Summary Bio

Damon Ramsey has worked at a career combining his loves of nature and travel.

He began by studying Outdoor Guiding in the Blue Mountains, south-eastern Australia. He continued on to gain his Biology degree at Charles Darwin University, Northern Territory, and James Cook University at Townsville and Cairns, north Queensland. This led to a range of research assistant experiences, including rainforest plants, bandicoots, finches, bats, butterflies and cassowaries.

For the last decade he has worked as a guide and lecturer for various companies and institutes around Australia and the Pacific, including day trips, multi-day overnight jungle hikes, rock art tours, documentary film crew, 4WD safaris, coral reef cruises, cycle tours, expedition cruises, wildlife & bird-watching tours, and biology, ecotourism & other study programs.

For the last few years he has been one of the founding Directors of the company "Educational Tours Australia" (ETA), which specializes in nature education tours and biology study programs. Recently, he has published a book on the ecology, plants and animals of the rainforest, the first in the Ecosystem Guide series.

His work and travel experiences have taken him to southern Africa, North America, Central America, South America, India, South-east Asia, New Guinea, New Zealand, Polynesia, and of course around Australia. He is based in Cairns, North Queensland, Australia.

Business details

• Business structure: sole trader
• ABN: 29 937 132 258
• TFN: 149-323-993
• Work cover Insurance: (ACE) Sickness & Accident Policy no. A4PA005974
• GST number: 29 937 132 258

Presentations & Lectures

Damon Ramsey contracts out as a lecturer and guide. The following lists the subjects of his lectures. The lectures are then given titles that are usually lighter in character and reflect more specifically the area and the audience; for example, the subject of "Invertebrates of temperate seashores" might be "Seashells and other critters of the New Zealand seashore".

The lectures can range from 20 to 45 minutes and their details vary with the market and interests of the client. The lectures are illustrated with Damon's own images and are based in conjunction with the "Ecosystem Guides" series.

The subjects are constantly being revised and updated, and they include:

Introduction to biodiversity of Australia Ocean surfaces (or split into the following subjects) Environment of the ocean surface Invertebrates, reptiles & fish of the ocean surface Birds of the ocean surface Mammals (including humans) of the ocean surface Coral Reefs (or split into the following subjects) Invertebrates of the coral reefs Fish of the coral reefs Tropical Beaches (or split into the following subjects) Environment & ecology of the tropical seashore Invertebrates of the tropical seashore Birds of the tropical seashore Temperate seashores (or split into the following subjects) Environment of the temperate seashore Invertebrates of the temperate seashore Birds of the temperate seashore Mammals of the temperate seashore

Mangroves (or split into the following subjects) Environment, ecology and plants of the mangroves Animals of the mangroves Tropical Rainforest (or split into the following subjects) Environment and evolution of the rainforest Ecology of the rainforest Plants of the rainforest Invertebrates of the rainforest Amphibians and reptiles of the rainforest Birds of the rainforest Mammals of the rainforest Savanna (or split into the following subjects) Ecology and Plants of the savanna Birds of the savanna Mammals and Humans of the savanna Australian wildlife tourism Wildlife and tourists

Qualifications, courses, licenses, awards, certifications

In reverse chronological order:

• Coxswain's (boat driving) Ticket, MSQ, Cairns, June 2008
• Marine Radio Course, Cairns TAFE, May 2008
• Coxswain's Course, Cairns TAFE, May 2008
• AMSA Medical certificate, renewed February 2008, original 2006.
• Blue Card re-issued 2007, issued 2005
• Senior First Aid Certificate, Refreshed Jan 2006, Renewed Dec 2005, Renewed Sep 2003, Renewed Cairns, 2000, Blue Mountains, NSW, 1996.
• Remote First Aid, Defibrillator and Advanced Resuscitation, Re-issued 2007, First Response, Cairns, Qld, 2004.
• Recreational Ship Master's License, Queensland Transport, Cairns, Qld, 2004.
• Ship board safety, national
• Biological Science Degree (BSc. Zoology), James Cook University, Cairns and Townsville, Queensland, and Northern Territory University, Northern Territory. 1997 to 2002. Studies include Rainforest Ecology, Marine Ecology, Savannah Ecology, Botany, Geology, Environmental Issues, etc, and majoring in zoology.
• Nomination, Cairns Tourism Association's Tourism and Hospitality Award, 2001, Nominated as a guide with the Adventure Company.
• Snake Awareness/Handling Certificate, Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service/James Cook University, Townsville, 2000. Snake identification, first aid and handling.
• Driver's Authorization, Current, from Qld, 1998.
• Light Rigid Driver's License, Current, from Qld, 1998.
• Trap and display licence, Blue Mountains National Park, 1996-7. National Parks and Wildlife Service.
• Advanced Certificate in 'Outdoor Guiding', Blue Mountains TAFE, NSW, 1995-1996. Studies include flora and fauna interpretation, Aboriginal studies, Outdoor leadership, Outdoor Survival, History.
• Certificate in 'Tour Directing and Guiding'. Blue Mountains TAFE, NSW. 1996. Studies include various tourism, marketing and economic subjects.
• Advanced Diving Certificate, Cairns, Qld, 1995.
• Open Water diving Certificate, Fitzroy Island, Qld, 1990.
• School Certificate, Sydney Technical High School

