Cairns Field School Price range: $200.00 through $895.00Select options
Cairns Field School
March 2026
- Starts on: 24/03/2026
- Ends on: 28/03/2026
Register for our Field School below
Your Registration Fee includes: Field School Participation, Workshops and Activities; Field School Program; Meals as Indicated. It does not include Accommodation or Transport to/from the Field School location.
Member Rates apply to current Savannah Guides, Enterprise Member Staff, Friends of Savannah Guides and EcoGuides
We are thrilled to invite you to our 85th Savannah Guides Professional Development Field School in Cairns, Tropical North Queensland!
This Field School will showcase Queensland’s Guiding Excellence, model a Citizen Science Tourism Product that any operator can apply and explore this incredible region, including the iconic Kuranda Scenic Rail. Join us for Guiding Skills, Workshops, Brainstorming and a heap of fun! Open to all – new and experienced tour guides, tour operators and nature-lovers.
Connect, reflect and celebrate the people, landscapes and cultures that make this a World Class Destination!
LIMITED SPACES AVAILABLE
Program overview
"Guiding excellence and citizen science showcase"
DAY 1 - TUE 24 MARCH 2026
ARRIVALS AND WELCOMES
- 3:00pm – Registration in the Sudbury Room, The Benson Hotel, Cnr Grafton and Spence Streets, Cairns
- Field School Welcomes
- Introductions around the Room
- Your Connection with Savannah Guides
- The ABC of Tropical North Queensland
- Twitchathon Briefing – Open your mind to the world of Birds! Join our famous and fun bird-spotting competition to build your birding skills and knowledge
- Welcome Dinner in the Sudbury Room, The Benson Hotel
DAY 2 - WED 25 MARCH 2026
GUIDING EXCELLENCE
- Grab your Binoculars as we wander the beautiful Cairns Esplanade in search of elusive Migratory Shore Birds
- Guiding Skills: Birding Basics
- Guiding Skills: What is Citizen Science? New Skills for Tour Guides
- Guiding Skills: What is Cultural Knowledge? Perspectives for Indigenous and non-Indigenous guides
- Citizen Science Tourism Product Development – Counting for Country – The Methodologies for our Field Work
- Guiding Skills: Interpreting the stunning Stained Glass Windows of St Monica’s Cathedral … some of the largest themed stained-glass installations in the world including Peace Windows commemorating 50 years of peace in the Pacific region following World War II and the Creation Windows depicting the story of Creation from the Book of Genesis using local elements like the Great Barrier Reef, rainforests, Undara and other regional landscapes.
- Discover Queensland’s Guiding Excellence Programs:
- Queensland Guiding Community of Practice
- EcoGuide
- Cultural Awareness
- Master Reef Guides
- Wet Tropics World Heritage Guides
- “Hotter, Wetter, Wilder” – The Climate Question
- Camaraderie, Dinner and Games at Mexicairns!
- Savannah Guides Hot Seat!
DAY 3 - THU 26 MARCH 2026
COUNTING FOR COUNTRY
- Optional Early Morning Birding Activity
- Sample the Hands On Country Eco Tour with Mandingalbay Authentic Indigenous Tours including boat experience on Trinity Inlet and the Mayi Bugan Bush Tucker Trail
- Create a Citizen Science Tourism Product Model on the Indigenous Protected Area of Mandingalbay Yidinji Aboriginal Corporation. Think Bird Surveys, Camera Traps and Audio Recorders … with amazing results! Could this be a new experience on your Country?
- Camaraderie and Dinner at The Jack
- Savannah Guides Hot Seat!
DAY 4 - fri 27 march 2026
experience enhancers!
- Optional Early Morning Birding Activity
- Citizen Science – Analysis and Answers!
- Tourism Disaster Resilience to help First Nations tourism businesses plan, respond and recover from natural disasters
- Citizen Science in your Tourism – using your new skills to enhance your tour experience or create a new one!
- Indigenous Tourism Showcase – Discover diverse tourism products from our First Nations Participants
- Guiding Skills: Storytelling Slam at the Cairns Museum
- When Two Worlds Collide – Contact in the Cairns Region
- Camaraderie and Dinner at Cairns RSL Club
- Savannah Guides Hot Seat!
