For millions of years, constant rain and cool temperatures nurtured vast rainforests across Australia. Over time, these forests contracted into the world’s oldest continuously surviving woodlands, rich with diverse eucalyptus species.
Early explorers dubbed Australia Terra Psittacorum—the land of parrots—and northern Queensland still holds the greatest variety. Among them is the palm cockatoo, famous for its bright red cheek patches and huge beak. Pairing for life, it is believed to be the only bird to use tools. A male is seen tapping a stick on a tree hollow, hoping to persuade his partner to nest.
Fossils reveal that ancient forests were filled with species still present today. In shaded waterways, the platypus—an egg-laying mammal whose ancestors lived alongside dinosaurs—hunts using a bill so sensitive it detects tiny electrical signals from prey.
On land, the hidden lives of woodland marsupials emerge. Gliders gorge on nectar while bandicoots, northern quolls and possums clash fiercely over limited food. Across changing landscapes, red kangaroos and budgerigars give way to nimble rock wallabies of the ranges. Rain from these mountains feeds rivers inhabited by shy freshwater crocodiles, which become territorial during breeding season, even challenging larger saltwater crocs. While crocodiles have recovered from hunting, species like the Gouldian finch face growing threats from habitat loss, climate change and poaching. These ancient eucalyptus ecosystems have endured for millions of years, but their future is increasingly uncertain.