walkabout tours australia

Walkabout – The aboriginal Australian hike that serves as a rite of passage

Among all the different types of journey that people undertake there are also those of a spiritual nature. Some of the trips we do in our lives are purely for pleasure, some are meant to make us stronger, sometimes we travel to explore and learn, and in all of these undertakings we grow and become wiser.

There is a lot we can learn from the land that surrounds us and the best way to acquire that knowledge is by traveling and experiencing. This ancient aboriginal initiation ritual involves exactly this: a long spiritual hike across the indigenous land. Although widely known as “Walkabout,” in later years the ritual has been referred to as “temporary mobility,” because the former is often used as a derogatory term in Australian culture.

Historically speaking, the walkabout is a rite of passage in which young (adolescent) Aboriginal Australians undertake a journey that will help “transform” them into adults. The journey is usually made between the ages of 10 and 16. During this journey which can last for up to six months, the individual is required to live and survive all alone in the wilderness.

This is not an easy thing to do, especially not for teenagers. That is why only those who have proven themselves mentally and physically ready are allowed to proceed with the walkabout. Only the elders of the group decide whether it is time or not for the child to do it.

The children are not completely unprepared for the journey. During the years before the walkabout, the elders instruct them and give them advice about the ceremony and adult life in general; they have been passed the “secrets” of the tribe, the knowledge about their world.

Those who are initiated in the walkabout are also decorated with body paint and ornaments. Sometimes they are marked with a permanent symbol on their bodies. In some cases, a tooth is removed from the mouth, or the nose or ears of the initiated are pierced. Traditional walkabout clothes include only a simple loin cloth and nothing more.

During a walkabout, a young person can sometimes travel a distance of over a 1,000 miles. In order to survive this long hike, the participant in the walkabout must be able to make their own shelter and must be capable of procuring food and water for themselves.

That means he needs to hunt, catch fish, and also recognize and utilize edible and healing plants. The initiated youngster must learn to identify plants such as bush tomatoes, Illawarra plums, quandongs, lilly-pillies, Muntari berries, wattle seeds, Kakadu plums, and bunya nuts.

Besides the obvious goal of the walkabout – to walk and survive, the initiate also has to devote his time to thinking and discovering himself.

The teenager needs to understand the concept of bravery and to get in touch with his spiritual guides. While moving across the land, the initiate sings so-called “songlines” – ancestral songs that serve as “spoken maps” that help him find his way. In the lack of modern instruments such as a compass or radio, it is believed that the young person is guided by some spiritual power.

In its essence, this important aboriginal ritual is the ultimate survival test that a young person should pass in order to enter adulthood. The person doing the walkabout should prove to the elders that he is capable of surviving the harsh environment of his native land.

The walkabout is also an excellent time for self-evaluation and reflection. One can say that the walkabout is both a journey across the land and a journey of the mind.

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What is an Australian Walkabout?

Articles , Australia , Max Wasserman / March 20, 2013 by Max Wasserman / 5 Comments

The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines a rite of passage as “a ritual, event, or experience that marks or constitutes a major milestone or change in a person’s life.” In the Aboriginal culture, the Australian walkabout was once the ultimate rite of passage. Aboroginal boys, once they reached adolescence, embarked on a journey of self discovery by venturing into the wilderness. They lived off the land for as long as six months, undergoing a spiritual transition into manhood. Today, an Australian walkabout generally refers to a temporary return to traditional Aboriginal life in the bush. For visitors, there is no better way to discover the real Australia than on an Australian walkabout.

A Modern Australian Walkabout

A contemporary Australian walkabout is an immersive Aboriginal cultural experience for travelers. With an actual Abogorinal as a guide, visitors learn the traditional customs and practices that kept their Aboriginal children alive in the wild. Bushwalks slink through tribal lands where lessons about natural foods and medicines await. Visitors receive instruction in spear throwing and mud crab catching, along with an opportunity to tell their own story on the canvas in the form of dot painting. Additionally, wattel ice cream is often provided, allowing visitors to sample this native Australian treat. While once a rite of passage for Aboroginal boys, Australian walkabouts are now windows into a beautiful culture that everyone can experience.

Dreamtime: The Beginning of Everything

During an Australian walkabout, it was not uncommon for Aboriginal children to experience “Dreamtime.” Representative of creation, Aboriginals believe that during Dreamtime their ancesors made the world. Hills were marsupials frozen in time. Rainbow serpents swallowed the sun and gave birth to the Milky Way, the river in the sky. Ancestors fished for turtles and stingrays in the Milky Way and used the stars as their campfires. Myths such as these make Dreamtime the foundation of all Aboriginal oral tradition and spiritual belief. Even today, to go on an Australian walkabout is to spiritually connect with the land and relive Dreamtime. This is a sacred experience that is available to all visitors who go on an Australian walkabout.

There is no better way to discover the Land Down Under than on an Australian walkabout. A cultural experience that lets visitors partake in 50,000 year old traditions, a walkabout is unforgettable. In Australia, you can literally walk in the footsteps of all those who have come before to make the special country what it is today.

Reader Interactions

April 17, 2021 at 8:21 pm

Thank you This was most informative!

April 2, 2022 at 9:17 pm

It was very useful in learning about Australia and there habit

October 6, 2021 at 12:44 am

There is obviously a bunch to know about this. I feel you made various good points in features also.

January 1, 2023 at 2:56 pm

Wow how powerful and spine tingling Would love to go walkabout

January 13, 2023 at 6:00 pm

This was thé clearest explanation ever to make me eventually understand what are walkabout and dreamtime. I as a Belgian woman, went twice to Australia all over thé country. And I love it so much. ❤️

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Walkabout: Walking Tour in Australia

Walk the Margaret River Cape to Cape

The Australian walkabout has long been a fixture of Aboriginal culture – a time to commune with self and nature; a respite from reality and the daily grind.

