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South East Queensland

See a new side of spectacular South East Queensland with an Aboriginal guide.

Yura Tours, Stradbroke Island / Minjerribah, Queensland © Tourism Australia
Gold Coast views, Queensland © Tourism and Events Queensland
Saltwater Eco Tours, Mooloolaba, Queensland © Tourism Australia

Discover how Aboriginal cultures have thrived for millennia in Brisbane/Meanjin, the Gold Coast, the Sunshine Coast and surrounds.

Jellurgal Aboriginal Cultural Centre, Gold Coast, Queensland © Jellurgal Aboriginal Cultural Centre
Bushtucker Cruise, Saltwater Eco Tours, Mooloolaba, Queensland © Tourism Australia

Experience native produce

Enjoy a tasty introduction to native Australian ingredients in delicious dishes in a one-of-a-kind floating feast.

Challenge misconceptions

Perhaps you didn’t expect this corner of Australia to have such a rich Aboriginal cultural heritage. Learn the lesser-known stories of Brisbane/Meanjin, the Gold Coast and beyond on an Aboriginal experience.

Saltwater Eco Tours, Mooloolaba, Queensland© Tourism Australia
Bushtucker Cruise, Saltwater Eco Tours, Mooloolaba, Queensland © Tourism Australia

Boost your cultural awareness

Develop your understanding of Aboriginal identity, history and more during an empowering cultural cruise around the Sunshine Coast.

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  • Yura Tours, North Stradbroke Island / Minjerribah, Queensland © Tourism Australia
  • Yura Tours,  Minjerribah/North Stradbroke Island, Queensland © Tourism Australia
  • Yura Tours,  Minjerribah/North Stradbroke Island, Queensland © Tourism Australia

    50 km from Brisbane

    Bajara “Footprints” Tour

    with Yura Tours

    This 4hr 4WD beach tour takes in beautiful lakes, beaches, flora and fauna with an Aboriginal guide. Forage for clams, and enjoy a seafood lunch and swim.

    • SaltwaterEco Tours cruise around the Sunshine Coast, Queensland © Tourism Australia
    • Saltwater Eco Tours cruise around the Sunshine Coast, Queensland © Tourism Australia
    • SaltwaterEco Tours cruise around the Sunshine Coast, Queensland © Tourism Australia

      16km from Sunshine Coast Airport

      Bushtucker Cultural Cruise

      with Saltwater Eco Tours

      Enjoy an incredible menu infused with local, seasonal produce and bush-tucker ingredients. While you cruise, learn all about Mooloolaba waterways from a cultural perspective.

      • Jellurgal Aboriginal Cultural Centre, Gold Coast, Queensland © Jellurgal Aboriginal Cultural Centre
      • Jellurgal Aboriginal Cultural Centre, Gold Coast, Queensland © Jellurgal Aboriginal Cultural Centre
      • Jellurgal Aboriginal Cultural Centre, Gold Coast, Queensland © Jellurgal Aboriginal Cultural Centre

        11km from Gold Coast Coolangatta Airport

        Jellurgal Journey Tour

        with Jellurgal Aboriginal Cultural Centre

        These tours are designed to introduce you to the Gold Coast’s rich Aboriginal culture, ecological connection and heritage. Tour includes a dance performance and art workshop.

        • Jellurgal Aboriginal Cultural Centre, Gold Coast, Queensland © Jellurgal Aboriginal Cultural Centre
        • Jellurgal Aboriginal Cultural Centre, Gold Coast, Queensland © Jellurgal Aboriginal Cultural Centre
        • Jellurgal Aboriginal Cultural Centre, Gold Coast, Queensland © Jellurgal Aboriginal Cultural Centre

          11km from Gold Coast Coolangatta Airport

          Jellurgal Walkabout

          with Jellurgal Aboriginal Cultural Centre

          Discover Aboriginal culture on a guided tour on a beachside rainforest walkway wrapped around magical mountain, Jellurgal. Learn about the history and culture of the Gold Coast.

          • Yura Tours,  Minjerribah/North Stradbroke Island, Queensland © Tourism Australia
          • Yura Tours,  Minjerribah/North Stradbroke Island, Queensland © Tourism Australia
          • Yura Tours,  Minjerribah/North Stradbroke Island, Queensland © Tourism Australia

            50 km from Brisbane

            Minjerribah Cultural Experience

            with Yura Tours

            With a Quandamooka guide experience a Welcome to Country and visit the sites of the island, tasting bush tucker and then visiting the famous Delvene Cookatoo-Collins studio.

