Indigenous culture under the tourism spotlight in Australia

Right around the world there is a growing interest in first peoples' cultures, and in Australia AAT Kings has just unveiled the launch of its new Aboriginal Culture & Australia Highlights tour, as part of the group’s 2024-2025 touring season.

The limited-season, Australia-first indigenous-focused guided holiday features several destinations from city to outback across Melbourne, Uluru, Sydney and Cairns over 13 days, with a focus on local connection, cultural immersion, sustainability, and wildlife and nature.

The Aboriginal Culture & Australia Highlights tour has been developed in response to Tourism Australia’s consumer insights, outlined in the global Future of Demand research project released late 2022.

The report highlighted the latent demand for Indigenous experiences.

The AAT Kings team has "collaborated closely" with Discover Aboriginal Experiences (part of Tourism Australia’s ‘Signature Experiences of Australia’) to identify and curate Indigenous operators and experiences that form part of the new itinerary, showcasing indigenous-owned businesses.



The tour highlights include:

# Sunset drinks at Uluru, including an exclusive barbecue dinner and Dot Art painting experience.
# A behind the scenes Sydney Opera House tour, Dreamtime Walking Tour of the Rocks district and indigenous-themed harbour cruise in Sydney
# Great Barrier Reef trip with Dreamtime Dive and Snorkel experience (above) 
# A lunch at Big Esso by Mabu Mabu in Melbourne’s Federation Square with cuisine by renowned Torres Strait chef Nornie Bero.

"Dreamtime Dive and Snorkel provides a unique opportunity to gain insights from our cultural guides as they provide interpretation of the sea country on which we operate our Great Barrier Reef tours,” said John O’ Sullivan, CEO of Experience Co, which owns and operates Dreamtime Dive and Snorkel.

“We are delighted to be included in this new tour from AAT Kings and applaud this initiative which will make it easier for visitors to access a range of first-class indigenous experiences across Australia.”

The tour also features a number of optional tours to cater for international markets and appeal to a broad range of travellers. 

"We are committed to helping drive indigenous tourism and play a leading role in increasing understanding and appreciation of Aboriginal culture - a major step towards reconciliation and support of First Nations people in Australia,” said Ben Hall, CEO, AAT Kings.

“This new tour is just a glimpse into how AAT Kings is committed to growing our range of Indigenous experiences across our suite of travel products, to advocate and highlight the range and depth of Indigenous tourism experiences, across Australia.” 

The Aboriginal Culture & Australia Highlights tour will have limited departures in 2024 and 2025. Travellers can currently save up to 15% as part of the AAT Kings New Season Sale which runs until until  October 31, 2023, with prices from $8,609 per person, twin share. 

The tours will commence in Melbourne and conclude in Cairns.

For more information and to book visit: www.aatkings.com/amsc

New Perth festival celebrates indigenous culture

A new festival in Perth (Boorloo) will celebrate Western Australia's Aboriginal culture.

EverNow will run from October 4-9, promising five nights of sound, light and fire.

The event will celebrate during the Noongar season of Kambarang - when an abundance of flowers and colours change the land.

The series of free evening events will be held at locations across Perth - including the Supreme Court Gardens, Government House Gardens and Kings Park (Kaarta Koomba).

Kings Park will host the reimagining of Boorna Waaginy: The Trees Speak, transforming the park with a display of light, sound and projections - telling the stories of Noongar culture and the beauty and biodiversity of the region.

Nearby, the doors to Government House Gardens will also be opened to the public as it is transformed into Fire Gardens, described as "a dreamscape of leaping flames and shadows".

Inspired by conversations with Noongar elders, the fiery wonderland will be set alight by international flame experts Compagnie Carabosse.

The city's Supreme Court Gardens, overlooking the Swan River (Derbal Yerrigan) will play host to Song Circle, a live performance and celebration of Noongar song and dance.

The three events will all be free to attend, with some requiring a ticket to gain entry, and will be held at different times across the five-night festival.

Song Circle: Supreme Court Gardens, October 4-8
Fire Gardens: Government House Gardens, October 5-8
Boorna Waanginy, The Trees Speak: Kings Park, October 6-9

Developed by Perth Festival, and supported by the Western Australian Government through Tourism WA, EverNow will run for an initial two years, with the intention for the new homegrown event to become an annual staple on the state's major events calendar.

Find out more at evernow.com.au.

Indigenous culture on display in Wagga Wagga

There is a new reason to visit the Museum of the Riverina in Wagga Wagga with the opening of the new Wiradyuri Gallery at the Botanic Gardens site.

Seven significant cultural objects from the Australian Museum's First Nations collection will be on display as a highlight of the gallery's offering.

The seven objects, a parrying shield, a shovel and five clubs, have a deep connection to the area as they were all collected around the 1860s on Ganmain Station on Wiradjuri/Wiradyuri Country.

