About
Your Guide
Philip
Maher was born in Deniliquin, in south-western New South Wales.
His interest in natural history was fostered by his parents from
a young age. While Philip is an authority on Australian birds
generally, his name is synonymous with the plains-wanderer, a
bird of the open plains of inland Australia. In 1980 Philip and the Nevinson family came across a plains-wanderer while atlassing. Philip went
on to study the species extensively, banding about 600 birds. He has shown the species to large numbers of Australian and international
birders.
Philip, with his partner Patricia, established Inland Bird Tours
in 1985, leading tours to Australia's arid inland and the top
end of Australia. In 1994 they formed Australian Ornithological
Services Pty Ltd to better reflect the expansion of their tours
to all parts of Australia, New Zealand, New Guinea
and South-east Asia. Philip also acts as a consultant to government
departments and business.
While
Philip is undeniably a hardcore birder, he has an immense interest
in, and vast knowledge of, native fauna, particularly mammals
and reptiles. Philip's passion, however, is native vegetation,
particularly the indigenous plants of the Riverine Plain. He grows
several thousand trees, shrubs and grasses from locally collected
seed each year — the majority of which are planted in fenced-off
plots on Travelling Stock Routes in the Conargo Shire and at Gulpa
Island SF.