Contracts/Employment/volunteer work history in Biology, Guiding & related fields

(example: role, locations, company, duties, date)

• Company Director, Educational Tours Australia, Educational Tours Australia (ETA) incorporated from a partnership to a company, initiated 2006 and ongoing.
• Guest Lecturer, Melanesia, Coral Princess Cruises, Lectures, nature walks, glass bottom boat, April 2008
• Guest Lecturer, New Zealand, Coral Princess Cruises, Lectures, nature walks, March 2008
• Trip Director, Great Barrier Reef, Coral Princess Cruises, Tour and interpretative programme; nature walks, glass bottom boat, assisted snorkelling, etc, Feb 2008.
• Guest Lecturer, Hawaii, French Polynesia, New Zealand, Mercury, Celebrity X Cruises, Lectures, November, November 2007
• Guest Lecturer, New Zealand, Australia, Mercury, Celebrity X Cruises, Lectures, November, December 2007 - January 2008.
• Lecturer/Biologist, Papua New Guinea, Coral Princess Cruises, Lectures, nature walks, glass bottom boat tours, October 2007.
• Guest Lecturer, Cape York, Coral Princess Cruises, lecturing, nature walks, glass bottom boat tours, snorkelling, etc, August 2007.
• Industry speaker/lecturer, Ecotourism course, James Cook University, preparing and delivering Wildlife tourism lecture series within "Ecotourism" course , July 2007
• Driver/Guide, Redlands Primary, NSW, ETA - Educational Tours Australia, Guiding and driving primary school kids around Daintree, Cairns, Port Douglas and reef, June 2007.
• Tour programme leader, AIFS Ecotourism programme, Educational Tours Australia, Guiding US students on the travel portion of their ecotourism studies: Sydney, aboriginal communities, Great Barrier Reef, Atherthon Tablelands, Undara, June and July 2007.
• Biologist Guide, Florida University, for AIFS, ETA - Educational Tours Australia, guiding and driving students; green island, atherton tablelands, Mareeba, May 2007.
• Lecturer and Biologist Guide, Coral Princess Cruises, Expedition cruise Across the Top, April 2007.
• Lecturer and Biologist Guide, Coral Princess Cruises, Expedition cruise Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu & New Caledonia, March/April 2007.
• Local Biologist Guide and "storyteller", Original productions & ActiveTV for Discovery channel, Educational Tours Australia, Filming cassowaries and other rainforest wildlife, February 2007
• Lecturer and Biologist Guide, Coral Princess Cruises, Expedition cruise Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu & New Caledonia, October/November 2006.
• Bird-watching Guide, C-T group (Taiwan), Educational Tours Australia, trip planner, guide and driver for 2 week bird and nature tour of tropical Australia, September/ October 2006.
• Lecturer and Biologist Guide Coral Princess Cruises, Expedition cruise along Cape York and Great Barrier Reef, August/September 2006
• Lecturer and Biologist Guide, Coral Princess Cruises, Expedition cruise around the Kimberly, north-western Australia, June-July 2006.
• Guide/Driver, SCEGGS, Educational Tours Australia, driver guide for primary school holiday tour, June 2006
• Lecturer, James Cook University, Cairns, Lecturing in ecotourism and wildlife tourism, June 2006.
• Biologist Guide, Columbus State University, Educational Tours Australia, Biology education programme around North Queensland, May 2006.
• Lecturer and Biologist Guide, Coral Princess Cruises, Expedition cruise around New Zealand, Jan, Feb, March 2006
• Trip Director, Coral Princess Cruises, Great Barrier Reef, glass bottom boat, snorkelling tours and nature walks, Jan 2006
• Biologist Guide, Nature Travel Specialists, Educational Tours Australia, Biology education guiding around North Queensland, Jan 2006.
• Guest Lecturer Biologist Guide, Coral Princess Cruises, two amazing tours of Papua New Guinea, October 2005.
• Lecturer and Biologist Guide, Coral Princess Cruises, Expedition cruise along Cape York and Great Barrier Reef, September 2005.
• Driver, Down Under Tours, driver for day tours to Cape Tribulation and transfers, casual ongoing.
• Expedition Leader, Coral Princess Cruises, Cape York, August 2005.
• Lecturer, James Cook University, Cairns, Lecturing in ecotourism and wildlife tourism, July 2005.
• Lecturer and Biologist Guide, Coral Princess Cruises, Expedition cruise in Kimberly region, May 2005.
