Savannah Guides Limited

30/01/2025

POV: we go for a hike…

My friend and I are like two different peas in the same pod when it comes to hiking. 🥾
While we both share a love for nature and the tranquility found far from the hustle and bustle of towns, we thrive on different approaches.

She relishes in the challenge of the hike, embracing the exercise of exploring national parks. As for me? I’m the one who can’t help but stop every few steps, captivated by the beauty of a plant or the movement of an animal, soaking in the little details that makes Country so magical.

My friend: Geneeneeeee!! There’s some dinosaur looking thing over here. It’s freaking me out. *runs away* 🫣

Me: *immediately gets down to take pictures* Awwww look at the happy lil’ dude having a sunbathe 🥹

I’m fairly confident this is a Lace Monitor (Varanus Varius) a protected Australian Monitor Lizard, second largest in Australia.

I’m lucky old mate was in a good mood and didn’t have a chomp at me 👀🦎

Geneene 🌚🌝

30/01/2025

If you’re interested in checking out our online message stick follow the easy process of signing up here
👉🏽 https://savannah-guides.com.au/join-us-newsletter/

Be the first to hear about our upcoming field schools dates, learn some interesting facts and read some fascinating stories, upcoming job positions, oh and have a go at Savannah Guides designed crossword!

I recently wrote an article for the Savannah Guides Message Stick about Rainbow Bee Eaters (Merops ornatus) and their unusual nesting habits under the railway.

If you're into natural history and learning something new, the whole newsletter is definitely worth a read and can make that awkward time spent sitting on the toilet, a real pleasure.

You can sign up to the Message Stick or read the latest edition by clicking the link below.

Or you can just read about a beautiful little bird making its way in life.

Wil🤠

The Savannahlander Unearth Etheridge Visit Mareeba Shire Visit Croydon QLD Discover Atherton Tablelands The Bearded One Summer Spirit

27/01/2025

I’ve been speaking a lot lately about the importance of reconnecting with Country. One of the things I often share is that everyone has a relationship with Country—whether we acknowledge it or not. It’s in the way we feel the warmth of the sun rising and the coolness of it setting, the sense of peace when we breathe in the earthy scent of rain, the stillness beneath a gum tree as we sit firmly on the ground, or the grounding feeling of walking through the bush or along the shore. The ways to reconnect are endless, and each one speaks to our shared connection with the land.

In our culture, we understand that to protect and preserve the land, we must first learn to deeply appreciate it. It’s the small, everyday moments—the ones that seem so simple—that allow us to understand the vastness of what we have and what we must protect. It’s the little things that breathe life into the bigger things.

I’ll leave you with this view of the sunset I witnessed at Gummingurru, a sacred men’s ceremonial site that has survived for over 6,000 years. This land is not just a place—it is on the Traditional Country of my ancestors, the Western Wakka Wakka Peoples and Gummingurru holds the stories, the knowledge, and the wisdom of our people, passed down through the generations before us.
It is here, on this land, that I am honoured to call my second home—a place where culture, spirit, and land are intertwined.

Geneene🌚🌝

12/01/2025

Have you started planning your next adventure? 🌿

It's just less than three months away until we begin our 2025 season, and we couldn't be more excited! 🤠

It's a great time to start planning your adventures for the year ahead 🌿 Visit our website for more info.

Queensland Country

12/01/2025

With 50 years of NAIDOC celebrations, the theme for 2025 carries great significance and power. For those unfamiliar with NAIDOC Week, it is an annual event in Australia that honors and celebrates the culture, history, and remarkable achievements of our First Nations peoples.

2025 NAIDOC THEME:
THE NEXT GENERATION: STRENGTH, VISION, LEGACY

As we reflect on the wisdom and resilience of our Elders and ancestors, we honor their unwavering strength and the endurance they showed throughout the trials of history. Their stories, knowledge, and contributions remain deeply embedded in the very roots of our land—our oldest Elder, our Mother: Country.

Looking ahead, we embrace the future with hope and determination, committed to fostering and empowering the next generations. These are the future caregivers, nurturers, and storytellers who will carry our traditions forward.

The generations to come will walk our songlines, each step connecting the past to the present, carrying the weight of history and the wisdom of those who came before them. They will leave their footprints etched into the lands soils, continuing the journey of cultural survival.

