PRIVATE NATURE AND WILDLIFE EXPERIENCES
Meet Matt, Your Guide To The Real Australia
I’d rather show you the Australia locals love than the version buses race past.
I create private days in nature for travellers who want to slow down, see incredible wildlife, and experience the Australia most visitors never find.
Some days that means observing wild wallabies in the bush. Other days it’s spotting black cockatoos overhead, hearing lyrebirds echo through the forest, or standing quietly beside a waterfall hidden deep in the national park.
That’s the Australia I love sharing.
Long before I became a tour guide, I was the kid disappearing into the bush for days at a time. By the age of 11, I was exploring sandstone caves, sleeping outdoors, and learning the landscape by wandering through it, not reading about it.
That curiosity never really left.
Even now, after decades exploring New South Wales, I still get excited when I spot wildlife or discover a hidden corner of bushland most people drive straight past.
At 18, I hitchhiked solo around Australia for 14 months with an Akubra hat, a backpack, and not much of a plan.
What stayed with me most wasn’t just the landscapes. It was the people. Truck drivers, farmers, publicans, surfers, old bushmen, and complete strangers welcomed me into their world with generosity and stories I still remember today.
That journey shaped how I guide now.
Before becoming a full-time guide, I spent 35 years working in the creative industries. Photography has always been part of how I see the world, so naturally it became part of the tours too.
I love capturing those unexpected moments, whether it’s a guest feeding a kangaroo for the first time or a quiet wildlife encounter that nobody saw coming. Guests receive professional-quality photos after the tour at no extra cost.
These tours aren’t about rushing from lookout to lookout ticking boxes. They’re designed to feel relaxed, personal, and adaptable to the people on them.
Some guests are energetic hikers. Others simply want beautiful scenery, wildlife, and a peaceful day outdoors. I tailor the experience around you. See my Accessibility Statement.
Every tour is a chance to share the landscapes, wildlife, and stories that shaped my life growing up in Australia.
And honestly, I still love every minute of it.
Matt
Tour Director & Wildlife Whisperer
Sydney Guided Tours
Ready to explore with your own private Sydney wildlife tour guide?
Sometimes the wildlife decides how the day is going to go.
My favourite part of guiding isn’t the scenery. It’s watching people fall in love with Australia.
14 months hitchhiking around Australia. No GPS. No plans. Different era entirely.
The best tours don’t feel like tours.
"In alignment with Take 3 For the Sea, our tour guides actively combat plastic pollution by collecting a minimum of three pieces of rubbish on each tour, promoting global awareness and responsibility for ocean protection."
Australia’s Story Runs Deep Here
Many of the places we explore have deep Aboriginal history woven through the landscape.
Over the years I’ve spent time learning about local heritage sites, rock carvings, and cultural stories connected to the bushland we visit.
The more time you spend in the Australian wilderness, the more you realise this landscape holds layers of history most visitors never notice at first glance.
As a volunteer site monitor with the Aboriginal Heritage Office, I spend my spare time discovering new sites, helping to preserve them, and making sure they aren’t vandalised.
Aboriginal paintings and rock carvings are often part of my tours — each with its own story that adds depth to your wildlife encounters. Seeing a kangaroo carving etched into stone thousands of years ago, and then spotting kangaroos nearby in the bush, is a reminder that this land’s history runs deep.
I recognise the unique position of Aboriginal people in Australian culture and history and have a deep respect for their traditions. Sharing these sites is a privilege — one I approach with care, cultural awareness, and a genuine desire to connect visitors with Australia’s First Nations heritage.
If you’d like to learn more about Aboriginal art and culture from a first-hand perspective, let me know. I can connect you with my good friend, Aboriginal artist Garry Purchase, who shares his life stories through his artwork. Guests can meet him, hear his experiences, and even purchase his pieces directly — a genuine connection, not tourist-shop fluff.
Meet the artist - Garry Purchase