• Lecturer and Biologist Guide, Coral Princess Cruises, Expedition cruise across the top end, May 2005.
• Guest Lecturer, Orion Cruises, Brisbane to Cairns, Fraser Island, Great Barrier Reef, April 2005.
• Guide/Driver, SCEGGS, Educational Tours Australia, driver guide for primary school holiday tour, April 2005.
• Business Partner, For set up of Educational Tours Australia, Includes setting itineraries, costings, compiling business plan, safety manual, writing and compiling information for website, marketing and promotions and general starting up business, 2005/2006.
• Zoologist Guide/Lecturer/Tour Escort, Washington and Lee alumni group, Classic Escapes, This was a 2 week tour around Australia and New Zealand, Jan 2005.
• Zoologist Guide, North Carolina Nature group, Classic Escapes, This was a 3 week tour around Australia and New Zealand, Nov 2004.
• Bird-watching and Wildlife Guide, Golden Gate Audubon, Classic Escapes, This was a 3 week bird-watching trip around Australia, Oct 2004.
• Lecturer and Biologist Guide, Coral Princess Cruises, Darwin to Broome, via the Kimberly coast, June-July 2004.
• Biologist Guide, For Columbus University biology student group, Biology study programme around North Queensland, May 2004
• Lecturer and Guide, Society Expeditions, Easter Island to Fiji, April 2004
• Trip Director and Marine and General Biologist Guide, Coral Princess Cruises, Tours of the Great Barrier Reef and islands. This work included trip directing, lecturing, marine biology and general biology guiding, and glass bottom boat driving. September 2003-March 2004.
• Marine and General Biologist Guide, Reef Endeavour, Captain Cook Cruises, This work included lecturing, marine biology and general biology guiding, the Great Barrier Reef, Sep 2003.
• Lecturer, James Cook University, Cairns, Wrote and delivered a series of 7 lectures in 'Wildlife Tourism' for subject 'Ecotourism', July 2003.
• Biologist Guide, Franklands Islands Cruise and Dive, Acted as biologist on board boat that visited the Frankland Islands. Duties included leading island and intertidal reef walks, snorkelling tours, as well as more general duties such as deckhand and cooking. Various time in 2003.
• Naturalist Guide, The Adventure Company (and various contracts). Based in Cairns, Queensland, Australia. Tours ranging from simple day trips to 4WD bush trips, Aboriginal rock art tours, nature watching, overnight 2 and 3 day hikes, cross country navigation, and bicycle tours. Customer base ranged from backpacker to upmarket, and included special interest groups such as diving clubs, to University/College and high school student groups. Took part in training days, produced a series of training manuals that explained the nature of various areas that were visited on specific tours. From 1998 - 2003. The contracts for and through this company included: Naturalist Guide for International Expeditions, 'Natures Best Kept Secret' tours of North Queensland. Naturalist Guide for International Expeditions 'Land of Wonder' tours of North Queensland. Naturalist Guide for REI Adventures Nature Tour of North Queensland. Lecturer for AHI Alumni groups. Naturalist Guide for Park East/Columbus Zoo group, tour around Australia Guide for Oakland Zoo group tour of North Queensland, Naturalist Guide for the Scuba Company, tour of North Queensland. Biologist Guide for Antelope Valley University tour of North Queensland. Biologist Guide for William and Jefferson College, Naturalist Guide for North Carolina Maritime Museum tour of North Queensland, Guide for Butterfield and Robinson, fly in tour around Jowalbinna bush camp, Guide for Aboriginal Rock Art tours at Jowalbinna Bush Camp, Naturalist Guide for Possum Valley Tours, Guide for Bartle Frere Rainforest Hikes, Guide for Northern Exposure to Cape Tribulation, Guide for Tablelands Cycle, Guide for Student Safaris International tour of Jowalbinna, Guide for St. Marys Catholic College tour of Jowalbinna, Guide for SCEGGS tour of North Queensland.
• Field assistant, Cairns local council and James Cook University, Research on the wading birds of the esplanade. Identifying and counting the birds along the mudflats on Cairns foreshore. 2002.