            • Yura Tours,  Minjerribah/North Stradbroke Island, Queensland © Tourism Australia
            • Yura Tours,  Minjerribah/North Stradbroke Island, Queensland © Tourism Australia
            • Yura Tours,  Minjerribah/North Stradbroke Island, Queensland © Tourism Australia

              50 km from Brisbane

              Sand Beneath my Feet Cultural Walk

              with Yura Tours

              This Quandamooka-guided cultural walk is based on the traditional Aboriginal uses for the flora on the island. Enjoy Dreamtime stories, bush tucker and coastal views.

              • Saltwater Eco Tours sunset cruise around the Sunshine Coast, Queensland © Tourism Australia
              • SaltwaterEco Tours cruise around the Sunshine Coast, Queensland © Tourism Australia
              • Saltwater Eco Tours cruise around the Sunshine Coast, Queensland © Tourism Australia

                16km from Sunshine Coast Airport

                Sunset Tour with Live Music

                with Saltwater Eco Tours

                The Sunshine Coast’s most unique sunset cruise includes incredible live music while you sip locally sourced, native-infused cocktails and enjoy canapes.

                • Yura Tours,  Minjerribah/North Stradbroke Island, Queensland © Tourism Australia
                • Yura Tours,  Minjerribah/North Stradbroke Island, Queensland © Tourism Australia
                • Yura Tours,  Minjerribah/North Stradbroke Island, Queensland © Tourism Australia

                  50 km from Brisbane

                  Yallingbilla Whale Watching Cultural Walk

                  with Yura Tours

                  Join a Quandamooka guide for a Welcome to Country then a cultural Gorge Walk. Hear Minjerribah creation stories, taste its beautiful flora and spot migrating whales.

                  • Taribelang Bunda, Bundaberg, Queensland  © Taribelang Bunda
                  • Taribelang Bunda, Bundaberg, Queensland  © Taribelang Bunda
                  • Taribelang Bunda, Bundaberg, Queensland  © Taribelang Bunda

                    7km from Bundaberg Airport

                    Yesterday Today & Tomorrow Group Tour

                    with Taribelang Bunda Cultural Tours

                    Join Taribelang Bunda guides on this immersive experience: taste bush tucker at ‘Yarn Time’, learn about artefacts and language, connect to Country; and visit significant sites.

                    • Taribelang Bunda, Bundaberg, Queensland  © Taribelang Bunda
                    • Taribelang Bunda, Bundaberg, Queensland  © Taribelang Bunda
                    • Taribelang Bunda, Bundaberg, Queensland  © Taribelang Bunda

                      7km from Bundaberg Airport

                      Yesterday Today & Tomorrow Large Group Tour

                      with Taribelang Bunda Cultural Tours

                      Join Taribelang Bunda guides on this immersive experience: taste bush tucker at ‘Yarn Time’, learn about artefacts and language, connect to Country; and visit significant sites.

                      • Guide from Taribelang Bunda Cultural Tours sitting under a tree with guests and describing cultural tools and their uses, Bundaberg, Queensland © Taribelang Bunda Cultural Tours
                      • Taribelang Bunda, Bundaberg, Queensland  © Taribelang Bunda
                      • Taribelang Bunda, Bundaberg, Queensland  © Taribelang Bunda

                        7km from Bundaberg Airport

                        Yesterday Today and Tomorrow Tour

                        with Taribelang Bunda Cultural Tours

                        Join Taribelang Bunda guides on this immersive experience: taste bush tucker at ‘Yarn Time’, learn about artefacts and language, connect to Country; and visit significant sites.

                        An aerial of a woman swimming in Mount Mulligan Falls, QLD © Tourism Australia

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                        Dale Tilbrook Experiences, Swan Valley, Western Australia © Tourism Australia
                        Discover the versatility of Australian bush foods

                        Join us as we explore the incredible world of native Australian bush foods with Dale Tilbrook from Dale Tilbrook Experiences.

                        Johani Mamid, Mabu Buru Tours, Broome, Western Australia © Tourism Australia
                        Empowering Indigenous communities to share, practice and preserve their culture

                        Johani Mamid, owner and operator of Mabu Buru Tours, welcomes you to Broome / Rubibi in the stunning Kimberley region of Western Australia.

                        Elisha Kissick, founder of Yura Tours, North Stradbroke Island / Minjerribah, Queensland © Tourism Australia

                        Discover Quandamooka Country

                        Elisha Kissick, a proud Quandamooka woman, invites you to experience the rich cultural heritage of Minjerribah / North Stradbroke Island.

