Biology Camp – 7 Days

• Participate in Eye on The Reef service project at The Great Barrier Reef
• Ascend over the Daintree Rainforest in JCU’s canopy crane
• Encounter endemic species in both the Great Barrier Reef and Wet Tropics
• Learn from an expert entomologist about bizarre bug behaviour
• Perform water quality testing in different ecosystems
• Discover mangrove systems and their link to the reef
• Tour James Cook University’s marine labs and herbarium
• Look for nocturnal and crepuscular creatures during a spotlighting activity
• Learn to fashion insect traps that allow observation of entomological diversity
• Evaluate ecosystems using biologist’s tools

• Risk assessment
• All activities as described in the itinerary
• Cairns airport transfers
• All ground transportation
• Small World Journeys guide on Days 1,2, 3, 4 and 6
• Marine biologist on Day 5
• University researchers and scientist talks
• 1 night highlands camping at campground
• 1 night bush camping
• Tents, sleeping bags and sleeping pads
• 3 nights at a central Cairns hotel (2 or 3 share rooms)*
• 1 night JCU Research Station cabins (4-share single gender rooms)
• All breakfasts
• All lunches
• All dinners
• 101 Animals of the Wet Tropics field guide for each student
• 101 Plants of the Wet Tropics field guide for each student
• 101 Animals of the Great Barrier Reef field guide for each student
• Mask, fins, snorkel and wetsuit hire
• Marine park taxes and levies
• Donation made to Rainforest Rescue on behalf of your group (we give you a certificate on your trip)
• Reusable water bottle and cloth shopping bag
• Donation made to Reef Restoration Foundation to the “Care for Coral” program on behalf of your group (we give you a certificate on your trip)
• NEW: we offset the carbon emissions from your trip activities AND your flight to Cairns!

*Two teacher rooms (private twin or triple share rooms) are included in the trip price for groups of 15 students or more. For trips with low numbers (10-14), one teacher room is included. A supplement is charged if an additional private room is required for the trip. If teachers are happy to share a room, no additional costs are incurred.

Small World Journeys reserves the right to change the order of activities for logistical reasons. Prices are valid for travel until 31 March, 2026.

• Airfare to Cairns
• Travel insurance (highly recommended)
• Personal expenses (souvenirs, laundry, etc.)

Planning Your Trip

ACCESSIBILITY MENU: Small World Journeys’ website provides an accessibility menu. Visitors to our website can click on the “person” icon on the right side of the screen to bring up this menu. Options include increasing/decreasing font size, increasing/decreasing contrast, dyslexia-friendly fonts, and the ability to hide images, among other things.

BOOKING FORM: On our online booking form, we ask all participants to list any special needs they have, be them medical, dietary, or accessibility needs. We also offer free sensory packs to our guests who are neurodivergent, which include headphones, a timer for transitions, a squeezy fidget toy, and other treats to appeal to the senses like flavoured lip balm.

WAIVER FORMS: We understand that not all of our participants’ parents have a strong command of written English and therefore understanding and signing our on-line waiver may prove challenging. We therefore have our wavier form available in the following languages on request: Chinese, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Portuguese and Spanish.

Arrival at Cairns Airport

ACCESSIBLE TOILETS: Public toilets are located throughout the terminals. Each toilet facility includes an accessible toilet suitable for wheelchair access.

TGSI and HEARING LOOPS: The Cairns Airport makes use of Tactile Ground Service Indicators (TGSI) and Hearing Loops to assist people with vision impairments and hearing difficulties, respectively.  For example, Braille is included on toilet doors/signs to assist a person with vision impairment locate the correct facility.

ASSISTANCE FOR HIDDEN DISABILITIES: If you or someone you are travelling with has a hidden disability, you can request a hidden disability lanyard through a form here.  Wearing a sunflower lanyard when you are at Cairns Airport is a discreet way for you to indicate to the airport team that you may need a little extra help, guidance or time with the airport processes. The airport team has been trained to recognise the lanyard and provide the assistance and support you may need. Some of the airport staff will also be wearing a Sunflower badge on their shirts or lanyards to help you feel a little more at ease.

