AWC Scotia - rewilding Australia's endangered species

We’ve arranged a pre-night stay for you at the iconic Mildura Grand Hotel. Check-in starts from 2pm. While meals aren’t included today, you’ll be perfectly placed to explore Mildura’s buzzing dining scene or enjoy a cruise on the mighty Murray River. Settle in, relax, and get ready for an unforgettable adventure starting tomorrow!

After breakfast, you will be picked up from the Mildura Grand Hotel at ca. 8am for your private group transfer to AWC Scotia. Arrive midday at Scotia Wildlife Sanctuary, where AWC staff will welcome you and settle you into comfortable accommodation within sanctuary grounds. Enjoy a relaxed lunch at headquarters and get to know your fellow travellers and guides. After lunch and a brief introduction to Scotia, we’ll travel by 4WD across the red dunes and spinifex plains to inspect the sanctuary’s 50 km-long feral predator-fence, the boundary of an 8,000-hectare area entirely free of cats, foxes and goats. Learn about AWC’s work restoring balance to these fragile ecosystems and enjoy sunset drinks at Sunset Ridge overlooking vast stretches of pristine Mallee country. Dinner is served back at sanctuary headquarters. After dark, head into Stage 1—one of two fully protected feral-free area - for a guided nocturnal spotlighting drive. This is Australia as it once was: thriving, unspoiled, and wild. All meals included.

Wake early and divide into two groups for the morning’s activities. Group 1: Set out into the field in search of the Striated Grasswren, Chestnut Quail-thrush, and Pink Cockatoo - just a few of the sanctuary’s rare birdlife. Enjoy breakfast under the Mallee canopy before visiting an active Malleefowl mound. Discover how these shy birds use mounds to incubate their eggs and learn how fox control and habitat management are helping their recovery. Group 2: Begin with a birdwatching walk close to base, followed by a hot breakfast. The group will then join Group 1 at a nearby Bilby site to examine evidence of their ecological engineering. Each Bilby turns over up to 20 tonnes of soil per year, enriching the health of the ecosystem. Return to headquarters for lunch and a deeper dive into AWC’s ground-breaking conservation and land management programs. In the afternoon, gain insight into the operational side of sanctuary life, exploring field infrastructure and the remote challenges of running a protected area. Try your hand at radio-tracking using telemetry equipment in the field before enjoying refreshments in the field. As dusk falls, embark on a guided nocturnal walk within the feral free area seeking out the night’s most secretive residents. All meals included.

Today, we will be splitting into two groups again. Group 1: Start with a birdwatching walk and breakfast before heading to one of AWC’s biodiversity monitoring sites. Learn about research into small mammals like the Southern Ningaui and Bolam’s Mouse—threatened species that still cling to survival in the Mallee. Group 2: Head into the bush early for another chance to see the Striated Grasswren, then visit a Malleefowl mound before meeting up with Group 1 to examine Bilby diggings. After lunch and a short rest, journey out to Scotia’s Playa Lake - a striking inland salt lake nestled among sand dunes and home to rare vegetation communities like Halosarcia lylei. Dry for much of the year, this harsh yet vital landscape supports booming waterbird populations during flood events. Enjoy sunset drinks as the golden light transforms the horizon. Back at headquarters, enjoy pre-dinner drinks and a final presentation on AWC’s nationwide conservation impact. Your last evening concludes with another nocturnal drive to spot Bilbies, Bettongs, and Bridled Natiltail Wallabies. Listen to the stories of their near extinction - and their remarkable return. All meals included.

Enjoy a hot breakfast before one last guided walk through Scotia’s diverse vegetation communities. Discover the interplay between native flora and the threat of invasive species. After morning tea in the bush, it’s time to say farewell to the sanctuary—and the wildlife now calling it home. Breakfast included.