Biology Camp – 5 Days

• Help collect data on coral bleaching and coral predators at The Great Barrier Reef.
• Stay overnight at a research station and evaluate its rainforest ecosystem.
• Learn to fashion insect traps that allow observation of entomological diversity.
• Weave among the mangroves and test water quality levels.
• Learn from a marine biologist’s presentation about the reef.
• Rise above the Daintree Rainforest in a one-of-a-kind canopy crane.
• Tour James Cook University’s herbarium for unmatched examinations of plant species including some of Sir Joseph Banks’ collection.
• Perform biologist’s fieldwork with transects and quadrats and sketch a vegetation profile

• Risk assessment
• All activities as described in the itinerary
• Cairns airport transfers
• All transportation
• Small World Journeys naturalist guide on Days 1,2 and 4
• Marine biologist/naturalist on Day 3
• University researchers and scientist talks
• 3 nights at central Cairns hostel(6 share dorm rooms)*
• 1 night JCU Research Station cabins (4-share single gender rooms)
• All breakfasts
• All lunches
• All dinners
• Snacks (includes fresh fruit & share containers of chips, biscuits & crackers)
• 101 Animals of the Wet Tropics, 101 Plants of the Wet Tropics, and 101 Animals of the Great Barrier Reef field guides for each student
• Mask, fins, snorkel and wetsuit hire on reef trip
• 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)
• Starting in 2024: 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 single 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, 2025.

• Airfare to Cairns
• Personal expenses (phone, souvenirs, laundry, etc.)

• Add mangroves activity on Day 5 (add $32 per person)

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 many activities:

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.

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. There are spot on site where a person who is neurodivergent could find a quiet space with reduced stimuli.

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.

The Great Barrier Reef Trip:

• The boat cannot accommodate persons using wheelchairs and mobility devices.
• 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 on request. Most dietary restrictions (gluten or lactose free, vegan, nut-free) can be accommodated.
• Although the boat itself does not have a specific low-stimulus quiet area, there are places on the island that could serve in this capacity.
• The island has dirt tracks and uneven terrain to get to the turtle rehab centre, and the beach front is mostly coral rubble.

Mangroves Workshop/Creek Cleanup:

There are no accessible toilets at the sites where we do this project and no provisions for people who use a wheelchair or mobility device. There are 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.

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.

Rainforest Discovery with Indigenous Guide: Your first activity is discovering the biodiversity of the Daintree Rainforest through the eyes of an Aboriginal guide. This area is culturally, historically and biologically important to the Kuku Yalanji people. Starting with a traditional smoking ceremony, you wander rainforest paths, discovering with your guide how these Aboriginal people found their way through dense rainforest, and learned which native plants were tasty to eat, which plants were dangerous and which ones served as weapons and medicine. As your guide shares his stories, you also learn how the seasons dictated life, what falls under men’s and women’s “business”, how to make fire in the rainforest and how to make fish very easy to catch. You then sample billy tea and wattle seed damper (bread) made on the fire topped with jam from rainforest berries.

Daintree Rainforest: Next you cross into the main section of the 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.

Rainforest Research Station: You arrive at a research station that is tucked away in the rainforest which is closed to tourists but open to you. The purpose-designed “pods” 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. The remote location in the heart of the Daintree Rainforest along with the site’s rich biodiversity and modern amenities create a unique and inspirational learning environment.

Evening Light Trap Activity: Light traps are a fun and easy way to monitor the diversity of insects that are active at night within an ecosystem. Many night-flying insects are attracted to light and by leaving the trap out overnight you should catch a variety of insects to examine and identify in the morning. Your guide shows you how to easily make traps using upcycled bottles.

OR

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.

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

Accommodation: Rainforest Research Station Cabins
Meals included: Lunch and Dinner

Environmental Debate: After breakfast you participate in a debate which focuses on issues of development and effects on biodiversity. Students are given background information about a major 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.

JCU Canopy Crane: The James Cook University research station is home to their canopy crane. After a safety orientation and a discussion about the significance of this rainforest by an on-site expert, 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 to go up in the canopy crane. Activity available Monday-Friday only).

Ecosystem Evaluation: While you wait your turn in the crane, you also divide into small groups and conduct an ecosystem evaluation. You duplicate field work that “normal” biologists would do to determine vegetation structure, health, and ecological function.

Transects and Vegetation Profiles: Here you also evaluate biodiversity along a transect using quadrats. You learn how this helps assess vegetation composition, vegetation health, structural complexity, canopy structure, and ground cover. You then sketch a vegetation profile after using tools such as a clinometer.

Leaf Classification: 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. This activity is designed to give you the skills to identify aspects of leaves and to determine dominant leaf categories and thus rainforest type.

Water Quality Measurements and Swimming: Finally 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. Afterwards you take a refreshing dip and head back to Cairns.

Accommodation: Cairns budget accommodation
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Ferry Ride: This morning you are ferried to the pristine Fitzroy Island. A fringing coral reef surrounds the island, part of the inner Great Barrier Reef, providing a sheltered home for a variety of fish and coral species.

Guided Snorkelling: With full use of snorkel gear for the day, you can walk right into the water to explore the magnificent reef system that surrounds the island. Your marine biologist leads you to underwater examples of biodiversity, parasitism, and commensalism as well as examples of the reef’s most interesting features.

CoralWatch Data Collection: In the afternoon you engage in an activity that addresses concerns over climate change and coral bleaching. During this exercise you find out more about how and why coral bleaches. You learn how to identify different kinds of coral, match its colours to a waterproof chart, and then record what you observe in teams of two. The data then goes back to the University of Queensland’s Coral Watch scientists, where they analyse the results over time and look for any long term trends. Your results also go into a database to track bleaching around the world, and your group receives a graph of your results.

Field Guide & Sightings App: 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. You also learn how to log in sightings of your reef fauna and flora using an app downloadable to your phone or tablet, and your data is then sent to the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority (GBRMPA).

Turtle Rehabilitation Centre: During your visit you also visit the island’s Turtle Rehabilitation Centre where a collection of volunteers help save sick and injured sea turtles by looking after them until they are ready to be released back into the ocean. You return to Cairns at the end of the day.

Optional Evening Activity – Documentary Film: Documentary films can inspire discussion and action, in addition to complementing the content of your trip. Tonight you have a choice to view one of several optional documentary films that relate to the environment (no extra cost).

Accommodation: Cairns budget accommodation
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

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 next 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.

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 to include the following option:

Mangrove Boardwalk: Your next stop is the Jack Barnes Bicentennial Mangrove Boardwalk. This raised walkway takes you through this critical mangrove ecosystem which is the breeding ground for many important aquatic species.  Your guide teaches you about the interesting aspects of mangrove systems and their importance to the Great Barrier Reef. You learn how mangroves deal with a lot of salt in their diet, how they act as the baby nurseries of the Great Barrier Reef and why both humans and the reef rely on these complex systems.

Creek Cleanup: Then you visit one of the creeks that makes its way to the ocean via the mangrove ecosystems. Unfortunately household rubbish also often makes its way into these creeks and so today you will be grabbing gloves and garbage bags to do your bit to clean up the waterway.  You tally your “rubbish results” at the end and the team with the top results gets a prize (mangrove activity is an additional $15 per person)

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

Meals Included:  Breakfast