The selection of the long-term loan objects was undertaken in consultation with the Wagga Wagga-based Indigenous Reference Group Mawang Gaway, chaired by Aunty Isabel Reid.

Wiradjuri/Wiradyuri Elder Aunty Cheryl Penrith said: “I am honoured to be a part of the return of these significant cultural objects from the Ganmain collection held at the Australian Museum back to the Museum of the Riverina on Wiradjuri/Wiradyuri Country.

“I acknowledge and pay respect Yindyamarra to our ancestors. The Elders involved in the process are extremely proud and excited these significant objects will be on display and home on Wiradjuri/Wiradyuri Country. Thank you Yindyamarra.”

The redeveloped Museum of the Riverina opens to the public at the end of the month.

Laura McBride, director, First Nations, Australian Museum, a Wailwan and Kooma woman, said these objects travelling back to Country is part of the Australian Museum’s commitment to facilitating long-term loans to communities and regional museums to increase accessibility for Aboriginal peoples to their cultural objects.

"Undertaking long-term loans is a way in which we can return objects back on Country, so they are more easily accessible to their communities,” McBride said.

“When museums loan objects, they also support the conservation, display and research of the objects. Through the loan of objects, museums also help regional museums that might not have the resources of the major cultural institutions.

“It’s so special these objects are going home; I look forward to seeing them displayed on their own Country and interpreted by their own peoples when the new gallery opens.”

See https://museumriverina.com.au/

A Tasmanian cultural festival with a serious difference

Interested in First Nations arts and culture?

Fancy the chance of exploring beautiful Bruny Island in Tasmania?

The sixth Nayri Niara Good Spirit Festival - a three-day gathering celebrating music, ceremony, arts, healing and culture will be held on lunawuni (Bruny Island) from April 22-24.

 
The Good Spirit Festival aims to unite indigenous and non-indigenous communities a strong focus on families, including offerings for men, women and non-binary.

The connections formed by gathering kindred good spirits, open minds and open hearts results in the raising and uplifting of all participants' spirits, I am told.

Nayri Niara celebrates thousands of years of First Nations knowledge, rituals, and storytelling.

Dance, music and healing will be explored.

“Nayri Niara good spirit Festival creates an opportunity for the indigenous people to share knowledge and ceremonies, particularly to invite a healing and cross-cultural collaboration, ” says Yorta Yorta woman Ruth Langford, the founder of Nayri Niara.

For details and tickets see https://www.nayriniaragoodspirit.com/festival2022

Image: NNF  

Australian wineries showcase indigenous culture

Several Australian wineries are celebrating the Indigenous history of the land on which their grapes are grown. 

A growing number are collaborating with their local traditional owners to provide experiences that connect visitors with Aboriginal culture and provide a historical context for the land.

Three members of Ultimate Winery Experiences are among them: Mandoon Estate in Western Australia (above); Tahbilk in Victoria and Gemtree in McLaren Vale, South Australia. 

Mandoon hosts regular bush tucker tastings at its property on Noongar land in the Swan Valley.

These offer visitors an opportunity to listen to the stories of this area and learn about local indigenous food and culture from Noongar Elder, Dale Tilbrook.

Taste some traditional bush food and listen to stories from generations past about indigenous farming methods and the history of the Noongar peoples. 

Tahbilk (above) hosts an Eco Trail and the Tabilk-Tabilk Indigenous Flora Trail. 

Established in 1860, Tahbilk comprises some 1,214 hectares of rich river flats with a frontage of 11km to the Goulburn River and 8km of permanent backwaters and creeks.

IAn ongoing works program continues to maintain and enhance the area as an important conservation area.

The Tahbilk Eco Trail can be explored by visitors via a range of walking paths and boardwalks along a 6km circuit of land once owned by the Daung-wurrung clans.

The Indigenous Flora Walking Trail is a collaboration between the Taungurung Land & Waters Council, Goulburn Broken Catchment Management Authority and the Purbrick family, who own Tahbilk. 

Launched in March,  this walk is a collective gift to both current and future generations. Walk through the trail to learn and grow your understanding of the Taungurung people and the diverse plant species abundant in the wetlands. 

Gemtree Wines (above) has partnered with Senior Cultural Custodian, Karl Winda Telfer of Yellaka to share Tirkandi – an inspiring journey of Culture, Connection and Country.

Karl is a senior man from the Mullawirra Meyunna (dry forest people/family clan) which is known today as the Kaurna Nation from the Adelaide region. 

Sharing his cultural knowledge and connection to country at many places and events, Gemtree is hosting small group events taking place from March to October, 

Karl  shares his knowledge and heritage within the idyllic setting of the Gemtree Eco-Trail, set among native gumtrees and wildlife.

The Tirkandi experience continues in the Tasting Room, where guests can sample Gemtree wines, which are all certified organic and biodynamic. 

Discover more about Ultimate Winery Experiences HERE.