Walking and hiking are an excellent way to explore Oz, and Australia has so much to offer the adventurous traveler. While many people envision the dry outback when they think of the continent, the coast and the inlands contain lush landscapes. Dense forests of craggy karri trees, stunning cliffs, great rivers, monumental rock formations, and productive wine country all coexist with the dry deserts. And all are good reason for a long walk.

Walking Tours in Australia

The Margaret River Cape to Cape walk by Great Walks Australia leads walkers along the Western Australian coast through Cape Naturaliste National Park. The guided tour makes sure to highlight the best of the turquoise waters and white sands, but includes adventures just inland too.

Karri trees along the Margaret River crawl with pale gnarled branches, and adventurers might spot a kangaroo in the thick fauna. Rolling red rocks cut random paths through the low-lying sage and brush, inviting travel in any other line than a straight one. All the wandering eventually leads back to the coast, however, be it the steep cliffs or the famous surfing spots of Yallingup.

Though there are ample opportunities for swimming in the pristine beaches facing out to the Indian Ocean, the Margaret River Cape to Cape walk does not leave one wanting for a hot shower. Each day’s walk ends at a different luxury destination that most definitely includes a good meal.

The Injidup Spa Retreat includes private plunge pools, uninterrupted views of the ocean, and five-star food. Other destinations such as Cape Lodge include award-winning restaurants and private chefs. Most evenings give opportunity to raise a toast to the sunset over the Indian Ocean. Here’s to the local vineyards!

While Australia can be experienced in many ways, a surefire way to visit is to select a guide. Great Walks Australia streamlines the experience of the Western Australian coast and makes sure to include all the best the Margret River area has to offer.

Great Walks Australia

Cape Naturaliste National Park

Tourism Australia

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Customizing trips to the south pacific since 1988, australia and new zealand travel specialists.

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Walkabout cultural adventures.

"Walkabout Cultural Adventures is a locally owned & operated Aboriginal cultural tour business based in Port Douglas Daintree - Australia.

Aboriginal guides explore Kuku Yalanji country, the only place where two world heritage sites meet, the Daintree Rainforest and the Great Barrier Reef and share the cultural connection the people have with their land.

Learn about the environment, different bush foods and medicines. Sample some seasonal bush tucker while appreciating the history, culture and traditions of our Australian Aboriginal people.

Walkabout Cultural Adventures owner, Juan Walker has been guiding in the Port Douglas Daintree region for 19 years. He prides himself on providing top quality service, information and guiding.

His business provides unique cultural tours within Kuku Yalanji country, focusing on Aboriginal culture, significant sites, environmental information and local tourist attractions, whilst being an educational and interpersonal Aboriginal cultural experience.

My country, the Kuku Yalanji country is family, culture and identity. The trees of the rainforest, the rocks of the river beds and the reefs of the sea, were all formed by our Ancestors who continue to live in land, water & sky. It is filled with connections of human, wildlife and plants, all speaking language and following lore. Country is loved and cared for, and country loves and cares for her people in turn. Country is self. Juan Walker - Founder and guide.

Guests can chose from a half day or full day tour option in the Port Douglas Daintree region.

Daintree Full Day Private Charter

Ngana kulkinga dungay: we all going cape tribulation - half day, ngana julaymba dungay: we all going daintree. half day tour, ngana julaymba dungay: we all going daintree - full day tour, ngana kulkinga dungay: we all going cape tribulation - full day tour, daintree private charter - half day.

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Willis's Walkabouts Australian Bushwalking Holidays

This page is out of date. It is still here because this site contains a variety of general information like our newsletters and our Covid Blog page which has not yet been uploaded to our new website.

For up to date information about specific trips, see our new mobile-friendly website .

Adventure holidays with a difference.

Trade the stress of the city for the peace of the bush and trek through a wilderness where no vehicle can ever go.

Look at the wonderful landscape before you. Smell the wildflowers. Listen to the birds. Relax in a rock shelter as you admire the Aboriginal paintings on the walls. Pamper yourself with swim after swim in clear, tropical pools.

Sound inviting? If so, our bushwalking holidays are for you.

The perfect adventure holiday

Young or old, our treks are the perfect adventure holiday if you

• want to experience nature on its own terms.
• want to enjoy the world's most comfortable wilderness.
• are reasonably fit and willing to do some pre-trip preparation.
• like the idea of leaving the car at home.
• want to enjoy bush cooking at its best.
• are looking for a unique experience, not just an iced drink and a civilised bed at night.

There is no one else

Willis's Walkabouts is the only north Australian tour operator offering

• overnight bushwalks in Kakadu.
• a variety of overnight bushwalks in the Kimberley and Pilbara.
• going beyond the tracks on treks of a week or more in the Red Centre.
• treks where you hike with an Aboriginal guide for up to three weeks.
• a variety of bushwalking holidays in other countries. Please note. Although we run our overseas trips the same way we run our Australian trips, the Ecotourism Association of Australia cannot certify trips outside Australia.

25 years leading these treks has given us a level of experience and expertise that no one else can possibly match.

hiking through the timeless landscapes of northern Australia where

• the only sign that anyone has ever been there before are Aboriginal rock paintings.
• you enjoy daily swims in clear, tropical pools.
• you camp in beautiful places you share with no one but your walking companions.
• you relax by the campfire while your guide prepares you a delicious three course meal.
• the weather is so perfect that you can sleep under the stars with no need for a tent.

No two trips are alike

Our walks are designed to show you the best that each region has to offer in each of our many seasons . This would be impossible if we simply did the same treks over and over again.

You can choose anything from a three day stroll to a six week trekking expedition, a scheduled departure or your own special charter.

To see our trip list, prices and available discounts , click on "Trips" in the top menu, then click on an area of interest in the list on the left. Alternatively, you can click here for our latest printable trip list .

Our trips are different, so different that we can't possibly offer a one-click booking form. Our How to Book page explaine exactly what you need to do to finalise a booking and has links to all of the relevant forms.