We stand as the voice for our Elders, with a vision of healing Country and strengthening the bond between people, animals, land, and waterways. Together, let us guide the spirits and minds of the young, ensuring they are inspired and grounded in the legacy of our ancestors
Geneene🌚🌝

NAIDOC THEME ANNOUNCED 🤩

TODAY the National NAIDOC Committee have announced this years NAIDOC theme.

The Next Generation: Strength, Vision & Legacy

As we enter 2025, NAIDOC Week marks a powerful milestone: 50 years of honoring and elevating Indigenous voices, culture, and resilience. The 2025 theme, "The Next Generation: Strength, Vision & Legacy," celebrates not only the achievements of the past but the bright future ahead, empowered by the strength of our young leaders, the vision of our communities, and the legacy of our ancestors.

The NAIDOC journey began as a movement for recognition and rights, sparked by Indigenous communities who saw a future built on justice and equality. Over the decades, it has grown into a powerful national celebration, a testament to the enduring strength of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. As we commemorate this 50-year legacy, we also look forward, honouring the next generation who will carry the torch, shaping the future with courage, insight, and deep respect for our roots. Guided by the wisdom of our Elders and the groundwork laid by our forebears, each NAIDOC Week reinforces our vision for an Australia where Indigenous voices are not only heard but lead the way.

This year, the National NAIDOC Committee takes an important step toward independence, embracing self-determination as a model for the next generation. With every story shared, every act of resilience remembered, and every cultural practice celebrated, we honour a legacy that reaches far into the past and extends into the future. As we celebrate this milestone, we look toward the next 50 years with excitement and confidence, while everyday ensuring that NAIDOC remains a movement grounded in community-led vision and integrity.

From this solid foundation, the next generation will rise—grounded in the strength of our Elders, history, inspired by a shared vision, and committed to building a legacy of unity, respect, and self-determination for all. This NAIDOC Week, we celebrate not just a milestone but a movement that endures, grows, and evolves—driven by the unwavering strength of our communities, the shared vision of our people, and the enduring legacy we pass on to those who will shape our future. Together, we walk forward, honoring where we've come from and looking boldly to the next generation who will carry NAIDOC and their communities into the future.

For more information on National NAIDOC please visit: www.naidoc.org.au






🖤💛❤️💚🤍🖤💙

08/01/2025

Do you ever feel the pull to step away from the city, to leave behind the hum of traffic and the constant buzz of everyday life?
To trade it all for the quiet embrace of the bush or beach, where nature speaks to you in every rustling leaf, every whisper of wind, every crash of the waves or the tumbling of liquid silver pouring over the stones into the creeks.

Imagine the air around you, rich with the scent of lush greens, earthy browns, and crisp blues. Picture the sounds — the distant rhythm of Country: the natural symphony of the land. If this resonates with you, you’re not alone. Now is the perfect time to start planning your next adventure.

Whether you connect with the land through hiking, exploring its storied history, or simply soaking in its breathtaking beauty, we offer an unparalleled opportunity to deepen your connection with the land through our curated tours.

Across Australia, we offer a wide range of experiences that allow you to discover the essence of Country, guided by our expert, accredited tour guides. With their wealth of knowledge, passion, and warmth, our team ensures that your journey will be not just a trip, but an experience that will stay with you long after you’ve returned.

Let us help you make your next adventure unforgettable, with memories as timeless as the land itself- or even better join us, let’s Protect and Interpret the outback we call home together!

SAVANNAH GUIDE ENTERPRISE:
Discovery Resorts Undara, Discovery Parks - Mount Surprise, Croydon Shire Council
Australian Nature Guides The Savannahlander Outback Aussie Tours - OAT Driftwood Tours Central Queensland Nature Tours See Around Corners Australian 4X4 Treks - 4WD Adventures in Australia & New Zealand Australian Age of Dinosaurs Red Cat Adventures Capricorn Caves Cobbold Gorge Tours El Questro Wilderness Park NT Immersions Talaroo Gulflander Red Dirt Tours
Geneene 🌚🌝

25/12/2024

Merry Christmas from us all at Savannah Guides! 🎄💝

Hope everyone has had a fantastic day however you’ve decided to spend it!

