Flames of the Forest, Port Douglas, QLD © Tourism Australia

Cultural education and entertainment have been Gary Creek’s passion for as long as he can remember. “It’s all I want to do, and know how to do,” he says. While he has been part of dance troupes and Aboriginal performing groups for three decades, today his focus lies in Flames of the Forest, a spectacular rainforest dining experience in Port Douglas that is given a twist every Thursday evening.

Under the cover of darkness, with fairy lights and candles all around, Gary and his brother Yanganda take things to the next level, highlighting their Kuku Yalanji heritage through music, songs, stories and performance.

Guests enjoying a didgeridoo performance at Flames of the Forest, QLD © Tourism Australia

“An integral part of the belief system of the Kuku Yalanji people is centered around nature and the intimate knowledge of Mother Nature’s cycles,” says Gary. “We asked permission from our Elders to tell this and other stories. They know when you are ready to pass them on. It’s a very proud moment when you, as an individual, have shown excellence in an area – whether it’s as a hunter or as a song man – and are given permission by the community to share this knowledge with other people.”

Guests talking at Flames of the Forest dining experience, QLD © Tourism Australia

The performance he and Yanganda curated for Flames of the Forest is extremely personal and individual. “It’s only for the night. You won’t see anything else like it, anywhere else in the world,” says Gary. “The key is keeping it very private. We talk about our upbringing through a Dreamtime story, and its meaning to us. We share a lot about our language. We play the didgeridoo and sing in traditional language.

“I’ve heard people in the audience mumble under their breath, ‘wow’, when we perform.” Gary says it’s very humbling experience. “It changes people’s perceptions or enforces them,” he says. “We’re able to share spiritual information that people can take away. It can change lives.

“It’s hard to put into words our lifetime of knowledge. Through Flames of the Forest we’re able to bring together so many elements that reveal 65,000 years of culture.”