Experienced bushwalker or novice

Our clients have ranged in age from six to 80. Many have never done an overnight hike before. Others have been doing extended hikes for years.

Whether you are a novice or an old hand, our essentials page is full of useful information. If you've never done an overnight bushwalk before, we strongly recommend you visit our essentials page and read the pages which contain the absolute minimum you need to know before you book one of our trips.

We'd much rather have a smaller number of satisfied customers than a larger number of dissatisfied ones. Join us and see why, in our region, no other tour operator has a greater percent of repeat customers.

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Willis’s Walkabouts has been running long distance bushwalking tours throughout northern Australia for almost 40 years. Many of our trips will take you to spectacular places where no other tours will go.  

You’ll see waterfalls, gorges, crystal-clear pools and Aboriginal art sites that will remain forever unknown to vehicle-based tourists. Every night, you camp next to a beautiful pool you share with no-one but your walking companions. It’s magic. You have to experience it to believe it. 

Easy, hard or in between. We offer something so suit every bushwalker. Most of our Kakadu trips are two weeks, but most are divided into two or more sections, each of which can be done on its own. Our shortest trip is five days, the longest single Kakadu walk is 3½ weeks with one food drop near the middle. 

Kakadu’s traditional owners distinguish six seasons. Europeans who have lived in the area normally drop it to three: Wet, Dry and Build Up. Willis’s Walkabouts is the only operator offering pack-on-your back bushwalks in all of them.   

Take your time and explore our website to find out what makes us different and why so many of our clients are repeat customers.

Book early for advance purchase discounts up to 20%. 

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Experience Aboriginal culture in Sydney

Here’s where to find some unique insights into Sydney’s rich Aboriginal culture.

By   Georgia Rickard

Australia’s Aboriginal population might be the world’s most ancient living culture, but it’s flourishing right in the middle of  Sydney . These experiences offer authentic, meaningful ways to connect with some of Sydney’s friendliest locals, and gain genuine insights into Aboriginal ways of life at the same time.

Visit the First Australians galleries

Australian Museum, First Australians Gallery, Sydney, New South Wales © Archie Sartracom, Tourism Australia

Learn about the beliefs and lifestyles of the world’s oldest living culture in the country’s oldest museum, with a personalised guided tour of the First Australians galleries at the  Australian Museum  in the heart of Sydney. In one of the finest collections of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artefacts, the museum houses more than 40,000 Indigenous Australian weapons, body ornaments, tools, bark paintings, toys and contemporary art and sculpture from all across the country. Highlights include ancient grindstones more than 32,000 years old, ancient bark drawings, modern dot paintings and carved emu eggs, as well as crocodile masks made from turtle shells, feathered headdresses and pearl-shell ornaments that are still worn for rituals and ceremonial dances in the Torres Strait Islands. There are also intricately woven baskets, art made from ghost fishing nets, exquisite shell jewellery, drums, canoes and ingenious tools for hunting and fishing.

Trace ancient footsteps in a new suburb

Barangaroo Reserve, Barangaroo, Sydney, New South Wales © Destination NSW

Did you know?

The Barangaroo precinct was named after a powerful Cammeraygal leader of the Eora Nation at the time of European colonisation.

The Barangaroo waterfront precinct is located on some of the most expensive real estate in the world, virtually underneath Sydney Harbour Bridge. The reserve is a vibrant cultural experience in a powerful, beautiful setting – and all within sight of Sydney Harbour Bridge. Take the 90-minute  Aboriginal Cultural Tour  to explore stories of local Aboriginal history, told to the theme of the city’s changing landscape. The guides are also highly knowledgeable about Barangaroo Reserve’s extensive native plant collection; you’ll finish the experience with new respect for the traditional Aboriginal approach to food and medicine.

Shop Sydney's most beautiful cultural markets

Blak Markets, Barangaroo, Sydney, New South Wales © Ken Leanfore, Barangaroo Delivery Authority

Sydney’s  Blak Markets  aren’t just a place to shop for Aboriginal products. Each event is a unique full-scale production, featuring song, dance, bush tucker foods, craft stalls, smoking ceremonies and entertainers, with profits returned to local Aboriginal communities. The market also trains and employs young Aboriginal people in coffee shops, retail, food preparation and supervision. The event is hosted up to eight times a year, and the location often changes.

Go walkabout with coastal views

Kadoo tours, Watsons Bay, Sydney Harbour National Park, New South Wales © Kadoo tours

Tim Ella (a well-known local personality) of the Dharawal-Yuin people, along with Grant Hyde, started  Kadoo Tours  at Watsons Bay in Sydney Harbour National Park and La Perouse in the Kamay Botany Bay National Park. The immersive two-hour tours begin with a traditional ochre ceremony and Welcome to Country. They also provide visitors with the chance to try bush tucker and learn about the traditional uses of plants and animals for food, medicine and ceremony. Tim will share his personal history and tell some Dreaming stories as he guides you along the coastline and through native bushland.

Take an Aboriginal Dreaming Tour through the Rocks

Dreamtime Southern X - Dreamtime Heritage Tour, The Rocks, Sydney, New South Wales © Archie Sartracom, Tourism Australia

Join the leisurely 90-minute walking tour of Sydney’s famous foreshore with  Dreamtime Southern X  and see how the harbour landscape reverberates with spiritual significance and continues to influence modern Aboriginal culture. Guides share stories that offer glimpses of what Australia was like before colonisation. Listen to the creation stories that shaped Sydney, learn how the Eora people reacted to the coming of the Europeans and how the saltwater people practised seasonal food sustainability. Discover the ongoing connection to country and the true meaning behind the colours of the Aboriginal flag, taste bush tucker plucked from trees growing on city streets, and visit sacred Aboriginal sites hidden in the heart of the city’s most popular tourist precinct. This tour will give you a new perspective on the harbour city.

