No visit to Australia is complete without a trip to the outback. and whether you’re down under for a lengthy vacation or a brief business trip, a guided walkabout is not so hard to find—thanks to the rise in indigenous tourism.

by Liz Willis
October 2006

Crikey! You could be forgiven for thinking that Australia is populated by loud, blond men sporting bad haircuts whose main activities are tossing crocodiles or throwing shrimps on barbies. As much as we all love these TV and movie icons, Australian culture is bigger than they are. For around 60,000 years, the continent of Australia has been inseparable from the unique cultures of its many different indigenous tribes—some 250, originally—and, luckily for visitors, some of that culture is still accessible today.

Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people (grouped together under the term “indigenous”) offer a range of tourism adventures across the country that not only give you an authentic indigenous cultural experience, but also contribute to the maintenance of that culture. Sound lofty? It’s not. The bottom line is that indigenous tourism is the lifeblood of many communities—but even beyond that, indigenous people are proud of their culture and want to share it with you.

International visitors to Australia are more interested in indigenous tourism activities than domestic tourists, with about 12 percent of international visitors—compared to a paltry 0.6 percent of domestic tourists—seeking out indigenous culture through tourism.

After trekking 7,500 miles across the globe to reach Australia, you won’t have to travel thousands more miles out of your way to experience indigenous culture. In a spare couple of hours on a short trip to Sydney or Melbourne, you can visit indigenous sites, eat indigenous food and buy authentic indigenous arts and crafts.

A free afternoon in Sydney can begin with an Aboriginal cultural cruise on Sydney Harbor. The Tribal Warrior Association runs daily cruises on the waterway originally inhabited by the Eora, Gadigal, Guringai, Wangal, Gammeraigal and Wallumedegal people. A cruise on either of the association’s two boats, Tribal Warrior or the Deerubbun, gives an Aboriginal perspective of the famous harbor, including the Aboriginal names, meanings and history of significant landmarks. The Tribal Warrior Association is also Australia’s only indigenous maritime training company, so while you enjoy your cruise, there is likely an Aboriginal person or two on board working toward completing their maritime qualifications. Group bookings and native foods-catered private charters are also available. For bookings, contact the Tribal Warrior Association (+61 02 9699 3491, tribalwarrior@tribalwarrior.org) or the Sydney Visitor Center (+61 1800 067 676, tribalwarrior.org/cruise.html)

A short ferry ride away at Darling Harbor, the Gavala Aboriginal Art Centre sells indigenous fine art, artifacts and souvenirs. Australian indigenous art is a lucrative business estimated to be worth around A$10 million a year in international sales—and it is the most accessible way for casual visitors to experience Australian indigenous culture.


This art is not just about pretty images—it is about expressing identity, knowledge, cultural heritage and connection to the land. As in many countries, the souvenir market in Australia is open to cheap and nasty imitations, especially in the area of indigenous art and artifacts. But at indigenous-owned stores like Gavala, you can always be sure you are buying the real thing.

A spare day in Sydney means you can get “out bush” on an Aboriginal cultural walk through the majestic Blue Mountains, about an hour west of downtown. On this eight-hour trip, guide Evan Yanna Maru (+61 0408 443 822; bluemountainswalkabout.com) takes you through the lush rainforest and past waterfalls, exploring rock art and caves. You need to bring your own lunch, but there are bush tucker and native tea tastings. This walk is for the fit and mobile, and it happens rain or shine, so come prepared.

Members of Melbourne’s indigenous community hail from many places around Australia, but they are very organized when it comes to showcasing Koorie (southeastern Aboriginal) culture. Melbourne, built on the land of the Kulin nation, offers a range of indigenous tourism options. The Koorie Heritage Trust (koorieheritagetrust.com) is a must-see: an innovative cultural center that presents Koorie culture through art and exhibition spaces, a library and an education center. Their ground-floor store sells a huge range of indigenous-themed products, including work by the renowned Wathaurong Glass and Arts company (wathaurongglass.com.au). Entry is by gold coin donation, with guided tours at A$6.60–10 per person.