DAY 5 - SAT 28 MARCH 2026
LAKE BARRINE AND KURANDA SCENIC RAIL
- Optional Early Morning Birding Activity
- Guiding Skills: Building Vocabulary and Description as we wind our way up the Gillies Range to Lake Barrine
- Cultural history of the Tablelands with Traditional Owners. View cultural tools and weapons, tribal maps and photos from the early 1900’s and learn of settlement impacts on local Indigenous groups
- Walk to the majestic Twin Kauri Pines and discover the creation story of the lakes and its scientific verification
- All Aboard the Kuranda Scenic Rail for our journey back to Cairns through the World Heritage Wet Tropics Rainforest
- Have you been Paying Attention? A Fun Quiz!
- Twitchathon Results and Prizes
- Savannah Guides Hot Seat!
- Farewell Dinner, Jam Session and Pool Party at Novotel Cairns Oasis Resort
- Take-Home Messages and Close of Field School
Need to know Information
Getting Involved
We welcome your contributions to the Field School! Please help make it an even greater success by:
- Sharing this Field School Information through your networks
- Bringing your colleagues and friends – the training, team building and camaraderie at Savannah Guides Field Schools are legendary! Everyone is welcome!
- Participating in the Field School Twitchathon! Listen and learn with your team-mates as you have fun and tally your confirmed bird sightings over the Field School for fun and very modest prizes!
- Considering Membership – Savannah Guides welcomes Tour Guides and like-minded people and organisations. JOIN US!
Getting There
- There are regular flights to Cairns
- Driving Distances and Times to Cairns:
- Townsville – 347km – 4.25 Hours
- Airlie Beach – 620km – 7.25 Hours
- Winton – 804km – 9 Hours
- Longreach – 916km – 10.5 Hours
- Rockhampton – 1064km – 12 Hours
Weather – What to Expect!
- Average Daily Maximum of 31o, with a Minimum of 23o
- Average Humidity is 88%
- A lot of our time will be spent outdoors
- There is a VERY HIGH chance of rainfall, so please come prepared
Mobile Phone Coverage
- All Networks have coverage in Cairns
Food and Beverage
Your Registration Fee includes the following Meals:
- Tue 24 Mar D
- Wed 25 Mar AM, L, D
- Thu 26 Mar AM, L, D
- Fri 27 Mar AM, L, D
- Sat 28 Mar AM, L, D
(AM) Morning Tea or Snack, (L) Lunch, (D) Dinner
What to Bring
- LARGE Water Bottle
- Keep Cup
- Small Backpack / Day Pack
- Enclosed Walking Shoes / Boots
- WET WEATHER GEAR – Poncho, Raincoat, Umbrella
- Gardening Gloves
- Laptop Computer for Citizen Science (if you have one)
- Hat, Sunscreen, Insect Repellent
- Hydralytes and Cooling Towel
- Swimwear and Small Towel
- Torch
- Notepad and Pens / Pencils
- Bird Field Guides and Binoculars (if you have them)
- Plant Field Guides (if you have them)
- Small Personal Hand Sanitiser
- Musical Instrument for Jam Session (if you have one)
- Willingness to Learn and Contribute
- Smile, Fun and Laughter!
Accommodation
This is not included in your Registration Fee.
There is a wide variety of Cairns accommodation properties to choose from. Our days will be based in Cairns City Centre and we will be walking to most Venues.
The following properties have offered special rates. Please call or email and quote “Savannah Guides” when booking to access their best rates.
- Hides Hotel, 87 Lake Street, 07 4058 3700 [email protected]
- $120 per room per night – Premium King Room
- $130 per room per night – Premium King Plus Room
- $10 per person for Breakfast
- The Benson Hotel, 50 Grafton Street, 07 4046 0300 [email protected]
- Rooms from $204 per room per night
- $24 per person for Breakfast
Photography Disclaimer
Photographers will be taking photos and filming during the duration of the Field School. Images will be retained by Savannah Guides Limited for marketing purposes. If you have any concerns with your image being used in future promotional material, please advise [email protected] prior to or at the commencement of the Field School.