Sydney's best museums, galleries and theatres

Forage in Sydney's Royal Botanic Garden

Aboriginal Heritage Tour, Bush Food Experience & Art Classes, The Royal Botanic Garden Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales © Archie Sartracom, Tourism Australia

The 90-minute  Aboriginal Heritage Tour  through  Sydney’s Royal Botanic Garden is located just behind the Sydney Opera House. It explores the garden’s rich Aboriginal heritage through the many uses of the plants that grow here. Forage for and taste Australian bush foods as you walk and talk, and identify plants used for medicines and shelter. Collect seasonal fruits, berries and seeds in a traditional coolamon (a shallow dish made of bark), learn traditional methods of cooking and how to incorporate the bush foods into your own meals at home, as well as tasting some recipes inspired by bush foods. The Royal Botanic Garden also holds Aboriginal art classes where you can discover how to use the plants and other elements of the garden – sticks, ochre, grasses and bark, as well as paints and natural brushes – to create the ultimate souvenir, a unique piece of art to take home with you.

Discover the valleys and caves of the Blue Mountains

Aboriginal Blue Mountains Walkabout, Blue Mountains, New South Wales © David Hill

Jump on a train at Sydney’s Central Station and within 90 minutes you’ll be stepping into the  Blue Mountains  for an experience sometimes described as emotional, meditative or deeply moving. Aboriginal guide Evan Yanna Muru’s full-day  walkabout tour  takes hikers through valleys and caves and past sacred cultural sites deep into the rainforest. It asks them to slow down and reconsider the natural world using ancient Aboriginal knowledge, which in many ways translates to modern-day wisdom. The Blue Mountains are World Heritage-listed for their outstanding beauty and biodiversity, so you’ll enjoy this area regardless of what you choose to do here, but this special exercise adds an extra level of poignancy.

Climb high and see Sydney through Aboriginal eyes

The Burrawa Climb, Sydney Harbour Bridge, Sydney, New South Wales © BridgeClimb

Climb Sydney’s famous Harbour Bridge with the Indigenous-led Burrawa BridgeClimb , and see the city from a whole new perspective, both figuratively and literally. On this very special three-hour tour, you will be guided by a local Aboriginal storyteller, who will transport you back in time with their rich storytelling and show you Sydney and its history through Aboriginal eyes. As you journey along the upper arch of the bridge towards the summit, 134 metres (440 feet) above the sea, you’ll be met with breathtaking 360-degree views, uncovering the fascinating stories, secrets, and origins of familiar places and local Gadigal people.

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We acknowledge the Traditional Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Owners of the land, sea and waters of the Australian continent, and recognise their custodianship of culture and Country for over 60,000 years.

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Can you give us a link?

Do you actually want to head into the desert and try to live like our indigenous natives for a week? This refers to "Going walkabout" a rite of passage undertaken by aboriginal boys in a journey from boyhood to manhood.

Or do you want to have a self-guided walking tour of a city? Where you follow a guide to "must-see" spots, cafes, businesses and shops who sponsor the publication?

I cannot see that the former would end in anything but disaster for an unprepared tourist...

He could do it naked or in his cloth... adds authenticity

Ah yes the naturist is back again good one GurusW!!!

I think you really need to get a proper nudist experience in a legal setup so that you get desensitised a bit. Right now you are like "oh my god, nude!", "chhee nude ".

I agree that it sounds a bit stupid now. I would have liked to get a short time experience of the things they have, without challenging myself as much as they do. May be a guided tour by some aboriginal people interacting with the tourists would have been great.

You are asking questions which are very out of the ordinary and when we ask you to clarify you don't

As asked in post 1 can you give us a link to the tour which you refer

I think you are also getting a good sense of Aussie Humour which is to "take the mickey" out of things which are a bit off the normal path

Sandeepan the aboriginal experiences you are after would only occur in remote areas like Far North Queensland and Northern Territory for example. The cost of getting there would be high unless included as a side trip to an area you are visiting for other reasons. Some activities may also be restricted due to "taboo".

Some info http://www.aboriginalaustralia.com.au http://www.outbackspirittours.com.au

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Here’s where you can find aboriginal cultural tours in australia.

Amy Fairall

As the Editor, if you read WAE, you've more than likely read something Amy's written. Amy lives on Larrakia land in the NT and is frequently on the hunt for new bodies of freshwater to dunk herself into. She has a preference for adventures slightly off the beaten track, with a penchant for multi-day hikes and a new found love of paddling.

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Across Australia, there are many incredibly informative, moving, and valuable cultural tours led by local Aboriginal people – from short nature walks and bush tucker tours to multi day hikes and camping experiences on sacred country.

Whether you want to spend your entire holiday immersed in Aboriginal culture , or to add in a local tour to your adventure, there’s an educational and exciting experience to suit. 

We’ve compiled a list of some of the best Aboriginal-led cultural tours across Australia and chatted to a bunch of the tour operators about the importance of learning about the local Aboriginal culture while on country.

Photo thanks to Tourism Australia

Why Should I Include an Aboriginal Cultural Tour on my Next Holiday?

Understanding the context and history of the land you’re exploring is important no matter where you are. What happened on the land before you arrived changes how you interact with it and enhances your experience of exploring it.

‘It’s important for people to understand the cultural significance of the place that they’re visiting,’ Kamla Webb from Wajaana Yaam Adventure Tours told me. 

‘ When people come on our culture Gumbaynggirr experience we hope that they leave with a greater understanding and appreciation of not only the Gumbaynggirr culture but also First Nations people in general,’ she said. 

Before COVID-19, many Aboriginal tour operators found their biggest market in international tourists. However, as Juan Walker from Walkabout Cultural Adventures told me, he’s had to make an enormous shift towards Australians travelling domestically instead.

‘We have been very successful and are enjoying sharing our tours, our knowledge and our culture with the domestic travellers,’ Juan said.  

‘[Cultural tours] Provide a deeper insight and understanding to the area and the people they are visiting. For example, on a visit to the rainforest many [people] see various shades of greens and a variety of plants, but on tour with us, we explain the foods and resources that the plants provide for our people,’ Juan said.