• Field assistant, Survey conducted by The Australian Centre for Freshwater Research, Townsville, Queensland at the Tully Training Area for the Australian Army. Main field assistant in a survey of fauna that included listing the frogs, reptiles, birds and mammals found in the area. Also surveyed sample plots for the vegetation. Main purpose of the study was to map the distribution of Cassowaries in the region. This was done by searching for the birds themselves, as well as measuring their tracks and recording the location of their scats. 1999.
• Own Research Project, On JCU project concerning ecology of the 'Common Eggfly', Hypolimnas bolina. James Cook University, Cairns. My undergraduate research project involved catching butterflies, collecting their food, and conducting feeding and growth trials. 1999.
• Frog monitoring coordinator, for the Cape York Herpetological Society of Cape York, Queensland. This volunteer role involved organizing volunteers for counting endangered frog populations in freshwater rainforest creeks. 1998.
• Field assistant, JCU PhD project on behaviour of butterflies. James Cook University, Cairns, Queensland. This project involved setting up and building a huge aviary for keeping butterflies, their food plants and an artificial 'rain forest'. It also involved feeding trails, catching and marking butterflies, collecting and growing food plants and timing and recording various butterfly behaviours. 1998.
• Field assistant, For a JCU Masters project on the rare and primitive rainforest tree, Idiospermum australe at Cape Tribulation, James Cook University, Cairns, Queensland. This brief volunteer position involved measuring how far the large round seeds of this tree had been dispersed. 1998.
• Field assistant, For a JCU Honours project on Northern Bandicoots', Isoodon macrurus, James Cook University, Cairns, Queensland. This volunteer position involved setting up traps and catching bandicoots and various other smaller mammals. The study involved weighing the animals and implanting individual recognition devices called 'pit tags', 1998.
• Counter, Counts of 'Spectacled Flying Fox', For Department of Environment, Cairns, Queensland. Cairns. I was only one of a team of volunteers that stood in various places around suburban Cairns staring at the sky. At sunset, we used 'clickers' to count the bats as they streamed above. 1998.
• Technical Assistant, Northern Territory University, Northern Territory, Australia. This job involved a lot of 'laboratory' work, ie; washing beakers and cleaning benches. 1997.
• Field assistant, For honours project on the 'Spotted Goanna' Varanus panoptes and sea turtle hatchling predation, Northern Territory University. This volunteer role involved attempting to catch very large goannas with very large teeth. It also required us to set up sand traps, find and identify animal tracks, collect scat for analysis, and conduct vegetation surveys. Recording sea turtles as they came ashore to lay eggs. We had to catch and weigh these animals before they returned to the sea. 1997.
• Field Assistant, For project on counting the endangered 'Gouldian Finch' and other birds. Keep River National Park, Western Australia. Conservation Commission, NT. This volunteer job involved sitting by a water hole in savanna country in the Kimberly region to watch Gouldian Finches and other birds. 1997.
• Field assistant, For various projects on insectivorous bats, including the 'Ghost Bat', Macroderma giga, Western Australia. This volunteer role involved climbing into storm water drains and abandoned mines to catch various bats and then release them to record their calls on the ultrasonic "anabat'. The highlight was catching the biggest (and certainly one of the ugliest) insectivorous bats in Australia, the endangered Ghost Bat, 1997.
• Group Leader, Royal National Park and Heathcote, Adventure Education, New South Wales, Australia. Involved setting up a week long education program that included bush tucker, survival, animals and plants for students, 1996.
• Information Officer/ Guide, Blue Mountains National Park, NSW. This job involved making a lot of cappuccinos, but I also had the opportunity to lead a few short walks, be involved in bush walk rescue, and set up my own interpretative displays, 1996-1997.
• Work Experience, with 'Noah's Ark' reef boat and the now defunct Cape Tribulation/Tablelands tour company 'Tropics Explorer', Cairns, Queensland, 1991-1992.

