is now officially on the endangered list, and with ever increasing development, their future is uncertain.
The best time of year to see a cassowary is in the first half of the year. The breeding season can be anytime from July through to October. During that time you could be fortunate enough to see both a female and male cassowary together - the only time that the dominant female will tolerate her partner. Once the female lays her eggs, the male will then sit on the eggs for almost two months - during which time sightings become increasingly infrequent.
Cassowary sightings of both the female and male at Licuala Lodge are virtually daily - the female will stay away for a few days when the male is sitting on the eggs.

Also to be found at Licuala Lodge are the Yellow-bellied Sunbird, Metallic Starling, Wompoo Fruit-Dove, Double-Eyed Fig Parrot, Fairy Gerygone, Grey-Tailed Tattler, Mistletoebird, Dusky Honeyeater, Nutmeg Mannikin and many more, making Mission Beach birding such a rewarding experience. See the birdlife page on their website.
On hot sunny days, the magnificent Ulysses butterfly can be seen at Licuala Lodge, along with it's cousin, the colourful Cairns Birdwing.

There are several walks in Mission Beach - excellent birding opportunities. The Lacey Creek walk in the Licuala State Forest is home to the Chowchilla, Azure Kingfisher, Yellow-breasted Boatbill, Red-necked Crake and the Eastern Whipbird. Across the road from Lacey Creek is an 8km track leading through the Licuala State Forest. A good opportunity for Victoria's Riflebird, the Noisy Pitta and the Southern Cassowary !!
The Bicton Hill walk offers superb views of Dunk Island, as well as the chance to spot an Emerald Dove and a Buff-breasted Paradise-Kingfisher (best seen around November time). The Bicton Hill circuit is just short of 4 kilometres in length.
The Edmund Kennedy track at South Mission Beach is part beach, part mangrove and part rainforest - almost 4 kms in length. The Pied Imperial-Pigeon is a frequent visitor, coming over from the Family Islands group to feed on the fruits of the rainforest. This track is also inhabited by the cassowary, the Australian Brush-turkey and the Orange-footed Scrubfowl. Keep an eye out for wallabies, goannas, bandicoots, possums and flying foxes.

On nearby Dunk Island birders can see the White-bellied Sea-Eagle, a variety of honeyeaters and the Noisy Pitta which will forage around in leaf litter at your feet.

An hour's drive south will bring you to the Murray Falls State Forest Park. Buff-breasted Paradise-Kingfisher are common in the summer (Nov to Feb). Lovely and Red-backed Fairy-wren and Northern Fantail nest in the open forest leading to the park. It is also a reliable spot for the Red-tailed Black-Cockatoo.

An hour's drive north of Mission Beach birding is abundant in a great wetland area called the Eubenangee Swamp. This is home to a variety of birds including the Green Pygmy-Goose, Little and Intermediate Egret, Darter, Whistling Kite, Pied Monarch and the Pacific Black Duck to name but a few.

So how do you get to Mission Beach ??

The easiest way is to fly into Cairns. From the airport, take the main highway, the Bruce Highway, south for some 140 kms. At the township of El Arish turn left for approx 14 kms.

Alternatively fly into Townsville, head north along the Bruce Highway for approx two and a half hours. After the town of Tully, turn right for Mission Beach.

CAIRNS AIRPORT - MISSION BEACH

For detailed directions to Mission Beach and Licuala Lodge, visit the Location page of their website.

The journey from Cairns takes just over an hour and a half. There are several decent bird watching opportunities on the way.
The Boulders at Babinda - some 6 kms west of the town - is home to a good variety of the more common lowland rainforest birds - a better area than the Josephine Falls which are just south of Babinda.
The Eubenangee Swamp National Park is onee of the most important wetland areas in the region, and is home to many waterbirds and grassbirds. There is a walking track which follows the Alice river, and ascends a grassy hill top which overlooks part of the wetlands.

Further south are the small towns of Garradunga and Daradgee. Unspectacular for most of the year, but visited in December and January by Barn Swallows - usually seen on powerlines near the hotel (pub !!).

TOWNSVILLE - MISSION BEACH

For detailed directions to Mission Beach and Licuala Lodge, from Townsville, visit the Location page of their website.

The journey from Townsville takes just over two and a half hours. There are several decent birding opportunities on the way, including Paluma, Hinchinbrook Island and the Murray Falls State Forest Park.

Mick and Sue at Licuala Lodge

John and Helen at Atherton Blue Gum

Keith and Lindsay at Kingfisher Park

John and Helen at Summit Rainforest Retreat

Andrew and Trish at Red Mill House

Mission Beach birding - as good as it gets in Queensland