There are Aboriginal led and owned cultural tours in every state and territory across the country, so you’ll always be able to add in a cultural experience on your adventures. This list is non-exhaustive and we’ll be adding to it over time!

Aboriginal Cultural Tours Around Australia

New south wales.

1. Ngaran Ngaran Culture Awareness – Narooma/Tilba

Yuin Retreat – 2 nights | 2-8 pax 

2. Bundyi Cultural Tours – Wagga Wagga 

• Aboriginal Special Places Tour – 4 hours
• Aboriginal Cultural Tours – Taste of Wiradjuri – 6 hours
• Aboriginal Walkabout Tour – 2 hours 
• Wiradjuri Culture & Winery Private Tour – 1 day
• Wiradjuri Culture & Winery Bus Tour – 1 day
• Corporate Cultural Awareness Programs – 3 hours
• Motorcycle Tag a Long Tours – 3 hours

3. Explore Byron Bay Guided Aboriginal Tours – Byron Bay/Northern Rivers 

• Bangalow Bush Tucker Tour – Every Thursday 4pm-5:30pm
• Cape Byron Aboriginal Tour – Thursday & Wednesday 4pm-5:30pm & Saturday 2pm-3:30pm
• Broken Head Aboriginal Tour – Every Friday 4pm-5:30pm

4. Sand Dune Adventures – Port Stephens 

Aboriginal culture, sand boarding & quad bike tour – 1.5 hours

Photos thanks to Destination NSW

5. Aboriginal Blue Mountains Walkabout – Blue Mountains

3.5km hike through rainforest – Daily 10:50am-4:10pm 

6. Minga Cultural Experiences – South Coast 

Bingie Dreaming Track Tour – 2 hours | 6-16 pax

Basket Weaving Workshop – 2 hours | 6-20 pax

7. Wajaana Yaam Gumbaynggirr Adventure Tours – Coffs Harbour

• Paddle adventures (SUP or kayak) around either Coffs Creek, Moonee Creek, or Red Rock – 2.5 hours

8. Mossman Gorge Centre Voyages   – Cairns

Mossman Gorge Dreamtime Walk – 1.5 hours starting at 10am, 11am, 12pm, 1pm, and 2pm

Read more: Mossman Gorge Dreamtime Walk

9. Walkabout Cultural Adventures – Cairns 

• Northern Daintree Rainforest Guided Tour – Full day  or half day
• Southern Daintree Rainforest Guided Tour – Full day or half day
• Daintree Rainforest Private Tour – Full day or half day | 1-6 people
• Corporate Tours, Groups, & Workshops – From 20 minutes to full day

Photo thanks to Walkabout Cultural Adventures

10. Adventure North Australia – Cairns

• Daintree Dreaming Traditional Aboriginal Fishing – Full day on Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday
• Daintree Dreaming Aboriginal Art & Culture – Full day on Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday

11. Dreamtime Dive and Cruise – Cairns

• Tour of the Great Barrier Reef – Full day 

Only cultural reef experience

12. Worn Gundij at Tower Hill – Warrnambool/Port Fairy 

Bush and nature walking tours – Depart Monday to Friday, 10am & 1pm

Read more: Tower Hill Reserve

@thetantrap

13. Thunderstone Aboriginal Cultural Services – Canberra 

• 2 hour tours – Mount Majura, Mount Taylor, Black Mountain 
• Half day tours – Driving tour around Canberra to visit areas of Aboriginal occupation 
• Full day tours – 4WD tours to Flea Creek, Namadgi National Park , or Scottsdale Reserve

Western Australia

14. Wula Gura Nyinda Eco Adventures – Shark Bay 

• Didgeridoo Dreaming Night Tour – 2 hours
• Kayak and Wildlife Adventure – Full day
• 4WD Tours – Full day
• SUP Tours – Full day or sunset tour
• Cultural Youth Camps

15. Koomal Dreaming Cape Cultural Experiences – South West Coast

• Ngilgi Cave Cultural Tour – 2.5 hours
• Didgeridoo Cave Tour – 1.5 hours
• Twilight Didgeridoo Cave Tour – 1.5 hours
• Aboriginal Food, Cave, and Didge Tour – 3 hours
• Kaya Cape Experience – 1.5 hours

16. Ngurrangga Tours – Pilbara 

• Rock Art Tour – Nganjarli or Yaburrara  – 2 hours
• Rock Art & Bush Tucker Tour – 4 hours
• Cossack Walking Tour – 1 hour
• Night Time Tour – 4 hours
• 4WD Tag-along Tour – 10 hours
• 4WD Overnight Tag-along Tour – Available on request

Northern Territory

17. Nitmiluk Tours –  Nitmiluk Gorge

• Nit Nit Dreaming Two Gorge Tour – 2 hours
• Footsteps of Our Ancestors Culture Tour – 2.5 or 5 hours

19. Animal Tracks Safari

• Safari Day Tour – 7 hours

@huntingforparadise

20. wukalina Walk – East Coast

• 4 day guided trek 
• Walk departs from Launceston each Sunday at 8am from late Sept/early Oct to Easter
• larapuna (Bay of Fires) and wukalina (Mt William NP)

Photo thanks to wukalina Walk

South Australia

21. Wilpena Pound Resort – Flinders Ranges 

• Guided tour of Wilpena Creek – 2 hours
• Yura Malka Sacred Canyon Tour – 2 hours
• Akarroo Adnya Adnyamathanha Rock Art Tour – 3 hours

Read more: Flinders Ranges – A Long Weekend Exploring SA’s Outback

Feature photo thanks to James Fisher/ Tourism Australia

Hi, A must add to the list is Mungo National Park – the Indigenous-led tour was brilliant and people really wouldn’t understand the area unless they join the tour. Thanks! Diana

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King Charles’ Australia Tour Remains Uncertain Amid Cancer Treatment

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New reports have revealed that King Charles ' rumored Australia visit is uncertain as he's currently undergoing cancer treatment. Charles has been adapting his schedule to his treatment and reducing the numbers at Royal events.