                        juan-walker-walkabout-cultural-adventures
                        Aboriginal-guided tourism experiences provide a richer, deeper connection to Australia

                        Join us as we hear from Juan Walker of Walkabout Cultural Adventures, to discover why experiencing Aboriginal-guided tours is a must when traveling throughout Australia.

                        
Sunrise Journeys, Voyages Indigenous Tourism Australia - Ayers Rock Resort, Northern Territory © Voyages Indigenous Tourism Australia, NT
                        About the Discover Aboriginal Experiences collective

                        Learn how the Discover Aboriginal Experiences collective came to be in this video.

                        The Wakaj Experience, Mabu Buru Tours

                        8 ways to see northwest Australia in a new light

                        by Natasha Dragun

                        Whether you’re a foodie or a history buff, exploring the Kimberley region of northern Western Australia with an Indigenous guide deepens your visit and cultural understanding of this very special part of the country. Here are eight must-do experiences.

                        Person kayaking along a river through the middle of the Daintree Rainforest, Queensland © Tourism Australia

                        Aboriginal perspectives of the wet tropics of Queensland

                        The World Heritage-listed Wet Tropics of Queensland stretches for 450 kilometres along Australia’s north-east coast. It’s a place where rivers charge through gorges, waterfalls drop from vertiginous escarpments, and thousands of plant and animal species – many of them endemic – thrive in one of the country’s oldest wilderness areas. Home to the Daintree Rainforest, its global significance is undeniable, but this ecosystem holds a into the significance of these landscapes, and the ancient Dreamtime stories they hold. particularly important place in Aboriginal cultures and traditions, and has done for millennia.

                        Aerial view of Uluru and Longitude 131 resort in the Northern Territory © Luxury Lodges of Australia

                        How to experience Aboriginal cultures when staying at a Luxury Lodge of Australia

                        by Natasha Dragun

                        The Luxury Lodges of Australia portfolio includes some of the country’s most ravishing and remote properties – places that offer every comfort imaginable, but also a strong sense of place and culture. Check in to one, and you can also take a deep dive into the region’s strong Indigenous traditions on a Discover Aboriginal Experiences tour.

                        View of Mystery Bay with mountain in the background, Eurobodalla National Park, Ngaran Ngaran Culture Awareness, New South Wales © Tourism Australia
                        The unique Aboriginal stories behind Australia's islands

                        Whether you’re visiting the Great Barrier Reef in Queensland or Coastal New South Wales, the Creation stories of Australia’s many islands – there are 8,000+ of them – hold a long and spiritual connection to Indigenous communities.  

                        El Questro - Injiid Marlabu Calls Us, Kununurra, Western Australia © Tourism Australia
                        Discover Aboriginal Experiences collective welcomes seven new members

                        The Discover Aboriginal Experiences portfolio continues to grow, with seven extraordinary new members welcomed into the collective in 2025, taking the total to 55 members.

                        Down Under Tours - Daintree Dreaming, Queensland © Tourism Australia
                        Best ways to discover Aboriginal seafood experiences

                        Think of fishing and chances are you’ll picture a rod, line and hook. But spend some time with a Traditional Custodian and soon you’ll be seeing pronged spears gliding through the air to land with a crack in the carapace of a mud crab. You’ll discover toxins in native plants that can be used to stun fish in the water. And you’ll learn about ancient stone fish traps laid across waterways, sharp hooks made from shells, and even fishing lines spun from vegetable “hair”.

                        Saltwater Eco Tours sunset cruise around the Sunshine Coast, Queensland © Tourism Australia
                        Cruise into Aboriginal Cultures

                        From the coast to lakes and rivers, Australia’s Aboriginal communities have the same affinity with waterways as they do with land. Cruising with an Indigenous guide is the ultimate way to take a deep dive into the significance of these landscapes, and the ancient Dreamtime stories they hold.

                        Lords Kakadu and Arnhemland Safaris, Northern Territory © Lords Kakadu and Arnhemland Safaris
                        Issue eight of Connect to Country out now

                        In this edition, we invite Sab Lord, a seasoned expert, to settle a hypothetical contest between an Australian "saltie" and a US alligator—his surprising answer will intrigue you. Adventurers will find thrilling experiences like snorkelling on the Great Barrier Reef with Indigenous guides and quad biking across vast sand dunes. Highlights also include a feature on tourism operators that are helping ensure that First Nations cultures remain strong for future generations, a journey into the Red Centre, and a feature on Tasmania’s award-winning wukalina Walk.