VISUAL AND WRITTEN STORY GUIDES: Visual Story Guides are available for Domestic Arrivals and have been designed to help you to understand how an airport works and what to expect. Written Story Guides are also available for Domestic Arrivals.

Our Safety Talks

Our arrival safety talk is done verbally but is supported by cards that illustrate the main talking points. Similarly, our snorkelling safety talk is done in the same manner, supported by cards with pictures and illustrations.

We can provide a transcript of our safety talk to any hearing-impaired guest.

Transport

Our buses have two steps up of approximately 40 cms to get inside. There is no lift for a wheelchair or mobility device. Similarly, on occasion we hire large coaches for bigger groups and those buses also have two steps up of about 40 cms to get inside. All buses are equipped with seatbelts.

Presentations & Workshops

OUR OFFICE & PRESENTATION SPACE: We use the Small World Journeys office space for presentations, workshops and some community service projects. There is a rise of approximately 2 cm to enter the presentation room. We have one accessible, gender-neutral toilet block with shower.

In the outside area of our office, planes fly overhead frequently and the noise can be startling and confronting. However, as part of the terms of construction, the entire building has sound mitigation devices (double glazed windows, etc.) which creates the opportunity for multiple breakout spaces for neuro-divergent people who desire a quiet space with reduced stimuli.

Our presentations are designed to appeal to both visual and auditory learners.   We can provide a transcript of our presentations to any hearing-impaired guest.

NOVOTEL PRESENTATION SPACE: We also use Novotel Cairns Oasis Resort for presentations at dinnertime.

Overall accessible resort information:

• All entries to the hotel are wheelchair-accessible
• 2 accessible spaces in the on-site car park, near lifts
• 1 accessible toilet in hotel lobby (hand rail | grab bar)
• Most walkways within the hotel are wheelchair-accessible
• Well-lit main areas
• All meeting rooms are accessible
• Braille call buttons for lifts on each floor (external)
• On-site restaurant & breakfast buffet is mostly accessible – Please ask for assistance at hot food station.

Hotels

FLEXIBILITY WITH ACCOMMODATION: We have flexibility with the accommodation we choose; therefore if we know in advance that we have a guest with a wheelchair, mobility scooter or is short statured, we can choose hotels that cater accordingly.

PREFERRED HOTEL 1:  One of our preferred Cairns hotels is centrally located and one block from the waterfront.  The reception and breakfast room are widely accessible through a double automatic door as there are no steps or thresholds. Accessible guest rooms are all on the ground level.  The staff are happy to move the furniture around if required, and the rooms are fitted with a zipped-together queen bed or two single beds depending on preference. The under-bed clearance is 40mm, and there’s around 1000mm of space between the side of the bed and the wall. Unfortunately, the balconies have sliding door tracks and may not be completely accessible. Light switches are all large dish-style type and located 1000mm from the floor in accessible locations. The air conditioning can be remotely controlled. Moving into the bathroom: the hotel boasts accessible showers and toilets that are hobless and fitted with a fold-down seat. Both horizontal and vertical grab rails are fitted and the shower is home to a hot and cold flick mixer tap. The lifts which provide access to the third accessible room provide ample space for wheelchairs, and also boast buttons fitted with Braille.

PREFERRED HOTEL 2:  A second preferred hotel is also centrally located.  With accessible rooms that boast a double bed and a single bed, the staff at Coral Tree Inn are also happy to move the room furniture around to suit guests who use a wheelchair or mobility device. With a coffee and tea making space and a small bar fridge at hand, the TV can also be controlled by the remote. It’s worth noting that at this hotel the air conditioning unit cannot be operated by a remote. There is an accessible combined toilet and shower facility fitted with grab rails and a fold-down set. The shower is also hobless for added accessibility. Unfortunately, the balconies have sliding door tracks and may not be accessible to all guests, and there are also no designated accessible parking bays. However, there is ample room for drop offs immediately in front of reception.

Entering the reception may also be a little difficult as the door is manual, but staff are always happy to assist (and man the desk 24 hours). There are wide paths that lead from the reception to every area of the resort, including the BBQ area, the pool and the adjoining dining room.

