What I’m attempting to do with this blog is provide fun updates, but informative posts as well. I am starting a few different series that will be regular themes on the blog such as Festivals in Australia/New Zealand.  Another one that I will be kick starting on this post is our featured guide.  DownUnder Adventure Company prides itself offering what a lot of other companies do not, the best guiding available.

This month our featured guide is Chris Parker.

Chris Parker has been a passionate bird watcher ever since his first memories feeding Rainbow Lorikeets as a 3 year-old at the Currumbin Bird Sanctuary in Queensland. Every school holiday for him involved early bush walks in Sydney’s Blue Mountains in search of birds such as Crimson Rosellas and Laughing Kookaburras.

He finished his degree in zoology in 1995 and started working with NSW National Parks and Wildlife. He was part of the Sydney Comprehensive Regional Assessment Unit which included bird-surveys of the Greater Sydney region.

In 1999 Chris moved to Zambia  to work as a safari guide in South Luangwa National Park. Here he received firsthand guidance from renowned ornithologist Derek Solomon, co-author of LBJs: Little Brown Jobs Made Easier. In 2004 Chris moved to Arusha, the safari capital of Tanzania where along with guiding international tourists he participated in several game reserve bird-surveys for the Tanzanian Bird Atlas.

Chris returned to Australia and moved to the Northern Territory in 2008 to work as a safari (tour) guide in the Mary River wetlands and Kakadu region.  Now in his 10th year as a safari/tour guide, Chris operates bird watching tours of Darwin, Kakadu National Park and the Top End.

Chris understands that holidays don’t come around very often and is aware his guests have worked very hard to have a holiday. This drives Chris to ensure every day out for every guest is memorable, fun, educational and above all exceeds expectations.  With a maximum capacity of 6 passengers in our fully-equipped air-conditioned 4WD you are assured a personalised guided experience.

Next time you plan a trip to the Top End, be sure to request Chris to be your fearless (and knowledgeable) leader.