You must do lunch or dinner at Tjanabi (+61 03 9662 2155, tjanabi.com.au), an indigenous-owned restaurant that serves delicious and uniquely Australian food, including native meats, plants, fruits and berries. Tjanabi offers fine dining and tapas, and it has just moved to Melbourne’s social and cultural hub, Federation Square. They also have a private function room.

A longer tour of Melbourne’s indigenous landmarks and heritage can be arranged through Meridian Tours (+61 03 9818 0701, meridiantours.com.au). The daily four-hour tour takes in art galleries and historical and contemporary sites, and a visit to Tjanabi can also be arranged. Reservations are essential.

Getting “out bush”

If you have time to get out beyond the southern capitals, then your options are as wide as the outback sky. The land mass of Australia is comparable to that of the United States (give or take several hundred thousand square miles), with hundreds of different indigenous cultural experiences waiting for you.

Annual visitor numbers at the monumental World Heritage–listed Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park in Central Australia have risen to more than 400,000, and hundreds of thousands also visit Kakadu National Park in the north of the Northern Territory. Ownership of these sites by their indigenous owners, and their joint management with Parks Australia, ensures that visitors continue to have access to these unique cultural landscapes while knowing the sites are sustainably managed according to traditional cultural practices.

Anangu Tours (ananguwaai.com.au/anangu_tours) at Uluru-Kata Tjuta is the only company there with Aboriginal tour guides from the local traditional owners, the Anangu people. These guides speak their local tongue, which is then translated into English, giving visitors a unique opportunity to hear the language. Anangu Tours offers a range of tours and experiences.

In the north, Kakadu Animal Tracks Safari (animaltracks.com.au), Kakadu Cultural Camp (kakaduculturecamp.com) and The Arnhemlander (arnhemlander.com.au) are just a few of the many indigenous-owned options at Kakadu National Park, a short flight or comfortable three-hour drive from Darwin.

For a remote and exclusive desert experience, Gunya Titjikala resort (+61 1300 135 657, gunya.com.au) is in the indigenous community of Titjikala, about a 1.5-hour drive from Alice Springs airport in Central Australia. Here, a community of 300 people on the edge of the Simpson Desert has built three elevated, deluxe safari tents with ensuites and private decks. A$1,300 per tent per night (twin share/double) includes three gourmet bush tucker–themed meals, on-site cultural activities and the experience of a lifetime.

The indigenous coastal communities of the Bardi people at both Lombadina and Cape Leveque have also started their own tourism ventures on the remote Dampier Peninsula in northern Western Australia. This coastline is as magic as it is remote, with white sand, red cliffs and blue water. Lombadina Tours (+61 08 9192 4936, info@lombadina.com.au) offers fishing and whale-watching tours, bush walks and cultural tours, as well as accommodations in air-conditioned, self-contained cabins at A$165 per night per cabin.

Kooljaman Resort (+61 08 9192 4970, leveque@bigpond.com.au), a little farther up the coast at Cape Leveque, is a wilderness camp with elevated, secluded, self-contained safari tents available for A$105 per night (adult twin share). Sea and land tours, as well as scenic flights, are available. Air and land transfers can be arranged to both resorts from Broome, about two hours south by dirt road. Reservations are essential and, as with any remote community activity, seasons may determine access and tour availability.

Qantas flies to Alice Springs, Broome, Darwin and Uluru, with Darwin and Broome also serviced by budget airline Virgin Blue—and even if your visit is the usual rushed work trip, you can still visit the indigenous-owned Rainbow Serpent shops (rainbowserpent.com.au) at Sydney and Brisbane International Airports.

Indigenous tourism is on the rise, and indigenous former senator Aden Ridgeway runs a new organization, Indigenous Tourism Australia, to assist with its sustainable development. “Australia’s eco and indigenous tourism experiences are world-class, and research shows the number of international visitors [who are visiting] an indigenous site or community is on the increase,” he says. “Once a real local has shown you around Australia, it is in your heart for life.”

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liz willis is an Australian freelance writer based in Seattle, Washington. Email Liz at editor@executivetravelmag.com.