                        Mossman Gorge Centre, Daintree Rainforest, QLD © Tourism Australia
                        Discover Aboriginal Experiences spotlights Indigenous wellness ahead of World Mental Health Day

                        by Natasha Dragun

                        It's World Mental Health Day on 10 October 2024. And it’s evident that more than ever, we’re globally seeking experiences that soothe our soul, make us switch off, help us become more mindful and connect us to Country – and reconnect with ourselves in the process.

                        Narlijia Experiences Broome, Western Australia © Tourism Australia
                        The answer to managing Australia's bushfire risk could lie in traditional Aboriginal practices

                        by Natasha Dragun

                        Indigenous communities across Australia have managed the threat of bushfires in a sustainable way for millennia. And their knowledge of the land, and how to avoid disaster, is being preserved and put to use across the country.

                        Finger lime, Dale Tilbrook Experiences, Swan Valley, Western Australia © Tourism Australia
                        Aboriginal Dining Experiences that Elevate Native Produce

                        by Natasha Dragun

                        For Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities around Australia, the bush is a veritable supermarket – if you know where to look.

                        Ngaran Ngaran Culture Awareness, South Coast, New South Wales © Tourism Australia
                        Traditional Aboriginal Healing: The Ancient Art of Wellness

                        by Natasha Dragun

                        Think wellness is protein shakes, superfoods, day spas and mindfulness? Aboriginal cultures put another spin on what we perceive as a modern trend.

                        Royal Botanic Garden Sydney, New South Wales © Tourism Australia
                        Step into Nature's Pharmacy on an Aboriginal Tour

                        by Natasha Dragun

                        Being amid nature makes you feel good – we’ve known it for centuries, and today science proves it. But for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, it heals in more ways in one, with many native Australian plants packed with medicinal qualities that will cure what ails you.

                        bay-of-fires-wukalina-walk-tasmania

                        lutruwita/Tasmania

                        In the footsteps of the palawa on Tasmania/lutruwita's wukalina Walk

                        by Natasha Dragun

                        Tasmania’s/lutruwita’s Indigenous-owned tourism offering, wukalina Walk takes trekkers around a postcard-perfect patch of the state’s northeast. And if you needed extra incentive to try the experience, it has just been listed on TIME’s World’s Greatest Places List for 2024. Here’s what to expect.

                        Ngurrangga Tours, Pilbara, Western Australia  © Ngurrangga Tours
                        Starry Nights: Aboriginal tours that offer overnight immersion

                        Daytime visits to Australia’s most culturally significant sites inspire when you’re in the company of an Aboriginal guide, but multi-day trips can take your experience to the next level. Here are just some of the Discover Aboriginal Experiences’ that take you on an overnight adventure. By Natasha Dragun

                        Venture North Safaris, Northern Territory  © Tourism Australia
                        Exclusive places you can only visit with an Aboriginal guide

                        As vast and open as Australia is, pockets of the country are inaccessible because their sacred status requires they be visited only with an Aboriginal guide. This not only offers exclusivity, but also takes you on an immersive journey into Indigenous histories and cultures, with insights that reveal just how wide, wonderful and ancient Australia really is. By Natasha Dragun

                        Jarramali Rock Art Tours, Laura, Queensland © Tourism Australia
                        5 uniquely Australian experiences for culture-loving couples

                        Date night in Australia isn’t limited to dinner and a movie. If you’re looking to spice things up, grab your partner and try one of these experiences spotlighting Indigenous cultures. By Natasha Dragun

                        Dreamtime Dive & Snorkel, Great Barrier Reef, Queensland © Tourism Australia
                        How to explore Queensland in, on and beside the water – with Indigenous guides

                        From the Great Barrier Reef to Mossman Gorge, much of life in Queensland revolves around the water. The state’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island communities reveal their strong connections to the state’s rivers, waterfalls, oceans and inlets.

                        Saltwater Eco Tours, Sunshine Coast, Queensland © Saltwater Eco Tours
                        3 unexpected Aboriginal experiences in Queensland

                        Spanning immense distances and ecosystems – from the Torres Strait Islands at the top of the state to the outback, rainforest and reef – Queensland’s Indigenous cultures are diverse. Needless to say, the experiences you can have on Country are eye-opening, and often unexpected. By Natasha Dragun

                        Aerial view of Budj Bim Cultural Landscape Tourism © Tourism Australia
                        Discover Australia’s newest World Heritage Site

                        Australia’s newest World Heritage Site reveals the 6,600-year-old ingenuity of the Gunditjmara people. By Natasha Dragun

                        Sunset at Tiwi Island Retreat, Northern Territory © Sealink
                        Issue seven of Connect to Country out now

                        In this edition we feature a new luxury Tiwi Islands Escape and highlight some of the incredible Aboriginal-led experiences available in Broome. We highlight movie locations where you can learn some older, epic tales from the Traditional Owners of the land and then take the plunge into some special swimming spots, where culture and heritage collide.

