WHAT'S NEW: The Arnhemland Coast, east of Darwin in north-central Australia, is one of the nation's least developed shorelines. But although its rugged headlands and palm-fringed beaches are virtually free of human footprints, marine debris has posed a major environmental threat in recent years. Australian environmental organizations have documented a high incidence of
animals choking on plastic rubbish and endangered sea turtles becoming entangled in discarded fishing nets. World Expeditions hopes to halt this degradation as part of a new series of trips dedicated to community-project travel. "We've found that a lot of people have been looking for trips on which they can do as well as see," says World Expeditions spokesperson Brad Atwal.
ON THE GROUND: Under the guidance of Yolngu Aboriginal park rangers working for the Arnhemland Marine Rescue project, you'll travel the coast by foot and four-wheel-drive vehicle to collect, catalog, and dispose of marine litter. You'll also head out on rescue missions by helicopter, scouting for turtles and other entangled wildlife from the air. Downtime is spent in bush camps and in Yolngu communities where villagers offer insight into local philosophies of land and sea stewardship.
Vitals
Outfitter: World Expeditions (www.worldexpeditions.com)
Length: Seven days
Price: $1,890
Difficulty: Moderate
Departs: August
Our November 2006 issue features the best new adventure travel trips; an exclusive look inside Iran; a Greenland global warming report; backcountry spas; digital cameras; travel Web sites; weekend getaways; and more.
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