According to the King's nephew, Charles is very eager to return to normal and is "hugely frustrated." The King has already made his first major public appearance since announcing his cancer diagnosis by attending church on Easter and doing a surprise walkabout.

King Charles' Visit To Australia Is Uncertain

Last month, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese spoke about a possible visit from King Charles later in the year. Since then, there have been many rumors about the trip, and new reports have revealed that it is highly uncertain.

A Royal source spoke to People Magazine and said that nothing is certain about planning for future royal engagements. This is reportedly subject to medical advice from the King's doctors, as he's currently undergoing treatment for cancer. There may also be adaptations to the proposed engagements as the treatment goes on, which means overseas visits are unclear.

Prior to the confirmation of his cancer diagnosis, Charles was expected to make the Australia trip around the same time as the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM). The meeting is scheduled to be held in Samoa and begin on October 24.

He's Adapting His Work Schedule To His Treatment

During Albanese's speech last month, he spoke about how Charles has been empathetic to Australians amid recent natural disasters, which he has reciprocated after his cancer diagnosis.

He added, "The King, Queen, and members of the royal family are always welcome in Australia. My government is engaging with states and territories on options for a possible royal visit."

Since the confirmation of Charles's cancer in early February, he's significantly reduced his workload and is doing more behind-the-scenes action. His royal engagements have been reduced to smaller numbers of people, and he has missed public events.

However, the royal source claims that larger events could be held in an outdoor setting as summer approaches when there's a lesser risk of airborne illnesses. This includes Trooping The Colour, the annual public celebration of the British monarch's birthday, which will be held on June 15.

King Charles Is Eager To Return To Normal

The Royal source also revealed that despite his ill health, Charles' "appetite for work" has remained "wholly undiminished." Another person in the inner royal circle, Charles' nephew, Peter Phillips, recently shared that the King is "very keen to get back to a form of normality."

During an appearance on Sky News Australia's The Royal Report , he said, "I think, ultimately, he's hugely frustrated. He's frustrated that he can't get on and do everything that he wants to be able to do. But he is very pragmatic, [and] he understands that there's a period of time that he really needs to focus on himself."

Regarding his health, the Royal source claims that Charles is "progressing well" in his cancer treatment. They added that the doctors have "amplified confidence" and remain optimistic about his recovery.

He Made A Public Appearance For Easter

Despite his ill health, Charles recently made his first major public appearance since announcing his diagnosis. The monarch attended church for Easter celebrations with a few members of the royal family. After the service at St. George's Chapel in Windsor Castle, he and Queen Camilla had a surprise walkabout.

The DailyMail shared a video on X of people greeting the King and Queen as the two had their walkabout, and it quickly went viral. In it, a woman told Charles, "Get well soon, Your Majesty," and he replied, "I'm doing my best!"

Charles has made several changes to his public appearance routine, including significantly reducing the number of people he interacts with. He and Camilla sat apart from the other royals at the service and didn't attend any reception or private family lunch afterward.

Buckingham Palace Shared Photos Of The King Back At Work

  View this post on Instagram   A post shared by The Royal Family (@theroyalfamily)

On March 6, Charles officially returned to work. Buckingham Palace released photos of the monarch greeting ambassadors with a cheery demeanor.

In photos shared online, the 75-year-old King had a broad smile as he shook hands with Algeria's Ambassador to the United Kingdom, Nourredine Yazid, and Samba Mamadou, the ambassador of Mauritania.

The palace captioned the photo: "The King received Ambassadors from Algeria and Mauritania at Buckingham Palace earlier today. Mr. Nourredine Yazid and Mr. Samba Mamadou Ba presented their 'letters of credence' to His Majesty - formal letters from their Heads of State which mark the beginning of their posts in the UK."

There were other meetings that the monarch attended today besides his private audience with the ambassadors.

In an earlier photo shared, King Charles can be seen speaking with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau during a video conference at Buckingham Palace. The image was captioned, "This afternoon, His Majesty The King had an audience with the Prime Minister of Canada, Justin Trudeau, via video link."

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King Charles ‘raring to go’ on tour of Australia this year and tells aides to ramp up plans as treatment goes well

King Charles has told aides to ramp up plans for a two-week state visit of Australia after a positive start to cancer treatment.

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The monarch, 75, wants to return Down Under with Queen Camilla in October.

A source said: “The King is raring to go and keen to get on with the job.”

His hope for an autumn state visit to Australia comes as he is “over the moon” at a successful start to cancer treatment.

Charles is said to be “supercharging” plans for the two-week trip which will also take in New Zealand and Samoa.

But the October tour alongside Queen Camilla would be pared back and include “significant down-time” to ensure he has the energy to carry out duties, say insiders.

Buckingham Palace sources said the monarch is feeling “positive”, and medics “optimistic”, after he was able to go on a walkabout at Easter Sunday.

The Palace said “nothing is ruled in or out” and they remain “cautious”.

But the insiders told The Sun he is “keen to get on with the job” and “hit the ground running”, knowing his reign has been set back by his diagnosis.

Charles and Camilla are likely to begin their traditional post-Easter break shortly. But the King wants to be at the Trooping the Colour in June, and the 80th anniversary of D-Day in France a week earlier.

He has told aides to ramp up the Australia plans and aides will make site visits within weeks.

A trip Down Under is considered the biggest and most important foreign trip for a British monarch. The late Queen visited 16 times, the first in 1954 and last in 2011.

She remains the only serving monarch to set foot in Australia.

Charles — who tried to play a didgeridoo at an aboriginal art exhibition in Birmingham in 1992 — was Prince of Wales when he and Camilla toured Oz in 2018.

The gruelling journey includes 20,000 miles and 21-hour flights just to get to Australia.