                        Quad bikes driving past water on a Sand Dune Adventures tour in Port Stephens, NSW © Tourism Australia
                        Discover Aboriginal Experiences launches 4 member case studies on sustainable tourism for Earth Day 2024

                        A collective of quality, authentic, Aboriginal-guided tourism offerings, Discover Aboriginal Experiences (DAE) is delighted to launch four case studies on collective members going to extraordinary lengths when it comes to sustainable tourism, whether that relates to protecting the environment, community, culture – or all three.

                        Mandingalbay Authentic Indigenous Tours, Cairns, Queensland © Tourism Australia
                        How to experience regenerative travel on an Aboriginal tour

                        More than ever, tourists are conscious of the impact their presence has on the landscapes they visit – particularly when they’re travelling to fragile, far-flung environments. Welcome to ‘regenerative travel’, the concept of leaving a place better than you found it and the next step in sustainable travel.

                        Voyages Indigenous Tourism Australia, Ayers Rock Resort, NT © Voyages Indigenous Tourism Australia
                        Understanding Aboriginal etiquette

                        by Fleur Bainger

                        Did you know it’s impolite in Aboriginal cultures to look someone directly in the eye? Or that shaking hands isn’t always the done thing? How about that it’s taboo for women to play the didgeridoo?

                        Dreamtime Southern X’s Margret Campbell performing a smoking ceremony at Blues Point Reserve, NSW © Destination NSW
                        Meet the women leading the Aboriginal tourism charge

                        Much of the growth in Aboriginal cultural tourism has happened in the years since Sydney/Warrane hosted the 2000 Summer Olympic Games, and many credit Aunty Margret Campbell with spearheading the movement. An Elder from New South Wales’ Dunghutti-Jerrinja Nation, Margret has seen a huge shift in awareness over the last two decades.

                        Ngaran Ngaran Culture Awareness Tourism Australia
                        Discover Aboriginal Experiences launches exciting trade and media offerings

                        Journalists and trade can take a deep dive into the DAE collective via the freshly launched 2024 Discover Aboriginal Experiences Media Kit, which contains a comprehensive portfolio of stories and ideas to inspire features and offer insights into Australia’s rich history and the world’s oldest living cultures.

                        budj-bim-cultural-landscape
                        Discover Aboriginal Experiences welcomes five new members

                        From Broome in Western Australia to a World Heritage-listed site in Victoria, the five newest members in the Discover Aboriginal Experiences portfolio offer a range of eye-opening experiences lasting from a few hours to a few days.

                        As custodians of the land, Anangu hold the Mala story from Kaltukatjara to Uluru. To share their story from Kaltukatjara to Uluru, RAMUS designed and produced an artistic platform using drones, light and sound to create an immersive storytelling experience.

                        Uluru Kata Tjuta National Park

                        Seeing Uluru in a new light

                        by Natasha Dragun

                        We were there when Wintjiri Wiru launched in May this year, and enjoyed a fascinating panel discussion about the show.

                        mandingalabay-cruise
                        Meet our newest member: Mandingalbay Authentic Indigenous Tours

                        by Natasha Dragun

                        From Cairns in Tropical North Queensland, Indigenous rangers take guests on an immersive ride to explore this country through Aboriginal eyes.

                        Wukalina walk, Launceston, TAS © Rob Burnett
                        5 globally sought-after travel experiences elevated by Aboriginal guides

                        by Fleur Bainger

                        Australia lays claim to a world-renowned suite of tourism experiences. But it’s not as well known that many of these bucket-list activities can be experienced with an Aboriginal guide.

                        An aerial of the Cape Naturaliste Lighthouse and ocean, WA © Tourism Australia
                        Uncover the deep cultural significance of Aboriginal place names

                        by Natasha Dragun

                        For more than 65,000 years, Aboriginal place names have carried knowledge passed down through generations. They’re symbolic of the Indigenous relationships to, and appreciation for, the land and water.

                        Dreamtime-Southern-X-Sydney-New-South-Wales
                        4 surprising facts about Aboriginal travel experiences

                        by Fleur Bainger

                        Australia is home to some of the world’s most outstanding Indigenous tourism experiences, but many are still relatively unknown to travellers, at home and abroad.