Aboriginal Culture & Australian Highlights

Australia’s cultural capital doesn’t disappoint when it comes to exciting (and insightful) attractions. Arrive early to explore art-filled laneways, independent galleries and oh-so-cool boutiques at your own pace. Jump on a tram to take in the sights; there’s a free one that circles the city. Melbourne is also Australia’s food capital – we have something special planned for your Welcome Dinner, to introduce you to your travelling companions.

Australia’s Aboriginal culture spans oceans, rivers, rainforest, outback and cities, as you’ll discover on a walking tour with Koorie Heritage Trust. From the organisation’s base at Federation Square, explore Melbourne with a First Nations guide on the Birrarung Wiliam (River Camp) Walk along the banks of the Yarra River – you’ll hear Dreaming stories that point to more than 65,000 years of history, a MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience. It's only a few steps from the Heritage Trust to Big Esso by Mabu Mabu, a MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience, run by Torres Strait Islander chef Nornie Bero and celebrating contemporary Torres Strait Islander culture through cuisine. Nornie’s menu is an explosion of native Australian bush flavours, from finger lime to quandong, with a drinks list that heroes Indigenous-owned and social-impact businesses – their art also decorates the walls. More awaits at the Ian Potter Centre (NGV) in Federation Square, which hosts one of Australia's most significant collections of art from First Nations Creatives.

Today, take the pulse of Melbourne in your own time. Need touring suggestions? Your Travel Director can assist, depending on how wide you want to roam. You might choose to stay in the heart of the city exploring the Royal Botanic Gardens with an Aboriginal guide; this is the ultimate way to discover the history of the local Kulin Nation while learning about native plants and medicines. For a bird’s-eye view, zip to the Melbourne Eureka Skydeck – it’s the highest of its kind in the Southern Hemisphere. While it’s tempting to linger, a bevy of attractions await on the outskirts of the city, not in the least the Great Ocean Road. Choosing to spend a full day driving this World Heritage-listed route with an AAT Kings guide is a rite of passage, uniting stellar surf breaks, pretty seaside towns and wilderness walks. The path is studded with postcard attractions: the Twelve Apostles, Gibson Steps and Loch Ard Gorge among them. You might choose to head to the other side of the bay, Phillip Island is a mecca for wildlife, including a gaggle of adorable penguins that waddle from the ocean to their sandy burrows every evening.

Australia’s spiritual heart, Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park is World Heritage-listed for a reason. Under the gaze of the world’s mightiest monolith, explore spiritual landscapes that are sacred to the Anangu. Your Travel Director on the Kuniya walk to Mutitjulu Waterhole – one of the few permanent water sources around Uluru – will point out rock art and bush foods, while regaling you with a dramatic Creation story. Perhaps the ultimate way to end the day is watching the sinking sun paint the outback all manner of fiery hues – flute of bubbles in hand, of course. When night falls, it’s the Milky Way’s time to shine. This is your backdrop when you enjoy an exclusive Barbecue dinner within Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park.

The outback inspires creativity, as you’ll discover meeting the Aboriginal artists and sculptors at Maruku Arts, a MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience. Their works capture the drama of this special part of Australia, and they’ll show you how to do the same during an art class. Spend the afternoon visiting the spectacular Gallery of Central Australia (GOCA), which spotlights ethically sourced and authentic Aboriginal art. Or you might prefer to take to the sky on a helicopter or plane scenic flight – when you’re in a landscape this immense, the best way to appreciate it is from above (own expense). Back at ground level, spend the last hours of the day wandering into Walpa Gorge, an ancient temple crafted by nature. Say cheers to a blazing Kata Tjuta sunset with a glass of bubbles.

50,000 – that’s the number of lights that artist Bruce Munro used to create his alfresco artwork, Field of Light. This blanket of bulbs casts a surreal glow over the Uluru countryside, and is particularly beguiling on a sunrise visit, with the stars still twinkling overhea Tonight, is yours to explore Sydney. We have a little black book of hot restaurants to try if you need tips.

You’ll need your stamina for an action-packed day exploring the Harbour City. First stop? The Sydney Opera House for a tour revealing the jaw-dropping architecture of this waterside masterpiece, as well as stories from those who have performed here over the decades. The Opera House sits on land belonging to the Eora Nation, as you’ll discover when you meet an Aboriginal Guide of Dreamtime Southern X, who will guide you on a walking tour around the Rocks district of the city while reliving stories about Sydney’s Aboriginal history. Swap the shore for the water on an expedition to explore Sydney on a Harbour cruise.

Sometimes, the most rewarding travel experiences are those unplanned. Go your own way today or ask your Travel Director to assist booking all manner of thrilling tours. That might be the BridgeClimb, which sees you scale the Sydney Harbour Bridge – the stories are as fascinating as the views. Or spend the day with an AAT Kings guide in the Blue Mountains, an immense swathe of World Heritage-listed national parkland that unites sheer sandstone escarpments with waterfall-cooled valleys. But you don’t need to go far to have an adventure, as you’ll discover if you choose Dave's Rocks Pub Tour. This essential Sydney experience takes you to some of the most historic drinking establishments in the city, many of them with views over the harbour.

What’s better than one free day to explore Sydney at your leisure? A second free day. We wouldn’t blame you for spending hours strolling the sand at Bondi Beach or catching the ferry across the harbour to Manly or choose another optional experience. Or stay on dry land on the Rocks Pub Tour. Share a drink in 4 of Sydney’s oldest pubs and tread in the footsteps of the convicts, larrikin gangs, & locals of the past.

After your morning flight from Sydney, spend your free afternoon soaking up the steamy climes of Cairns. Explore the vibrant esplanade or spend the rest of the day relaxing by your hotel pool.

Dreamtime Dive & Snorkel’s catamaran tours tell the story of the UNESCO-listed Great Barrier Reef through First Nations' eyes. The company’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander sea rangers regale you with 65,000-year-old Dreamtime creation stories of this record-breaking ecosystem while you cruise to Moore Reef, a MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience here, slip into warm water to flipper among some of the 1,500 species of fish that call the Coral Sea home. Back on board, rangers showcase Aboriginal artefacts and might just treat you to a tune or two on the didgeridoo.

Life in Cairns moves at a slow pace. But that doesn’t mean you have to. Spend your free day soaking up the sights of Tropical North Queensland, perhaps joining a tour to catch the Skyrail Rainforest Cableway and Kuranda Scenic Railway deep into the rainforest. Or maybe on an Outback Tasting Adventure, uniting distillers, brewers, cheesemongers and farmers. You may opt to discover native bush tucker on a Cape Tribulation, Mossman & Daintree tour, taking you through one of the world’s oldest rainforests, along gorges and across rivers. Humbling is an understatement. End your wild adventure with a Farewell Dinner at Ochre Restaurant on the Cairns waterfront. The menu here showcases native game, herbs and seafood – think, barramundi spring rolls and focaccia with macadamia pesto, or croc basted in native pepper and lemon myrtle.

You’ll not only depart Cairns a more seasoned traveller, but also a more thoughtful one thanks to this immersive cultural itinerary. And don’t be surprised if you leave with a posse of new friends – Australia’s Aboriginal guides are as generous with their stories as they are with their time.