Many things have changed since this book was first published in 1992. Back then there were only two birding guides and only one place offering accommodation for birders. There were no e-mail addresses or websites or even fax numbers. Since then the names of many National Parks have changed, usually from one commemorating a European settler or explorer, to one from the local indigenous people eg Palmerston to Wooroonooran and Lumholtz to Girringun. Some places are no longer accessible and have been dropped but others have been added. The names of government departments also change regularly.
After editing a small book on birds of Townsville and answering numerous questions about good birding areas, as a volunteer for National Parks, I decided to attempt a guide to the wider northern area that I knew well. I liked meeting people but it also reduced the amount of time I spent talking to ‘southerners’ who came north with only the phone numbers of local Cairns and Townsville contacts as preparation for their trip. (This is no longer the case.)
I could never have completed the book without the help of numerous friends who have been thanked in the Acknowledgments page. Writing it has involved a lot of work and time. I’d really rather be out looking at birds than sitting at a computer writing about them or checking for typos. However the many appreciative comments I have received from birders worldwide has made it all worthwhile.
With Where to Find Birds in North-East Queensland you will have:
- The only up-to-date guide to the birds and top birding sites from Bowen, north to Townsville, Cairns and the Daintree River and west to the Atherton Tableland.
- Over 400 Birds listed with notes on their status, distribution range and preferred habitat.
- Detailed descriptions of over 90 localities in north-east Queensland, both on and off the beaten track.
- Useful contact addresses, phone/fax numbers, email and website details.
- Suggestions for travelling further afield in north Queensland.
No birdwatcher or wildlife enthusiast from Australia or overseas, visiting north-east Queensland, should be without this book.
The book is spiral bound, with 132 A5 pages. Sample pages may be viewed here.