Meals & Restaurants

FLEXIBILITY WITH RESTAURANTS & CATERING: We have quite a bit of flexibility with the restaurants we choose; therefore if we know in advance that we have a guest with a wheelchair, mobility scooter or is short statured, we can choose restaurants that cater accordingly.

We offer flexible menu options for people who have food allergies or intolerances, and in many cases religious requirements relating to food.

Guests are given space on our online booking form to specify their allergy, intolerance or religious requirement. On arrival we then give them a bag containing, for example, lactose-free milk, nut-free cereal and snacks, and/or other food items that cater to this allergy or intolerance. Unfortunately, we are not able to guarantee catering for preferences like low carb meals or FODMAP.

Similarly, we inform all caterers and restaurants of our guests’ food allergies or intolerances.  Breakfast is typically served at the hotel, whilst lunches are often boxed lunches as we move around quite a bit on our tours.

Activities

If we are informed in the planning phase of your trip about  any participants or (potential participants) who have disabilities or special needs, we can suggest certain activities over others or suggest certain boats to the reef.  For example, one boat that travels to the reef has a lift for a guest in a wheelchair to get in and out of the water which is a great choice for guests with wheelchairs or mobility devices. Conversely, we know that the facilities on the boat that travels to the Fitzroy Island reef is not well set up for those with wheelchairs or mobility devices.  We also can include activities such as the Skyrail Rainforest Cableway, which recognises and supports the Sunflower program for people with hidden disabilities.

On this particular trip, there are quite a few activities:

James Cook University:

There are ramps and lifts that give wheelchair and mobility device access to most of the University and there are accessible toilets in every building on the University campus. There are spot on campus where a person who is neurodivergent could find a quiet space with reduced stimuli. As the presentations and information about the marine labs are given verbally and there is limited support for people with hearing impairments.

JCU Research Station

The station is not well-equipped for people using wheelchairs or mobility devices. All of the activities we do on site are within a 5 minute walk from the station, terrain is uneven, on grass, pebbles or dirt.  There is an ambulant bathroom and toilet in the block directly opposite the students dorms, without walking up or down stairs.

Mossman Gorge Walk

The Visitors’ Centre and toilets are accessible for wheelchair or mobility devices. People using a wheelchair or mobility device can access the the river track & first 500m to the look-out on board walk. Groups can be kept to under 10 people for guests with mild to moderate hearing impairments so guide can project their voice loud enough for guest to hear; guides like to have one on one conversations & questions if guests needed.  There are many quiet spots in the park where people who are neurodivergent can rest.

The Outer Reef Trip

• One boat in the fleet can accommodate persons using wheelchairs (again, if a wheelchair user is in the group, kindly let us know in the planning stage for your trip)
• Safety instructions are given verbally (no written instructions available).
• The captain is the first point of call for any questions or queries in regards to accessibility and/or special requirements that guests may have on the day.
• Assistance dogs are permitted, but must be confirmed with the reservations team prior to the trip.
• The boat uses pictogram signs (for example a pictogram showing feet standing on coral with a red line through it) to assist people with low literacy levels or who speak English as a second language. The company also has risk snorkel assessment forms in Japanese & Chinese for those nationalities.
• The distance from the Reef Fleet terminal to the vessel is approximately 150 metres; unfortunately no assistance is available for guests with mobility impairments.
• Lunch catering is sourced from a third party contractor who supply very detailed ingredient lists which are displayed for guests at the buffets. Most dietary restrictions (gluten or lactose free, vegan, nut-free) can be accommodated.
• Students with ASD can retreat to the boat whilst the other passengers are on the pontoon for quiet and reduced stimuli.

Mangroves Workshop

There are no accessible toilets at the mangroves boardwalk and the sites where we do this project and no provisions for people who use a wheelchair or mobility device. There are not necessarily any spots on site where a person who is neurodivergent could find a quiet space with reduced stimuli. People with hearing impairments can easily be shown visually how to do this project and but there are no special accommodations for those with vision impairments.

