About Us

Wait–a–While Rainforest Tours is Cairns' original environmental and wildlife spotlighting tour company, founded in 1982. Over the years we have obtained National Park and State Forest permits to visit what we have found to be the best places to combine rainforest interpretation with observation of the wildlife of the Wet Tropics.

We place a great emphasis on low impact, ecologically sustainable tours in which we observe rainforest life with as little disturbance as possible. According to National Park guidelines we do not feed or otherwise entice the animals and only use low wattage illumination when spotlighting.

Global warming and climate change are real threats to the diversity of the Wet Tropics rainforest, and with this in mind Wait–a–While will soon be an accredited carbon neutral business, and hope that other local businesses follow suit.

Current owners Ben Blewitt and Kerryn Lewin, who acquired the business in October 2007, live in Cairns with their daughter Teale. Ben has over sixteen years guiding experience in nature based tourism in the region, including a number of years as a Wait–a–While guide. He has a science background, has carried out field research on the mammals of the Wet tropics, and from 2004 has operated a specialist birding tour business, Cassowary Tours.

Kerryn is relatively new to the tourism business. She worked as a doctor until the acquisition of Wait–a–While, and now manages the business full time. She has had an interest in wildlife and environmental issues for many years. When visiting Cairns with a girlfriend a number of years ago, she took a Wait–a–While Tour where she met Ben. The following year they were married, and have now lived happily in Cairns since 2003.

Guides

Clayton Smith

Clayton has a background in zoo keeping and joined Wait–a–While in June 07. He has received many positive comments from guests about his guiding and has recently been nominated for a tourism award. He is most enthusiastic about the wildlife and always seems to have the most frogs and invertebrates on his spotting lists.

Ben Blewitt

Ben has over sixteen years guiding experience in nature based tourism in the region, including a number of years as a Wait–a–While guide. He has a science background, and has carried out field research on the mammals of the Wet tropics. Ben is a self confessed bird nerd.

Jeremy Little

Jeremy has worked for Queensland National Parks and Wildlife for many years, being a ranger for the Mt Lewis area. His knowledge of the rainforest and its wildlife is outstanding. Jeremy has been studying a PhD at JCU.

Wait–a–While Rainforest Tours has

• Full Operator Accreditation from the Queensland Department of Transport
• Commercial Activity Permits from the Queensland Environmental Protection Agency
• Public Liability Insurance
• Experienced guides with Driver Authorisation and Senior First Aid Certificate

Wait–a–While Rainforest Tours is