Charles and Camilla would also visit New Zealand and Samoa to lead the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting. But extending the trip to Fiji is to be ruled out.

Charles is known to take around six or seven engagements each day on a foreign tour. An insider said: “The King is raring to go after a significant amount of time off due to his cancer diagnosis.

“He knows he can’t hang around and is feeling extremely positive after tests meant he could attend the Easter Sunday service and spend time meeting the public, which he has missed.

“Although his doctors are keeping an eye on his health, he’s itching to take the reins and get back to his public role as Head of State.

“He’s over the moon with the way treatment has gone and supercharging plans for Australia, New Zealand and Samoa.

“He wants to follow his mother Queen Elizabeth II’s mantra, that he needs to be seen to be believed.”

In another sign his treatment is going well, Charles will spend his 19th wedding anniversary 500 miles from London doctors at Birkhall on the Balmoral estate in Scotland.

Charles revealed on January 16 that he needed treatment for an enlarged prostate. While in hospital doctors discovered cancer and he later had treatment.

No date was set for his return to work but he continued to carry out constitutional duties such as meeting PM Rishi Sunak and reading government red boxes.

Last week he was well enough to host a Buckingham Palace reception with interfaith leaders. Then he led the family at Easter, emerging from St George’s Chapel in Windsor Castle to shake hands with around 60 well-wishers.

A palace source said then that the reappearance “was a significant step”. They admitted: “The King has responded to treatment very encouragingly and his doctors were thus able to adjust their guidance slightly on what His Majesty is now able to undertake.”

His aide was clear to point out his “treatment continues” and “caution is the watchword”, but Charles would resume public-facing duties in the spring and summer.

They said all plans are subject to medical guidance. But they added: “There is great hope and optimism from doctors and the patient.

“The road ahead is looking positive.” Last night palace sources would not confirm the King attending the D-Day anniversary or Trooping the Colour in June, or the trip Down Under in October.

The Palace insisted treatment continued but that the direction or recovery remained positive.

They added: “Doctors are optimistic, the patient is positive and treatment is sophisticated.”

It was understood that the Australia tour will ultimately depend on his health nearer October.

This article originally appeared in The Sun and was reproduced with permission

After revealing to the world that she has cancer, the Princess of Wales is now also facing a second painful diagnosis.

A plan for the estranged brothers to meet up when Harry is in the UK is reportedly being considered – but both know it will be “difficult”.

Liz Hurley has addressed swirling rumours she was the “older woman” who took Prince Harry’s virginity behind a pub.

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‘Slick with memories and nostalgia’: writers’ favourite UK trips by car, train and bus

A drive to Dundee, a Cornish sleeper train and a £2 bus trip across Yorkshire offer spectacular scenery, rare wildlife and culinary delights

From Glasgow to Dundee by road

The sequence M77, M74, M73, M80, A9, M90, A90 may not sound freighted with emotional weight, but those roads are, for me, associated with the sadness of separation and the pleasure of reunion. It’s the route I drive between our home in Glasgow and Dundee, where our eldest boy now lives, having left for university.

When he moved out, that’s the way we went. When we visit or go to pick him up, that’s how we go. Those motorways are slick with memories. The gantries warn you not to drive while tired. They say nothing about melancholy or sweet nostalgia.

The first thing we look for is deer. The M77 cuts through Pollok Park and there are often roe bucks and does cropping the verges. You see the white rump first; if traffic is slow, there’s time to notice small antlers. The deer feel like a blessing on the journey.

We pass Stirling, admiring the dramatic castle on its great rock. We pass Dunblane where, in 2012, we took the kids to see Andy Murray on walkabout, celebrating his wins at the US Open and Olympics. He signed their tennis balls. Those signatures are faded now, but still there, and so is Andy – and we’ll never forget that day.

The land changes as you travel east, offering agriculture’s pleasing geometry: cylinders, parallel lines, arcs, hay bales, ploughed fields, polytunnels. Along the A9, near Perth, I keep an eye out for a particular field with a particular tree. It must be a chore for the farmer to work around, and yet it has never been cut down. Some superstition no doubt attaches to it; bad luck to he who wields the axe. It gives me the shivers.

A good place to banish the shivers is the Horn Milk Bar, a roadside cafe off the A90. The circular dining room appears unchanged since the 1960s, its cult appeal heightened by the fibreglass cow on the roof. When the Queen’s funeral cortege passed the Horn, on its journey from Balmoral, the cow was draped in a union flag.

Finally, the end of the road: our son’s flat. The light in Dundee is like Billy Mackenzie ’s voice – intense, theatrical, heart-lifting, almost too much. It bounces off the Tay and saturates the city. We pass close to the cemetery where the Associates singer lies, then it’s out of the car for hugs and hellos. Peter Ross

The Night Riviera sleeper from Penzance to London

“You have two minutes on ‘The history of the Great Western Railway in the 19th century’, starting now … ”

The man in the famous black chair was my dad, so as I step on to the Night Riviera sleeper (in its green Great Western Railway livery) my mind spins back 40 years to Mastermind, my dad’s double-decker attic model railway and his vast railway library.

Rail journeys don’t begin on the platform; they begin in the mind. As a diner salivates before a meal, so the night-rail traveller visualises before the journey. My sleeper ticket is never bought anonymously online, but always in person at the greatly valued ticket office at Penzance station: “A cabin on the Night Riviera to London, please.” The night train has run to and from this most westerly railway station in England since 1877: it is as old as Black Beauty, Wimbledon and Boots.

Magnus Magnusson: “What was the very last broad-gauge passenger train to leave Paddington on 9 May 1892?” Dad: “The 5pm to Plymouth.” Magnus Magnusson: “Correct.”

Met on board by a steward with a clipboard, I’m shown to my neat cabin, then have a quiet drink in the lounge car as we pull away from platform one to views of a moonlit sea, and we are off.