Fieldwork

In most cases where we do our fieldwork, there are no accessible toilets and no provisions for people who use a wheelchair or mobility device. There are spots where a person who is neurodivergent could find a quiet space with reduced stimuli. As the presentations and information given about the fieldwork are given verbally, there is limited support for people with hearing impairments; however our guides will be able to assist those with vision impairments.

Departure at Airport

VISUAL AND WRITTEN STORY GUIDES: Visual Story Guides are available for Domestic Departures and have been designed to help you to understand how an airport works and what to expect. Written Story Guides are also available for Domestic Departures.

Arrival in Cairns: Welcome to Cairns! You are met at the airport by one of our staff and have an orientation and safety briefing. (Plan to arrive before 11 am)

World Heritage Wet Tropics–Intro to Biodiversity:  Before you encounter the rainforest, you first learn from an expert at the Wet Tropics Management Authority (WETMA) just what makes this region so special. Researchers, scientists and tourists alike come from all over the world to discover the supreme biodiversity in this World Heritage area, a region that came to be against all odds. You learn why this corner of Australia–with its jade mountains and lush emerald rainforests—is a geographical anomaly. By luck of shifting tectonic plates, the Wet Tropics earned the longest continually growing rainforest in the world.  Plants that ruled alongside dinosaurs still stand today. More than 100 animals are rare or threatened here and dozens of species live nowhere else in the world. Your expert discusses climate change protected area management and how different methods are used in the Wet Tropics.  You leave with insight about and appreciation of this globally significant area you are about to visit.   

Crater Lakes National Park: Later you visit Lake Eacham at Crater Lakes National Park, an ancient volcanic crater—or maar—now protected in a national park. You’ll look for Boyd’s Forest Dragons, turtles and birds of paradise, after which you can take a plunge in the cool clear waters of the crater.

Accommodation: You ascend to the Cairns Highlands where you arrive at your campground for the night in a peaceful park with a sparkling swimming pool.

Accommodation: Highlands Camping
Meals included: Lunch and Dinner

Ecosystem Evaluation Mabi Rainforest: During this trip you perform three ecosystem evaluations to compare vegetation structure, health, ecological function and biodiversity. This morning you travel to one of the last remaining sections of endangered rainforest and duplicate field work that “normal” biologists do.

Field Guides: Field guides, 101 Animals of the Wet Tropics and 101 Plants of the Wet Tropics are yours to keep and give you a background about regional and endemic species.

Transects and Vegetation Profiles: Within this ecosystem you evaluate biodiversity along a transect using quadrats. You learn how to assess vegetation composition, structural complexity, canopy structure, and ground cover. You then sketch a vegetation profile after using field tools like a clinometer.

Leaf Classification: The next activity is designed to give you the skills to identify aspects of leaves and to determine dominant leaf categories and thus rainforest type. Being able to know what type of leaf you are looking at while in the field is vital to identify the species of tree and it can also be used to classify the type of rainforest that you’re in.

Biodiversity Site:  Next you ascend to 164 acres of private property that boasts a mosaic of ecosystems including riparian rainforest, open eucalyptus woodlands, melaleuca wetlands, billabongs and complex ecotones, and used as film location site by the BBC. This site is perfect for biology studies and for comparing ecosystem structures within a very short radius. Hosting you is an expert entomologist who has discovered five new species of glowworm and worked with famed naturalist David Attenborough.

Accommodation: You camp on the property 60 metres away from the gentle Rifle Creek. Although this is Aussie bush camping, creature comforts are available: toilets, showers, fire circle, a refreshing swimming hole and an abundance of fresh locally grown food for delicious meals prepared on site. Tents and sleeping pads are provided.

Insect Activity and Making Light Traps: With your entomologist you review basic insect biology, see some examples of local insects, and reflect on the adaptations that help these animals to survive in their environment. Then you learn how to easily fashion an insect light trap as a way to catch and study the insects.

Accommodation: Bush Camping on Private Property
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Ecosystem Evaluation Woodlands: This morning you continue your ecosystem evaluations, but the woodlands environment stands in stark contrast to the rainforest you evaluated yesterday.

