About Us

There is a saying - usually when something good is happening - about having to pinch yourself to make sure you're not dreaming. For those of us fortunate enough to work with wildlife in Australia, this is what life can be like. The wonder of discovery, so much to learn, so much to do, how fortunate to live and work on this ancient land with its unique cargo of plants and animals. Problem is, the more you learn about it, the more you realise how delicately balanced everything is. How best can we make people aware of these things? By sharing our knowledge, facilitating exposure and allowing some hands on experience, thats how! Hence the concept of Taipan Eco-expeditions was born.

At this stage the Taipan Tours team comprises four qualified biologists, each of whom has extensive experience in all elements of Australian Natural History. Our expeditions are generally run on a ratio of 1 biologist for every 4 - 6 participants, plus at least one support staff for logistical support.

Steve Phillips
SteveSteve is a professional wildlife ecologist and former University lecturer with over 30 years of experience with Australian wildlife. Best known perhaps for his work on koalas, Steve also has a long-term interest in arid zone ecology, driven mostly by the challenge of trying to unravel the taxonomic mysteries and underlying ecology of Brown Snakes (Pseudonaja spp.). Living at Uki in northern NSW, Steve is also the managing director of Biolink, a consulting company that specialises in landscape-scale threatened species management and biodiversity conservation.

Marama Hopkins
MaramaMarama is a graduate ecologist working out of the Biolink office at Murwillumbah. Since completing her Honours thesis on acid-frog ecology, Marama has been undertaking broad scale flora and fauna survey work, habitat mapping and modelling throughout eastern Australia. Marama is co-author on a scientific paper regarding the application of GIS to habitat modelling for threatened mammals and has presented the results of her research work at national symposia; her broad interests focus on biodiversity conservation and reptile ecology.

Steve McAlpin 
Steve is an arid zone conservation biologist. While living in Alice Springs for the past 15 years he has worked on a great variety of projects in Central Australia . He has extensive experience with endangered species and is a co-author of the book ‘A guide to rare and threatened animals in Central Australia’. He has established monitoring programs for threatened species at Uluru and at several remote desert Aboriginal communities. Steve currently lives near Lismore in northern NSW with wife Lee Ann and children Tor and Mala, though is often out bush running fauna surveys in the ‘Red Centre’.
 
Through our professional network we have access to other specialist ecologists as required.
Taipan Eco Expeditions - Outstanding wildlife and remote area experiences that contribute to conservation and management.
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