WILD Discovery Guides

Victorian conservationist Michael Johnson is a man who has put his money where his heart is, following the example of his hero Gerald Durrell and establishing a wildlife sanctuary that specialises in nocturnal creatures great and small on the Mornington Peninsula.

Whale watching cruises have become a huge industry in the past decade, as whales – once hunted almost to extinction - have returned in increasing numbers. But if you are travelling along the Australian coastline, it is possible to see whales for free – they often swim close to shore and can be seen (with luck and patience) from a number of spots.

Cruising the Kimberley Coast provides a lingering look at some of Australia's most remote, ancient and achingly beautiful landscapes. Towering red and gold sandstone cliffs, sheltered bays and intriguing river systems are revealed, as a wondrous world of almost untouched wilderness unfolds.

The road that follows New Zealand's wild and untamed West Coast meanders through breathtaking scenery, across one-lane bridges and through moody forests, the landscape and geology never failing to amaze. The locals call it "the wet coast" - with reason - but that often just adds to the beauty.

It’s a ritual that has been bringing visitors to Phillip Island since the 1840s, the heart of which has changed little since those times. But the nightly Penguin Parade for which the island is famous is not the only wildlife experience worth coming here for.