Tourism Australia and Discover Aboriginal Experiences (DAE) are launching a First Nations place-based guide.
The first of its kind, the guide was developed in collaboration with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities and gives groups a new way to see Australia through the lens of the world’s oldest living cultures.
“This new guide encourages visitors to Australia to learn about the nation’s shared histories, cultures, and achievements, and to explore how each of us can contribute to achieving reconciliation, particularly regarding Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples,” said Nicole Mitchell, DAE’s Executive Officer in a media announcement.
Designed as an indigenous-led reintroduction to 11 of Australia’s key destinations, the new publication highlights stories and cultural experiences in places including Sydney / Warrane; Melbourne / Narrm; Hobart / nipaluna; and the Daintree Rainforest / Kaba Kada in Queensland.
Ideal for launching group adventures, the guide weaves together 60,000 years of cultural knowledge with modern travel experiences including guided city walking tours, ancient rock art visits, exploring First Nations-owned galleries and immersive culinary experiences.
“This guide invites travelers to see Australia through the stories that have shaped it for tens of thousands of years,” Mitchell noted.
In each locale, the guide shares the traditional name, its indigenous peoples and how to fully immerse in indigenous culture, learning its creation story and flora and fauna. There is also advice on how to buy indigenous art, ethically, explore the Great Barrier Reef with indigenous sea rangers and dine on native produce.
Indigenous-Led Travel On the Rise
The guide comes at a time of strong global interest in indigenous-led travel. More visitors are seeking authentic, immersive experiences that connect them to country, culture, and community.
In Australia, participation in indigenous tourism experiences by international visitors has increased by 60 percent in the past 10 years.
Some excursion highlights:
- In Sydney / Warrane, groups can climb the Harbour Bridge with a First Nations guide and hear stories of the Gadigal people while overlooking Country.
- In Melbourne / Narrm, they’ll walk along the Yarra River / Birrarung with a guide from the Koorie Heritage Trust and hear how this vital waterway was formed.
- In the Daintree / Kaba Kada, visitors discover dreaming stories on a rainforest walk with a Kuku Yalanji guide, or take part in a spear-fishing experience on Cooya Beach.
- In Tasmania / lutruwita, groups can join the award-winning Wukalina Walk—a four-day indigenous-guided hike through ancestral landscapes.
Many of these experiences are part of the Discover Aboriginal Experiences collective, which brings together more than 200 indigenous-led tourism offerings across the country. Part of Tourism Australia’s Signature Experiences of Australia program, DAE showcases the best of Aboriginal tourism—experiences that are powerful, personal, and deeply memorable.
The guide is available for download under the Resources listings on the DAE website; scroll down to locate the Australian Indigenous Place Based Guide.
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