Geneene 🌚🌝

21/12/2024

With all the rain and the seasons change it’s a good idea to learn how to identify the difference between frog and toad eggs.

As pictured below toad eggs can be found in long strings floating on the water’s surface, sometimes becoming wrapped in vegetation, whereas frog eggs can me found in singular sticky clumps just under the waters surface.

If you come across toad eggs you should:
-Glove up!
-Remove them from the water
-DISPOSE:
Bury in dirt
Leave in the sun to dry out then bin or bury
Compost bin

Though a pest, it is important to remain humane and this is one of the best methods to reducing toad numbers without cruelty.

It is important to reduce cane toads in Australia as they are invasive species that threaten our native wildlife and ecosystem.
Their poisonous glands can kill our native predators and they feed on some our native animals like frogs, insects and other small reptiles and creatures.
Not many animals have discovered out how to eat toads yet however they’re slowly evolving.
An example of this is the Crow- who has figured out to flip them over and eat their bellies.

Might pop some comments of eggs through the day. Let’s see who can identify the eggs.

Geneene🌚🌝

01/12/2024

What a nest! 🪹

If the colours on the post don’t give it away, this is the home of an Australian Bush Turkey also known as Scrub Turkey or Alectura Lathami. ❤️💛🖤

Anyone wanna have a go at guessing why they build their nests so big?
Geneene🌚🌝

28/11/2024

It was so great to see people getting involved with my stick insect post, I’d love to see it again! 😁🎉
Here we have some dragons.

We have the Australian Eastern Water Dragon (Intellagama Lesueurii) and the Australian Eastern Bearded Dragon (Pogona Barbata)

I used to get these two so confused growing up because they look so similar, but they have a few differences.

Let’s all comment a different fun fact about these two reptiles.
It can be about them individually, or ways to tell them apart!

I am particularly interested to see if anyone has any knowledge on the families they come from, my finds have got me questioning if they’re part of the same family. 🤔🤔

Geneene 🌚🌝

26/11/2024

Let’s see if someone can help me.

DOES ANYONE KNOW WHAT THIS IS? 🤔

It’s big, about 10-15cm and very strong. 💪🏽
Was found gum tree leaves in SE Queensland at the bottom at Toowoomba range in the Lockyer Valley Region.
The legs have extreme grip, I removed him from my wheel with a stick and he did not want to budge.

I thought perhaps the it was an Eurycnema Goliath (Goliath Stick Insect) at first, but after a good old google I am not convinced.
Thoughts?
Geneene 🌚🌝

24/11/2024

Whilst climbing the Newcastle Range between Einasleigh and Forsayth on the Savannahlander we came across a Storr’s monitor (Varanus storri storri).

The Storr’s monitor is one of Australia’s smallest monitors. This little guy we found is a fully grown adult!

They can be found in the Tropical Savannah of North Eastern Queensland.

Sandra 😎

The Savannahlander
Reptiles of the Gulf Savannah

19/11/2024

We’ve shared it before and we’ll share it again!

🚽 WORLD TOILET DAY 🚽 is today.

Creek beds are NOT toilets 🙅🏽‍♀️
But we get it, when you gotta go, you gotta go 🥴

Toilet paper and sanitiser- which I always have cos I’m blowing my nose 👃🏽🧻

Rocks or sticks- if your eyes are open you should be able to find one 🪨 🪵

Walk away- if you’re walking in the bush, you shouldnt have an issue walking at least 100m away from creeks 🚶🏽‍♀️‍➡️🚶🏼‍♂️‍➡️

Bury- that’s just common decency even animals do that 🐕 🐈‍⬛

And if you are lucky enough to use a toilet, PLEASE FLUSH 😁😁😁

Happy toileting! 😁

Geneene 🌝🌚

Dirty deeds... done near creeks! 💩

Yep, let's talk about poo. Specifically, how NOT to poo in the bush.

This year we've noticed a poo-nami of poor toileting behaviour at Carnarvon Gorge. Poo in the creek-bed, poo next to the walking track, and plenty of used toilet paper, too. So much so we've considered renaming Battleship Spur to Battle💩 Spur.

This reasonably tame image (you can thank us later for not choosing the graphic, close-up shot) was taken just metres from running water... the same creek that eventually becomes our drinking water 🤮. The poo-tential for contamination is very real. Hence, drinking directly from Carnarvon Creek, without a proper treatment method, is strongly discouraged.

