Welcome

Wallawani, or good journeys in the language of the Yuin people of the South Coast of New South Wales.

In this seventh edition of Connect to Country, a digital publication presented by Tourism Australia and Discover Aboriginal Experiences (DAE) we showcase DAE's website, which can help you plan your perfect Indigenous adventure.

We feature a new luxury Tiwi Islands Escape and highlight some of the incredible Aboriginal-led experiences available in Broome. In South Australia, visitors can explore the sprawling and culturally significant wetlands surrounding the Living Kaurna Cultural Centre whilst, in the heart of Melbourne, the newly renovated Koorie Heritage Trust provides a central hub of Aboriginal art and knowledge.

While our stunning landscapes and cities have featured in iconic Australian and International movies, such as the 2008 epic Australia, starring Nicole Kidman and Hugh Jackman, the country's storytelling chops began thousands of years earlier. In this edition, we highlight movie locations where you can learn some older, epic tales from the Traditional Owners of the land.

We then take the plunge into some special swimming spots, where culture and heritage collide. Discover a stunning waterhole, crystal-clear lagoon, and a surprisingly chilly rainforest river that will have you packing your bathing costume.

How many seasons in a year? The answer varies between Aboriginal clans across different regions of Australia. We talk to Australia’s Bush Tucker Queen, Dale Tilbrook about how Aboriginal people take their cues from nature, rather than a calendar, when it comes to recognising and naming a season.

Lovers of art and the outdoors are spoilt for choice on the traditional Kuku-Yalanji lands in Northern Queensland, where a chance discovery has unveiled vast rock art galleries with thousands of years of history and culture on show. More than 450 pieces of vivid art are viewable on the underside of a rock shelter gallery that stretches 40 metres across.

For those who’d like a more transformative journey, we take a peek into experiences such as Ngaran Ngaran Culture Awareness’s Yuin Retreat, that blend the cultural and spiritual with the therapeutic. Learn the Indigenous-inspired movement practice of wapaya, which shares similarities with Tai Chi, or take part in sound therapy, smoking ceremonies, and healing rituals that have been passed down through generations. You will learn lessons of the past, that will allow you to better live in the present.