Dreamtime Dive and Snorkel, Cairns, Queensland © Tourism Tropical North Queensland
Incredible Indigenous experiences for families
Connect with the world’s oldest living culture and with your family on these immersive, awe-inspiring days out.
Aboriginal culture and storytelling can be shared in many forms – dance, music, art and more. At Maruku Arts in the heart of the Red Centre, these stories come alive through dot painting. During an intimate workshop, you’ll learn about the culture of the local Anangu people, and each family member can create their own art piece. What’s better than your own handmade souvenir?
A visit to Queensland’s famous Great Barrier Reef should be on every kid’s bucket list. With Dreamtime Dive and Snorkel, your family can combine the thrill of the reef with new knowledge of the Indigenous custodians of the land and sea. In addition to snorkelling over colourful coral, your Sea Rangers will share live demonstrations of traditional dances and didgeridoo playing, creating an incredible learning experience for all ages.
Sand dunes, dolphins, whales and hikes – a holiday to Port Stephens is a must for families seeking fun and adventure. Stockton Beach is where the thrills truly begin. Join Sand Dune Adventures on an adrenaline-inducing quad bike and sand boarding tour to explore the land which has been home to the Worimi people for thousands of years. Those aged over 16 can drive their own bike while younger kids can cruise carefree with a parent.
It’s not just wild saltwater crocodiles that make the Northern Territory’s Kakadu National Park a unique family destination. Kakadu – home to the Biniji/Mungguy people – is a mesmerising landscape brimming with culture, native plants and wildlife, as well as rock art dating back 20,000 years. Book a cruise with Kakadu Tourism, where the whole family can spot crocodiles floating through the billabong.
Ikara Flinders Ranges National Park in outback South Australia is – in a word – jaw-dropping. Travellers big and small will be awe-inspired by the 800-million-year-old landscape alone, but to truly appreciate its ancient history, you’ll need the help of a Yura guide. Book in at Wilpena Pound Resort to take an informative stroll past magnificent river red gums and learn about nature and biodiversity from the perspective of the Adnyamathanha people.
Among the Great Ocean Road’s iconic beaches, national parks and rock formations, you’ll find Tower Hill Wildlife Reserve, a dormant volcano home to an abundance of native wildlife like kangaroos and koalas. Join a two-hour walk with an Indigenous guide at Worn Gundidj @ Tower Hill to spot exciting animals in their natural habitats. If spotting your favourite Aussie wildlife wasn’t enough, the tour concludes with perhaps the best lesson of all – boomerang throwing!
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander tours are meaningful and educational, but don’t forget, they’re also loads of fun – and a tour with Walkabout Cultural Adventures is all of the above. Head through the forest to the beaches of the ancient Daintree Rainforest with your Kuku Yalanji guide to collect shellfish, throw a boomerang and taste some native bush foods. If you’re lucky, your family could even catch a mud crab using traditional hunting practices.
The World Heritage-listed Shark Bay is a mecca for marine life, and Wula Gura Nyinda’s Kayaking and Wildlife Adventure is the perfect opportunity for families to experience it. Kids will love the initial 4WD adventure, where you’ll learn about animal tracking and the connection between the land and local Aboriginal people. Kayaking out onto the turquoise ocean, expect to spot turtles, rays and (if you’re lucky) dugongs swimming beside your boat.
Just 30 minutes from Cairns, up a picturesque mountain drive, sits the Rainforestation Nature Park. Here, you can join Indigenous guides on a fun, vibrant and immersive Pamagirri Aboriginal Experience. Whether you opt for the Dreamtime Walk or Pamagirri Dance Performance, there will be no shortage of smiles as you learn to throw spears and boomerangs, join in with traditional dances and marvel at the sounds of the didgeridoo in a natural rainforest amphitheatre.
With icons like the Opera House and Harbour Bridge, Sydney is an exciting family destination with exhilarating cultural experiences to match. On a Burrawa Indigenous Bridge Climb Experience, your family can scale one of the most iconic attractions in Australia while hearing stories of Sydney Harbour’s Aboriginal cultures, both past and present. Spine-tingling from start to finish, this epic family experience is all about new perspectives.
An essential stop on a Pacific Coast road trip, Coffs Harbour has long been celebrated as a favourite family destination for its brilliant beaches and waterways – not to mention the iconic Big Banana. Join Wajaana Yaam and take to the region’s stunning marine park atop a paddleboard. Spend a day exploring the land and water of the local Gumbaynggirr people, swimming, snorkelling and sampling bush foods as your family learns about local Aboriginal culture.