Travel and Nature Experience

My travelling experiences include independent travelling with a reliance on camping, or as a guide, escort or lecturer on tour. My aim is usually to experience a diverse range of ecosystems and try to observe many animals and plants.

Afrotropical Realm (Africa)

• Botswana - Kalahari Desert, Moremi Game Reserve/ Okavango Delta,
• Namibia - Swakopmund, Walvis Bay, the Caprivi strip, Etosha National Park, Namib National Park,
• Zimbabwe - Zambezi River, Hwange National Park, Victoria Falls National Park,
• South Africa - Johannesburg, Kruger National Park.

• Costa Rica - Corcovado National Park, Santa Rosa National Park, Cahuita National Park,
• Columbia - San Andres Island, Tayrona National Park, Amacayacu (Amazon) National Park (Columbia),
• Chile - Santiago.

• India - Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary, Kanha National Park, Sariska National Park, Periyar National Park,
• Nepal - Royal Chitwan National Park,
• Thailand - Khao Yai National Park, Khao Sok National Park.
• Malayasia - Tioman Island, Cameron Highlands, Taman Negara National Park,
• Indonesia - Sindangbarang Nature Reserve, Siberut Islands, Bukit Lawang National Reserve,

• USA - Topanga state park, Big Sur, Joshua Tree National Park, Death Valley National Park (California), Grand Canyon National Park (Arizona), Hawn State Park (Missouri), Everglades National Park (Florida).

• Australia - Blue Mountains National Park, Wollemi National Park, Royal. National Park, Heathcote National Park, Kurring-gai National Park Warrumbungle National Park (N.S.W), Fraser Island National Park, Cooloola National Park, Carnarvon Gorge National Park, Heron Island, Lamington National Park, Whitsunday Passage, Hypipamee Crater National Park, Crater Lakes National Park, Hastie Swamp National Park, Wooroonooran National Park, Michaelmas Cay, Frankland Islands, Fitzroy Island, Lakefield National Park, Quinkan Aboriginal Reserve (Qld), Stanley Island, Flinders Island group, Cape Melville National park, Shelburne Bay, Cape York, Kakadu National Park, Litchfield National Park, Nitmiluk National Park, Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park, West Macdonnell National Park (N.T.), Broome, Kimberly region, Keep River National Park (W.A.), Flinders Chase National Park/Kangaroo Island, Coorong National Park (S.A), Dandenong Ranges, Sherbroke Forest, Philip Island, Port Campbell National Park, Hattah-Kulkyne National Park (Victoria), Asbestos Range National Park, Cape National Park, Mt.Field National Park, Cradle Mountain-Lake St.Clair National Park, (Tasmania)

• Papua New Guinea - Alotau, D'Entrecasteaux Islands, Woodlark Islands, Egum atoll, Marshall Bennet group, Trobriands, Green Island group, New Ireland, Rabaul, Kavieng, Tingwon Island, Manus, Murik Lakes, Sepik River, Madang, Siassi island group, Tufi fiords.
• Solomon Islands
• Vanuatu
• New Caledonia
• New Zealand - Milford, Dusky and Doubtful sounds, Fjordland national park, Stewart Island, Queenstown, Franz Josef Glacier, White Heron, Invercargill, Dunedin, Akaroa, Christchurch, Kaikoura, Marlborough Sounds, Napier, Gisborne, White Island, Waitomo, Rotorua, Bay of Plenty, Auckland, Great Barrier Island, Bay of Islands.
• Cook Islands
• Fiji,
• Tonga,
• French Polynesia - Tahiti, Bora Bora
• UK - Ducie atoll, Pitcairn, Henderson
• Chile - Easter Island.