Paddle Through Country
Where culture runs deep
You’ll be drenched in 60,000-plus years of history and knowledge through these water-based cultural adventures.
These aren't your average boat trips. Think bush tucker snacks, Creation stories, scar trees older than your great-great-grandparents, and water so clear you can watch dugongs and stingrays swim alongside your canoe.
Mooloolaba
Queensland
Saltwater Eco Tours Founder Simon Thornalley has no doubt that one of the best ways to understand Saltwater Country is through a hands-on canoe experience on the Mooloolaba River.
‘It's one of the only places that has not been developed on the Sunshine Coast. We've got those natural mangroves and ancient shell middens through the river systems — there's some here that are over 10,000 years old. So, there’s a huge amount of history and cultural significance — and obviously canoes were a traditional way of traveling through Country,’ Simon says.
But canoes weren’t just a means of transport for the local Kabi Kabi people. Paddling the river gave the Saltwater people a close-up view of the environmental indicators they used to keep track of the seasons.
‘The mullet season is a really important time here — as they're migrating, they fill the river and the Red Stringybark tree shedding its bark is the indicator of that season,’ Simon says.
Simon’s accessible canoe tours bring the experience of reading the river alive. Guests paddle upstream to a pristine area that is rich in cultural significance. At low tide, they pause at a tiny island to share bush tucker snacks.
‘We’ll land on that island, play some didg, and talk about the ecology of the area around that island. Traditional Owner and guide MacKenzie Muckan will also share Dreaming stories of Kabi Kabi Country.’
Saltwater Eco Tours Canoe Tour | Adult from AU$120
‘It's one of the only places that has not been developed on the Sunshine Coast. We've got those natural mangroves, and ancient shell middens through the river systems — there's some here that are over 10,000 years old. So, there’s a huge amount of history and cultural significance — and obviously canoes were a traditional way of traveling through Country,’ Simon says.
But canoes weren’t just a means of transport for the local Kabi Kabi people. Paddling the river gave the Saltwater people a close-up view of the environmental indicators they used to keep track of the seasons.
‘The mullet season is a really important time here — as they're migrating, they fill the river and the Red Stringybark tree shedding its bark is the indicator of that season,’ Simon says.
Simon’s accessible canoe tours bring the experience of reading the river alive. Guests paddle upstream to a pristine area that is rich in cultural significance. At low tide, they pause at a tiny island to share bush tucker snacks.
‘We’ll land on that island, play some didg, and talk about the ecology of the area around that island. Traditional Owner and guide MacKenzie Muckan will also share Dreaming stories of Kabi Kabi Country.’
Saltwater Eco Tours Canoe Tour | Adult from AU$120
Melbourne CBD
Victoria
It’s fitting the Koorie Heritage Trust is located at Federation Square, alongside the Yarra River / Birrarung (River of mists). The Trust's Rob Hyatt explains rivers have always been vital to the survival of Aboriginal people as a source of water, food and as a means to easily traverse Country.
Canoes were the Wurundjeri’s vehicle of choice for the river and evidence of their sustainable approach to making canoes from tree bark are clear from the healthy ‘scar trees’ that can still be seen along the banks of the Birrarung.
The scars show where and how the Wurundjeri removed the bark in a slow and careful way to ensure they were able to get what they needed without killing the tree.
‘Once they've got the desired shape, they would sit the structure over hot coals to steam the water out. As the water leaves the wood, it actually hardens and leaves a robust canoe,’ Rob says.
The Trust offers a Scar Tree Walk for groups, where an Indigenous guide will point out scar trees dated at between 300 and 350 years old.
‘I think it’s really important that you don't need to leave the city to find Aboriginal culture. Scar trees are an extremely important cultural heritage that you can view within the natural environment,' Rob says.
Koorie Heritage Trust Scar Tree Walk | Group Tour POA
Canoes were the Wurundjeri’s vehicle of choice for the river and evidence of their sustainable approach to making canoes from tree bark are clear from the healthy ‘scar trees’ that can still be seen along the banks of the Birrarung.
The scars show where and how the Wurundjeri removed the bark in a slow and careful way to ensure they were able to get what they needed without killing the tree.
‘Once they've got the desired shape, they would sit the structure over hot coals to steam the water out. As the water leaves the wood, it actually hardens and leaves a robust canoe,’ Rob says.
During the Trust’s walking tour, your Indigenous guide will point out scar trees dated at between 300 and 350 years old.
‘I think it’s really important that you don't need to leave the city to find Aboriginal culture. Scar trees are an extremely important cultural heritage that you can view within the natural environment,' Rob says.
Koorie Heritage Trust Birrarung Wilam (River Camp) Walk | Adult from AU$40
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Coffs Coast
New South Wales
The Gumbaynggirr people were the original stand-up paddle boarders, using their shallow bark canoes to travel throughout what is now the Solitary Islands Marine Park. Grab a paddle and some sunscreen and head out on a guided journey through waterways teeming with life, whilst collecting and sampling bush tucker, visiting cultural sites and hearing Creation stories of the area from its Traditional Owners.
Wajaana Yaam Gumbaynggirr Adventure Tours Premium Red Rock: Cultural Stand-Up Paddle Tour | Adult from AU$169
Shark Bay
Western Australia
Paddling across Shark Bay’s crystal-clear turquoise waters provides an incredible opportunity to see its spectacular wildlife, including manta rays, dolphins, turtles and dugongs, up close. Apart from a paddle, swim or snorkel, this tour of the World-Heritage-Listed-area includes foraging for bush tucker and a lesson on tracking animals. It ends with a relaxing soak in a hot tub.
Wula Gura Nyinda Eco Cultural Adventures Kayaking & Wildlife Adventure | Adult from AU$225
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