Make a meaningful connection with the world’s oldest living culture when you join an Aboriginal-guided tour in Sydney or regional New South Wales. Feel an ancient wisdom gained over tens of thousands of years and a generosity of spirit wash over you as you’re guided to sacred sites and discover the healing powers of Australian native plants.
Immerse in Sydney’s Aboriginal culture
Prepare to be moved as you learn of the extraordinary relationship Sydney’s first inhabitants have with glittering Sydney Harbour on Dreamtime Southern X’s The Rocks Aboriginal Dreaming Tour (Illi Langi). Soak up an astonishing depth of knowledge as you join Dunghutti-Jerrinjha Elder ‘Aunty’ Margret Campbell or one of her trained guides on a 90-minute walking tour of The Rocks. Feel the deep connection Sydney’s Aboriginal peoples have with the living saltwater harbour and its foreshores, and come away with a fresh perspective as the natural surroundings are brought alive in a wholly unfamiliar way.
See the sweep of Sydney Harbour through Indigenous eyes on BridgeClimb’s Burrawa Indigenous Experience. Experience a heady combination of exhilaration and amazement as you ascend to the summit of Sydney Harbour Bridge, taking in panoramic views of The Rocks and city centre below as you hear tales of Sydney’s Aboriginal past and present from your Indigenous Storyteller guide.
Taste the variety of earthy, pungent and delicate flavours of local bush foods on an Aboriginal Bush Tucker Tour through The Royal Botanic Garden’s Cadi Jam Ora garden. Breathe in the salty breeze at Barangaroo Reserve, a culturally significant harbour headland a short walk from The Rocks, as your Barangaroo Aboriginal Cultural Tours guide explains how the Gadigal people, the first inhabitants of the area, used the native trees and plants found in the reserve as food and medicine and for cultural practices.
Meet the Traditional Owners of the west
In Katoomba, at the heart of the Blue Mountains, thrill to the sight of the Three Sisters, an iconic rock formation of three sandstone pillars. Imagine yourself back in ancient times as the namesake sisters Meehni, Wimlah and Gunnedoo, of the Gundungurra people, were turned to stone by their father in what was intended to be a temporary protective measure during a heated battle.
Cruise beyond the Blue Mountains to immerse in Indigenous culture in major towns throughout the vast Central West plains of Country NSW. Absorb the wisdom of Wiradyuri Elders on half-day and full-day Aboriginal-led Wahluu cultural tours to notable sites around Bathurst, Australia’s oldest inland colonial settlement, a three-hour drive west of Sydney.
Be one of many visitors to Orange to be astounded by the breadth of knowledge imparted by Wiradyuri Elder Gerald Power of Indigenous Cultural Adventures (he’s also the deputy mayor of this wine-region town around an hour’s drive beyond Bathurst). His food-focused cultural tours start off in a bush tucker garden in Orange before venturing out of town to visit ceremonial grounds and other major sites.
Surrender to the mesmerising open road for the two-hour drive from Orange to the vibrant regional city of Dubbo. Immerse in Wiradjuri and Kamilaroi/Gamilaraay country with Traditional Owner Peter Peckham’s First Lesson Cultural Tours. Spend an absorbing half-day visiting important sites in the surrounding area or join a multi-day cultural odyssey across the region – book through Dubbo Visitor Information Centre or directly on 0427 871 418.
Venture into the remote Outback NSW and be rewarded with rare access to historic sites in Mutawintji National Park, a little under a three-hour drive from the outback city of Broken Hill. Marvel at rock engravings and ochre stencils, and let your imagination take you deep into the past as your local Aboriginal guide shares the Dreamtime story of ancestor god Kulluwirru on a Kulluwirru Dreaming Tour with Mutawintji Heritage Tours.
Soak up Indigenous culture in the south
In the Riverina region of southern NSW, drink in a wealth of knowledge as Wiradjuri guide Mark Saddler of Bundyi Aboriginal Cultural Knowledge takes you on a cultural tour of the riverside city of Wagga Wagga and surrounds. See local animals through Indigenous eyes on his Aboriginal Walkabout Tour or visit important sites on an Aboriginal Special Places Tour.
In nearby Narrandera, admire the craftsmanship of the boomerangs, didgeridoos and clapsticks on display in Wiradjuri Elder Michael Lyons’s Sandhills Artefacts gallery before joining him on a cultural tour to sacred birthing rocks and caves along Murrumbidgee River.
Broaden your horizons in Yuin country on the South Coast of NSW. Steep in the traditional way of gaining ancestral knowledge on an unforgettable two-night Yuin Retreat run by Dwayne ‘Naja’ Bannon-Harrison of Ngaran Ngaran Culture Awareness near the coastal town of Narooma.
Open up to the knowledge of the north
Savour the unique experience of being serenaded on a didgeridoo by Darkinjung Elder Kevin ‘Gavi’ Duncan before tasting bush foods paired with botanical wines infused with native ingredients with Firescreek Botanical Winery Aboriginal Experiences on the Central Coast, 75 minutes north of Sydney.
See the ocean in a new light as you hear the story of how waves were created on a Gaagal Yuludarla (Ocean Dreaming) tour or delve into the heritage of Gaagal Wanggaan National Park with Unkya Cultural EcoTours at Scotts Head, near the NSW North Coast of Macksville, a five-hour drive north of Sydney.
Follow the coastal highway north another 50 minutes to the holiday town of Coffs Harbour for a memorable encounter with the waterways and homelands of the Gumbaynggirr nation. Connect to this beautiful region with Traditional Owners on a Wajaana Yaam Gumbaynggirr Adventure Tours stand-up paddleboard cruise as your guides tell absorbing stories of their ancient culture and forage for seasonal bush tucker.
Surprise your taste buds with a gamut of flavours as you learn to identify some of Australia’s many edible plants on a Bush Tucker Walk with Arakwal-Bundjalung Elder Delta Kay. These fascinating Vision Walks Eco Tours depart from the towns of Mullumbimby or Federal, near Byron Bay.
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