Australian Wildlife Conservancy Scotia - rewilding Australia's endangered species

Arrive at the iconic Mildura Grand Hotel for your pre‑night stay. Check in from 2 pm and enjoy free time to explore the Murray River precinct or Mildura’s buzzing dining scene. Settle in, relax, and get ready for an unforgettable adventure starting tomorrow!

Arrive at Scotia Wildlife Sanctuary around midday and settle into your accommodation within the sanctuary grounds. Enjoy lunch with your guides and fellow travellers, followed by a 4WD journey across the red dunes and spinifex plains to inspect Scotia’s 50 km predator‑proof fence, which protects an 8,000‑hectare feral‑free area. At Sunset Ridge, sip sunset drinks overlooking vast Mallee country. After dinner back at headquarters, head out on a guided nocturnal spotlighting drive in the sanctuary’s protected Stage 1 area.

Rise early for small‑group birdwatching walks, spotting rare species like striated grasswren and chestnut quail‑thrush. Enjoy breakfast under the Mallee canopy, then visit an active malleefowl mound and learn how fox control and habitat management are supporting their recovery. After lunch, gain insight into Scotia’s operational side: field infrastructure, remote challenges, and ongoing research. Try your hand at radio‑tracking wildlife using telemetry equipment before enjoying refreshments in the field. At dusk, embark on a guided nocturnal walk within the feral‑free area to discover its secretive night‑time residents.

Begin with birdwatching or a biodiversity monitoring session to learn about small mammals like the southern ningaui and Bolam’s mouse - species still clinging to survival in the Mallee. After lunch and a short rest, travel out to Scotia’s Playa Lake, a shimmering inland salt lake framed by sand dunes and home to rare vegetation like Halosarcia lylei. During flood events, this harsh landscape comes alive, hosting large populations of waterbirds. Enjoy sunset drinks as golden light transforms the horizon. Return to headquarters for pre‑dinner drinks and a presentation on AWC’s nationwide conservation work. Your last evening ends with another spotlighting drive to see Bilbies, Bettongs and Bridled Nailtail Wallabies.

Enjoy breakfast and a final guided walk through Scotia’s diverse vegetation communities, learning how native flora and fauna interact and how invasive species are managed. After morning tea in the bush, bid farewell to Scotia and the wildlife you’ve helped protect.