Adrenaline
Adventures that get your heart pumping
WORDS KATE ROBERTSON
Adrenaline
Adventures that get your heart pumping
WORDS KATE ROBERTSON
The Stockton Beach dunes are the largest in the Southern Hemisphere.
There are options galore for those who like a shot of adrenaline with their experience of Aboriginal heritage and cultures.
Channel Tom Cruise as you quad bike over the longest sand dunes in the Southern Hemisphere, strap on a harness for the steep climb to the top of Sydney Harbour Bridge, or experience the thrill of discovering rock art that dates back to the Ice Age in Arnhem Land after four-wheel-driving through the rugged terrain of Kakadu National Park. Or, if water-based adventures are more your style, you can earn your sea legs on a stand-up paddle board in marine park waters that are home to stingrays.
The Stockton Beach dunes are the largest in the Southern Hemisphere.
Sand Dune Adventures
1.5HR ABORIGINAL CULTURE, SAND BOARDING AND QUAD BIKE TOUR
The quad bike engine switches on quietly enough, but the slightest touch on the throttle has it roar with the power of a 400cc engine. The controls seem simple; brakes, accelerator and steering, but once we get off the bush track and onto the longest sand dune system in the Southern Hemisphere, my heart kicks up a beat.
Following the path of my fellow adventurers is not as easy as I’d anticipated, with motorbike training proving worse than useless, leaning in the direction I want to go does nothing and as the sand gets deeper, I end up lurching off the track with the quad bike behaving like a naughty trail horse. Luckily, my guide Matt, shepherds me back on track and stays with me until I’ve got the beast under control.
Once I’ve mastered the art of steering, terror is replaced by the thrill of racing over the shifting sands, standing upright like an extra in a Mission Impossible movie. It’s only then I begin to appreciate the stunning landscape. Shaped by the winds and set against the backdrop of the South Pacific Ocean, the Stockton Beach sand dunes are breathtaking.
Celebrate the thrill of mastering the 400cc quad bikes.
This is Worimi country. Handed back in 2007, the Worimi Land Council runs Sand Dune Adventures as one of its many enterprises, taking the opportunity to protect the ecosystem whilst promoting and sharing their Aboriginal heritage.
As part of the quad bike adventure, guide Rachel shares stories of how her people survived on the land and seas, including how they would take to the water on canoes, lighting fires that sat on a bed of clay. They would slip the salty leaves from a pigface plant under the scales of their catch to season it as it cooked. The plant’s flowers would also be a tasty treat (try it, it’s like a banana crossed with a kiwi fruit).
The quad bike tour starts at the Murrook Cultural Centre, home to a brand new interactive exhibition, which is also well worth a look.
Enjoy 360-degree views of Sydney/Warrane and a journey through time in the company of a First Nations Storyteller.
BridgeClimb Sydney
BURRAWA INDIGENOUS CLIMB EXPERIENCE
If taking in the iconic view of the Sydney Harbour Bridge from the ground is not enough of a thrill, you can accept the exciting challenge of tackling 1,332 steps to the reach the summit of its famous steel arches.
As we tighten our harnesses and go through safety checks, the realisation we are preparing to climb the world's most famous bridge begins to sink in. Our First Nations Storyteller and guide, Shona Davidson, emphasises the importance of taking it slow and steady, as we start our trek to the summit, attached to the bridge via a safety wire. As we make our way past the first pylon, we learn more about the bridge. It’s an engineering marvel, held together by approximately six million steel rivets. Up close, it’s awe inspiring. Climbing vertical ladders and traversing catwalks, we continue our ascent, the wind in our faces gaining strength as each step reveals more breathtaking views of Sydney/Warrane.
Shona Davidson is one of the Burrawa Indigenous Bridge Climb's gifted storytellers.
Shona provides rich insights into the cultural history and heritage of the Eora Nation of Sydney/Warrane throughout the climb. She paints a compelling picture of how the harbour looked at night when the Gadigal women would fish, the light from the fires in their boats visible from shore. Shona’s commentary increases our appreciation of the enduring Aboriginal cultures that have thrived here for tens of thousands of years.
The excitement builds as we get closer to the summit. It’s only when looking down at the rail tracks, eight road lanes, pedestrian walkway and cycle path below that we gain some perspective on how high we really are — 134m above sea level. Up here we have unparalleled 360-degree views of the city skyline, its stunning vistas stretching as far as the Blue Mountains. As we cross from one side of the bridge to the other, Shona invites us to take part in the Eel dance with a profound message of reconciliation.
Want more adventure? Try these tours:
Spot the wildlife, take a dip in a swimming hole, and end the day watching the sunset with a glass of wine and nibbles.
Davidsons Arnhemland Safaris
ROCK SHELTER ART TOUR
The remote and pristine wilderness of Arnhem Land in the Northern Territory is home to some of the world's oldest and most captivating rock art. Stories etched onto the rock canvases thousands of years ago are only viewable to those who have embarked on an adventurous four-wheel-drive journey that traverses the rugged landscape, crossing rivers and climbing escarpments. During the tour, which is offered as part of Davidsons accommodation package at Mt Borradaile, your guide will add to the excitement of the discovery by sharing some of the local Aboriginal peoples’ tales of ancestral beings, epic battles, and the secrets of the land.
Marvel at incredible rock art sites that date back more than 65,000 years.
Discover an unspoiled marine park teeming with a remarkable array of marine creatures.
Wajaana Yaam Gumbaynggirr Adventure Tours
SUP TOURS
Grab a paddle and stand-up board, and wade out into the crystal clear waters that form part of the stunning Solitary Islands Marine Park, which hugs the New South Wales north coast. Under the tutelage of the descendants of the world’s original stand-up paddlers, you’ll find your balance and begin to navigate your way through the park waters that teem with more than 550 species of reef fish, as well as stingrays and marine mammals. All this whilst learning about the language and stories of the area’s Traditional Owners, the Gumbaynggirr people.
Keep an eye out for crocodiles sunbathing on the banks of the river.
Kakadu Cultural Tours
GULUYAMBI CULTURAL CRUISE
‘Guluyambi’ means paper bark raft in the language of the local Aboriginal people, but you’ll be glad that you’re in a sturdier vessel when cruising along the East Alligator River, deep in the heart of Australia's Top End, on a Guluyambi Cultural Cruise. As you wind your way through the World Heritage-listed landscape, you’ll see prehistoric saltwater crocodiles slide into the water, sparking waves that ripple terrifying close to your boat. (The East, South and West Alligator Rivers were named by white explorer Captain Phillip Parker King who mistook the crocs for their smaller relation.) Your guide will talk about the rich bounty provided by the river and share some of the bush survival skills developed by the Bininj/Mungguy peoples who call this beautiful but rugged landscape home.
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