5 Person 17 Days
Day 1: Departure from Hobart to Bali
- Depart from Hobart to Denpasar, Bali.
Day 2-3: Departure from Hobart to Bali
- Allow two days traveling to Sentani in West Papua.
- Meet Demi, our guide and Thylacine eyewitness from Trek Papua Tour agency.
Day 4: Preparations and Permits in Jayapura
- Allow a day to make plans with Demi and gather extra supplies.
- Obtain police permits for mountaineering from Jayapura.
- Check visa requirements if coming via PNG for your journey to West Papua.
- Confirm power options in Kimyal village via missionaries.
- Allocate money for gifts to locals, payment for guides/porters, and supplies for the village (rice, plates, sugar, tea, cooking pots, utensils, rice, warm jackets, beanies, and a plastic bucket for collecting water.
- Dale to purchase in Jayapura.
- Extract money in Jayapura for the trip to pay porters, buy pigs, local food.
Day 5-6: Flight to Wamena
- Fly to Wamena.
- Buy additional supplies, such as rice and warm jackets for the expedition.
- Meet the pilot in Wamena for flight to Kimyal location and discuss the logistics of where we can land on the way to get “plane to plane” shots.
- Explore mounting locations for cameras on the aircraft.
- Allow a contingency day for weather-related flight delays.
- Film an interview with Demi in Wamena.
Day 7: Journey to Korupun / Kimyal Village
- Make prior contact with missionaries at Korupun to confirm accommodation and double check generator/power options at Kimyal village (if necessary).
- Fly out to Korupun / Kimyal Village.
- Spend the day filming the travel and arrival sequence at Kimyal village (5600ft).
- Introduce ourselves to the locals, settle in, and find porters.
- Research individuals who can confirm or deny sightings of “striped dogs” (Thylacines).
- Allow a day or so for people to visit villages in the mountains to gather information on potential Thylacine sightings. Some of these locals might need to be sourced from villages a walk away from the airstrip.
Day 8: Interaction with Locals and Planning
- Film the locals as we show them images of various animals, including the Thylacine, to gauge their reactions and recognition. Doe they call it a dobsenga as recorded by Ned Terry?
- Interview people who recognise the animal and ask them to describe it in detail.
- Arrange an expedition to a confirmed Thylacine sighting location.
- Capture general footage of the locals, village, waterfalls, and local life.
Day 9: Expedition Preparation
- Film a traditional blessing ritual performed by the locals for our protection on an expedition to Thylacine territory.
- As a thank you, allocate funds for purchasing a small pig for the village.
- Document the planning process with the locals, including the logistics and the making of makeshift bag carriers.
- Film Demi teaching the locals how to operate trail cameras if we choose to deploy them.
- Ensure we have rain jackets, backpacks, blankets for porters, and other necessary equipment.
Day 10-15: Thylacine Expedition
- Begin the expedition to Thylacine territory, which is located at approximately 13,000ft.
- Film the challenges of the journey, including river crossings, slippages, and climbing.
- Document the locals’ reactions and beliefs regarding the Thylacine.
- Look for tracks, scat, caves, and dens.
- Record the unique landscape, including views of the snowy Star Mountains.
- Use drones for aerial shots.
- If no animals are discovered, comment on this and explore the historic reports.
- Allow 5-6 days for the walking expedition.
Day 16: Return Journey
- Allow a day to film any remaining pick-up shots and contingency.
- Journey back to Wamena.
- Refuel in Wamena and then fly to Jayapura the same day.
Day 17: Return to Australia
- Journey back to Australia.