The night sleeper from Penzance to London dawdles for 255 miles over eight hours throughout the night. It is the earthbound tortoise to the flying hare alternative, but what the rail service lacks in speed it delivers in spirit. I cannot enter my cabin on the moving night train without conjuring Poirot (Finney, not Branagh) .

I sleep in harmony with the rocking carriage, the rhythm of wheel on rail, a seduction of metal movement and memory. I’m heading to London on business and we arrive at 6am. I raise the blind an inch and spot a bronze bear with a bronze hat leaning on some bronze luggage. There is no commuter stampede on platform one, the night travellers leave as they rise.

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Fifteen hours later I’m back in Paddington to take the 10.45pm Cornish Riviera sleeper to Penzance, my second consecutive night on a train. This, though, is the best of all possible journeys for we are heading west; it is the journey home.

Dad scored 14 points on his specialist subject, beaten, alas, by “Roman emperors of the first and second centuries”. Christopher Morris

The Coastliner from Leeds to Whitby

Golden city walls, flowering woods and heathery moorland shift slowly past the window. The 75-mile trip between Leeds and Whitby takes 3½ hours on the Coastliner 840 bus . It’s not the quickest way to cover this epic stretch of Yorkshire countryside, but it’s my favourite.

This is a route I have travelled in all seasons: when spring daffs line the beck under pink-and-white blossom, and as the August moors turn purple under blazing blue. Autumn sees the Howardian Hills splashed with ochre and the bronze-brackened uplands stretching out towards the sea. And winter brings changeable dramatic skies, sudden sheets of sleet across the windows, and early sunsets silhouetting ruined Whitby Abbey on its cliff above the Esk.

Over the years, I have got off almost everywhere along the route: to eat raspberry gelato in Malton’s Talbot Yard , to admire 15th-century wall paintings in Pickering’s St Peter and St Paul’s church , and to stroll through autumnal larches in Dalby Forest up to the Fox and Rabbit Inn . But it’s the journey that delights me, especially the last hour. In 2018, the route was voted Britain’s most scenic bus ride and an onboard commentary was introduced.

Heading upstairs for the tables and big front windows, I meet other 840 superfans. One says she catches this bus every other day and never gets tired of the views; another likes to travel weekly from Whitby to Malton for “the scenery, a browse in the charity shops and a cheeky half in the Spotted Cow”.

The less scenic stretch between Leeds and York serves schoolchildren, shoppers and commuters. The less-frequent 840 buses beyond Malton might have a handful of passengers in winter, but in summer can fill up with daytrippers clutching towels and deflated lilos.

For those of us who love this journey, the long meditative miles of drystone wall and cow parsley, spacious landscapes and big skies are an end in themselves. Each journey reveals something new: a glimpse of viaduct along the River Wharfe in Tadcaster or the alien pyramid of RAF Fylingdales’ radar system.

The 840 is one of the best bargains created by the £2 bus fare cap , now extended until December 2024. Before this, a day ticket was £19. Matt Burley, commercial manager at Transdev, which runs the Coastliner, tells me the company is proud of Britain’s most scenic bus route and healthy passenger numbers: “With fares no more than £2, we’re seeing lots of customers travelling with us.”

On the top deck, I unwrap my sandwiches and look out at the unfurling vastness of the moors. Phoebe Taplin

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Rumors of King Charles Touring Australia amid Cancer Re-Emerge as Source Says Nothing Has Been Ruled Out

The King's nephew recently shared that the monarch is "hugely frustrated" that he "do everything that he wants to be able to do" amid cancer treatment

Stephanie Petit is a Royals Editor, Writer and Reporter at PEOPLE.

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King Charles ' first trip Down Under as monarch is still up in the air amid his cancer treatment .

After Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said last month that the country is "preparing for a possible visit from His Majesty The King to Australia later this year," new reports say the King, 75, is prepping for the visit to occur this fall.

A royal source guides that nothing has been ruled out or in as they look ahead to the fall and planning continues for future engagements, but it is all subject to medical advice and there may be adaptations where necessary at the time. Overseas visits would not and could not be confirmed until nearer the time.

Before news of his cancer diagnosis, King Charles was widely expected to travel to Australia around the time of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM), which is being held in Samoa and scheduled to kick off on Oct. 24. Since Australia is a Commonwealth realm, they recognize the British monarch as their head of state.

"The King has shown his compassion for Australians affected by recent natural disasters, just as Australians have shown compassion and support for the King following his cancer diagnosis," Albanese said last month. "The King, Queen and members of the royal family are always welcome in Australia. My government is engaging with states and territories on options for a possible royal visit."

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A royal source recently told PEOPLE that the monarch and his team are thinking about a summer schedule amid "amplified confidence" in light of the sophisticated cancer treatment he is receiving, adding that the King is "positive" and his doctors "are optimistic."

While he's continued to work behind the scenes, King Charles' royal engagements have been restricted to small numbers of people since the palace  revealed his cancer diagnosis  on Feb. 5, However, towards the summer when the risk of airborne illnesses eases, larger events could take place outside – such as  Trooping the Colour , the annual public celebration of the monarch's birthday set for June 15 this year.

"One thing that has been wholly undiminished is his appetite for work," the royal source added.

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Peter Phillips , the King's nephew, recently said the monarch is "very keen to get back to a form of normality."

“I think, ultimately, he's hugely frustrated . He's frustrated that he can't get on and do everything that he wants to be able to do," Princess Anne's son said on Sky News Australia 's  The   Royal Report. “But he is very pragmatic, [and] he understands that there's a period of time that he really needs to focus on himself."

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In a promising sign of his progress, King Charles made his first major public appearance since his cancer news on Easter to attend church with members of the royal family. After the mass at St. George's Chapel in Windsor Castle, the monarch and  Queen Camilla  briefly  greeted members of the public on a surprise walkabout.

"Get well soon, Your Majesty," a woman said in a video shared to  X  by Rebecca English of the  Daily Mail , prompting the King to reply, " I'm doing my best! "

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