Water Quality Measurements: With your guide you discover the language of water and what it says about the creatures that can survive in it. You take water quality measurements involving indicators like Ph, nitrate and phosphate levels. Testing for these elements may reveal the presence of fertilizers or biological extremes, which will also aid in your discussion about species survival rate and eutrophication.

Daintree Rainforest and Swim: Then you cross into the incomparable Daintree Rainforest, the jewel in the crown of the Wet Tropics. For biology students, this is an important area for study: this area of the country has the highest concentration of primitive flowering plant families in the world, Australia’s rarest mammal (the Murina florious bat) and 13 species of birds found nowhere else on earth. You enjoy a refreshing swim in a clear “croc-free” rainforest swimming hole.

Daintree Rainforest Observatory & Research Station: Next you arrive at the Daintree Rainforest Observatory, an eco-monitoring site and research station with wet and dry labs. It lies in the heart of the Daintree Rainforest, and claims the highest biodiversity of anywhere in Australia! You get a safety orientation and then a presentation about the significance of this rainforest and about the important research happening here.

Environmental Debate: Later you participate in a debate which focuses on issues of development and effects on biodiversity. Students are given background information and a summary of the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) about a major resort development proposed for Cairns and then given different roles to play of community members. This requires evaluating projected economic, social and environmental impacts as well as proposed sustainability efforts and then arguing for or against the development. This is a fun way for you to get involved with all sides of an environmental debate with a real-life example that has gained significant national media attention.

Accommodation: Your lodging for the night is in the new facilities at the station. Rooms are single gender, four- and six-bed rooms.  These have access to a communal industrial kitchen, and an amenities block nearby provides laundry, bathroom and shower facilities.

Nocturnal Wildlife Spotlighting Activity: Tonight with your guide you can roam the rainforest to spot the Daintree’s elusive crepuscular and nocturnal creatures as they come to life as the sun sets. Your guide knows what signs to look for during this spotlighting exercise, and you may have a chance to meet the Northern Brown Bandicoot, Bennett’s Tree Kangaroo, or the striped possum as it leaps onto the rainforest’s giant fan palms.

Accommodation: Daintree Research Station
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

JCU Canopy Crane: The James Cook University research station is also home to a tower canopy crane. After a safety orientation, you climb into a suspended gondola with the crane operator. The crane then ascends over the rainforest canopy, and can swing 360 degrees, surveying 1 hectare of the incredible biodiversity that has earned the Daintree UNESCO World Heritage status. This research station is only 1 of 3 of its kind existing in the tropics. (Students must be at least 16 years old. Activity runs Monday-Friday only).

Ecosystem Evaluation Daintree Rainforest: While you wait your turn in the crane, you also divide into small groups and conduct an ecosystem evaluation of tropical lowland rainforest. Surrounding the research station, several trails traverse various elevations and rainforest growth at various stages of succession. These trails provide avenues for you to experience primary and secondary rainforest, rainforest reforestation, as well as a dynamic creek.

Water Quality Measurements: In the creek you continue with your water quality measurements, with which you can discover the presence of toxicants such as insecticides, herbicides and metals. These measurements provide you with information on what may be impacting freshwater systems.

Mangrove Biome and Boardwalk: Next you travel to a raised walkway which takes you through a natural and critical mangrove ecosystem which is the breeding ground for many important aquatic species. You learn how mangroves deal with a lot of salt in their diet, how they act as the baby nurseries of the marine world and why both humans and the reef rely on these complex systems.

Future of The Reef Talk: In the evening back in Cairns you attend a unique presentation on the future of the Great Barrier Reef.  Your marine naturalist teaches you the facts about the state of the reef, dispelling myths about bleaching and climate change, and relays the good, the bad and the ugly about reef tourism. During this talk, you learn the four key threats to the reef and how scientists are trying “assisted evolution” by breeding corals that are resistant to bleaching under higher temperatures.  Perhaps most importantly, you gain ten tips on how you yourselves can help save the reef and continue campaigning when you return home.

Accommodation: Cairns Budget Accommodation
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Boat Ride to Reef: This morning your marine biologist presents what you are likely to see at the reef and introduces the Eye on the Reef program, which involves instruction on how to complete the Rapid Monitoring Survey.

