Capricorn Coast Field School Price range: $200.00 through $895.00Select options
Capricorn Coast Field School
October 2026
- Starts on: 20/10/2026
- Ends on: 24/10/2026
Program Outline and Need to Know Information 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 87th Savannah Guides Professional Development Field School on the Capricorn Coast, Central Queensland!
This Field School will be one of the most diverse ever! We’ll meet with the Woppaburra people on Great Keppel Island, take some time-travelling lessons, think systematically at High Valley Farm, and attend the crowning of Miss-Information, 2026. Join us for Guiding Skills, Workshops, Brainstorming and a heap of fun!
LIMITED SPACES AVAILABLE
Program overview
"Guiding in a Changing World"
DAY 1 - TUE 20 October 2026
ARRIVALS AND WELCOMES
- 3:00pm – Registration at the Strand Hotel, Yeppoon
- Field School Welcomes with Uncle Wade Mann
- 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 at the Strand Hotel, Yeppoon
DAY 2 - WED 21 OCTOBER 2026
ROVING AROUND ROCKY
- Grab your Twitchathon Team for our first Optional Early Morning Birding Activity along the Capricorn Coast
- Brdwatching at Lammermoor Native Gardens
- Mt. Archer – A walk above the woods
- Guiding Skills: What is Citizen Science? New Skills for Tour Guides
- Guiding Skills: Hello, Cranky-pants! Dealing with difficult guests
- Guiding Skills: Adventure Activity Standards – Updates and implementation for Tour Guides
- Guiding Knowledge: Evolution of social behaviour – an introduction with Simon Ling
- Camaraderie and Dinner
- Savannah Guides Hot Seat!
DAY 3 - THU 22 OCTOBER 2026
HEADS UP, OR IN THE SAND
- Optional Early Morning Birding Activity at Fig Tree Creek
- Biosecurity and You – discover tourism’s role in biosecurity and how you can help with early detection
- Guiding Skills: Discerning (and Trumping) misinformation – panel discussion and strategies workshop
- Guiding Skills: Bringing the Past to Life – lessons from a globe-trotting guide with Phil Hore from Time Safaris
- A Day in the Life with Tony Davys
- Guiding Skills: Scrambling the Script – giving old commentary a new lease on life
- Camaraderie and Dinner at The Jack
- Savannah Guides Hot Seat!
DAY 4 - FRI 23 OCTOBER 2026
iSLAND ADVENTURE AND PERMACULTURE INSIGHTS
- Great Keppel Island here we come
- Meet the Woppaburra Rangers and learn about current projects
- High Valley Dawn Permaculture Farm – systems thinking outside the box!
- Yeppoon Lagoon -pack your togs for a refreshing dip
- Indigenous Tourism Showcase – Discover diverse tourism products from our First Nations Participants
- Camaraderie and Dinner at The Station 4703
- Savannah Guides Hot Seat!
DAY 5 - SAT 24 OCTOBER 2026
CONSERVATION AND SYSTEMS THINKING
- Optional Early Morning Birding Activity at Pineapple Rail Trail
- Capricorn Conservation Council
- Guiding Skills: Permaculture Principles and Regenerative Tourism –
- Annual General Meeting
- Twitchathon Results and Prizes
- Savannah Guides Hot Seat!
- Farewell Kup Murri Dinner at Dreamtime Cultural Centre
- 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 Rockhampton
- Driving Distances and Times to Yeppoon:
- Townsville – 376km – 8 Hours
- Airlie Beach – 500km – 5.5 Hours
- Winton – 906 km – 9.75 Hours
- Cairns – 1082km – 12 Hours
Weather – What to Expect!
- Average Daily Maximum of 31o, with a Minimum of 20o
- Average Humidity is 62%
- A lot of our time will be spent outdoors
- There is a moderate chance of rainfall, so please come prepared
Mobile Phone Coverage
- All Networks have coverage in Yeppoon and Rockhampton.
- Coverage is unreliable on Great Keppel Island and Telstra has the best.
Food and Beverage
Your Registration Fee includes the following Meals:
- Tue 20 Oct D
- Wed 21 Oct AM, L, D
- Thu 22 Oct AM, L, D
- Fri 23 Oct AM, L, D
- Sat 24 Oct 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
- Long Pants, Long-Sleeved Shirt for Outdoor Field Work
- Gardening Gloves for Field Work
- Hat, Sunscreen, Insect Repellent
- Electrolytes, Cooling Neck Towel
- Sweatband (optional)
- Hand Held Fan
- 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 Yeppoon accommodation properties to choose from. Including many holiday apartments on Airbnb and Stayz. Here are some suggestions
- Blue Dolphin Caravan Park, 74 Whitman St, 07 4939 3140
- Surfside Motel. 30 Anzac Parade. 07 4939 1272
- Salt Yeppoon, 32-34 Anzac Parade 07 4925 2200
- Bayview Tower. 4 Adelaide St. 07 4939 4500
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.