So, this example clearly falls into the "how NOT to poo in the bush" category, but what makes a quality bush-poo?

🧻 Well, the first trick is be organised. We always carry an emergency toilet kit in our backpacks, which includes toilet paper, hand sanitiser, dog poo bags, and a rubbish container, so we can pack it out if we have to.

🔍 Then it's a matter of finding the right spot, which is at least 100 metres from creeks, rivers, lakes etc.

♠️ Next, we dig... a good 20-30cm deep is ideal. If you don't have a spade, a stick or rock will do just fine in our sandy soils.

🎯 Squat, hover, aim and fire! Use toilet paper sparingly and bury it completely along with your nuggets.

🪦 Finally, do your best to conceal your poo's grave by replacing any soil and leaf litter, making it look like you were never there. R.I.P. poo!

We get it... sometimes nature calls without much warning. Chronic health conditions, recent illness, or last night's curry can leave you caught short with little time for the above steps. In which case, prioritise the location, and then just dig your hole after the fact, shunt Mr Hanky in there with a stick, and bury as normal. It may not be a perfect solution, but its much better than sending Mr Hanky on a cruise of Carnarvon Creek.

In a nutshell, bury your waste as best you can, as far away from the creek as possible.

Otherwise, the environmental and hygiene impacts could be log-arithmic.

🤠 Michelle and Simon - We love a good poo pun. Feel free to add your own in the comments 😉

Happy Turdsday!

Savannah Guides Limited Visit Capricorn Coast, Queensland Central Queensland Highlands Queensland Country Roma Revealed Queensland National Parks

10/11/2024

ANOTHER SHOUT OUT 📢
Our Madam President- Michelle Whitehouse, also from Australian Nature Guides.
The 4th host of the ‘Awesome Foursome’, wife to our Val Speedie Award winner, Simon, and dear friend to us, Caity and Christian. She too put in huge efforts to organising this Field School. 🙏🏽

Michelle welcomed us to her adoptive home of Injune and introduced us to Nature Journalling. She shared her previous journals with us, which was really an eye opener to what Nature Journaling can achieve.
I was also lucky enough to get a sticker in my field school booklet, which meant…. spotlighting on the NIGHT SAFARI TOUR! 🔦 Michelle took some lucky people out looking for Yellow Bellied Gliders and Greater Gliders! An experience that would not have been anywhere near the same without her guiding us with her skills and knowledge.

Michelle was one of the first friends I made with the Savannah Guides. She took me under her wing, pun intended, because she was part of my Twitchathon team and was the first to make me feel included. 🥰

Michelle has taught me so much already and I really admire her as a person.
She is beyond thoughtful and is always making the effort to be better than she was the day before and I find that encouraging and inspirational.
I have loved every tour experience with Michelle, she holds so much knowledge that she is always keen so share with everyone and never fails to try to answer my countless questions, especially about birds, (ps. I saw a blue and black bird yesterday and I have no clue what it is but I got a picture 😂)

Michelle is such an enthusiastic person for life, with a beautiful soul inside and out. She celebrates yours victories with you and shares your pains by listening wholeheartedly. The Savannah Guides would not be the same without you Michelle and we deeply value your time, energy, presence and smile.
Looking forward to seeing you again 🌞😁

📷 Mad Dog Productions

Geneene 🌚🌝

06/11/2024

06/11/2024

Next award post goes to…… dun dun dun duhhhhh Simon Ling 🥳🎉THE VAL SPEEDIE OUTSTANDING TOUR GUIDE AWARD! Simon is an accredited Savannah Guides Member who works at Australian Nature Guides I had the privilege of meeting Simon for the first time blast Tuesday in Injune, he not only attended the field school but was a host! He is such a thorough tour guide with a strong passion for what he does and engages in such an excellent way when presenting and tour guiding. He is dedicated, respectful and hard working and not to mention and exquisite cook! Special should out to all his hard work at our 82nd Field School, he was head chef cooking and preparing meals for us while visiting Carnarvon Gorge, we had very happy bellies! Congratulations Simon on your well deserved award! It was a pleasure to have met you and hope to see you again soon! 🌞. 📷 Nathan White Images 📷 See Around Corners