Pontoon & Snorkelling: Upon arrival, you dock at a floating pontoon that is powered by 18 solar panels and 3 wind turbines. Here an underwater universe greets you. During a guided snorkel tour with your marine biologist, you can expect to see a rainbow of hard and soft corals, turtles, and a variety of fish species including butterfly fish, parrot fish and giant Maori Wrasse.

Data Collection & Service: Next you receive in-water training on how to conduct the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority’s Rapid Monitoring Survey. Your marine guide will point out key features of the reef ecosystem, answer any questions, and conduct a practice survey with group. Then during a timed snorkel session, you record your underwater findings.  Your guide and waterproof slates help you identify a host of marine life and calculate benthic zone coverage. Most importantly, you look for signs of coral bleaching and coral predators which greatly affect the health of the reef.  Your data is then collected and contributes to the central reporting system used by the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority (GBRMPA) to manage the long term sustainability of this UNESCO World Heritage area.

Marine Lab: The pontoon comes specially equipped with a marine lab.  This allows you to collect plankton and view them under a microscope, and discuss what scientists can tell from studying this microscopic life.  Today’s program can also be tailored to geography curriculum goals.

Indigenous Culture: Part of your day is interacting with Traditional Owners, listening to a digeridoo performance and watching staff perform traditional dances. You also board a glass-bottom boat and a Traditional Owner discusses his sea country along with Traditional Uses of Marine Resources Agreements (TUMRAs).

Field Guide: 101 Animals of The Great Barrier Reef, written by Dr. Martin Cohen, helps you to better understand the underwater world and is yours to keep.

Accommodation: Cairns 3-star hotel
Meals Included: Breakfast and Lunch

Biology Seminar: Today you head to James Cook University for a biology-focused workshop. JCU is Australia’s highest-ranked university in environmental science and offers marine biology studies not found anywhere else. Through a custom-designed interactive workshop today you have the opportunity to engage with world leading researchers and equipment.

Marine Labs & Aquarium:  Popular with film crews, the marine labs at JCU boast one of the world’s best sites for capturing marine creatures on camera.  Sophisticated equipment placed in the tanks allows for observing and filming animal behaviour up close. Additionally, JCU’s unique circular tank allows for a simulated current and the careful study of jellyfish. You meet staff who are on the cutting edge of marine science research, learn how they “milk” fish for venom, and about the latest findings in the development of anti-venoms.

Venomous Creatures & Mangrove Biome: Here you meet unusual and deadly creatures such as sea horses, baby crocodiles, cone shells, the lethal chironex jellyfish, and the extremely rare lung fish, found in captivity only at JCU. The cast members of Finding Nemo live here too.  You also investigate a working model of a mangrove biome, an important tool for studying effects on water quality and salinity as well as climate change mitigation.

World Class Herbarium: Books upon books of pressed and preserved plant species decorate JCU’s Tropical Herbarium, where you are invited in as privileged guests.  The Herbarium is a biologist’s delight; it boasts over 160,000 specimens, cutting edge facilities for processing and curation, as well as research. Highlights include viewing the Spirit Room, do-it-yourself area for plant enthusiasts, and the very special specimens collected by Sir Joseph Banks aboard Captain Cook’s first voyage to Australia.

Back in Cairns after dinner you have a chance to explore the Night Markets to browse for souvenirs.

Accommodation:Cairns Budget Accommodation
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

After breakfast this morning you have free time for last-minute shopping or souvenir purchases. If you leave later in the day, you can choose one of the following option:

Optional Community Service Project: Part of being a “sustainable” tourist is helping the community in which you are travelling.  This morning you exemplify sustainable tourists by participating in a service project for people that come to Cairns from remote Indigenous communities. These people come to Cairns for medical reasons, and often do not have anything with them. You learn to make special bags using upcycled materials, and then create packs with hygiene items they most need. No worries if you aren’t the best at arts and crafts – the bags are easy to make, and you’ll feel good doing it too. (An hour and fifteen minutes in duration)

Later you are transferred to the Cairns airport for your flight home.

Meals included: Breakfast