Dreamtime Southern X, SydneyCredit: Destination NSW
Group enjoying a Dreamtime Southern X tour with Marget Campbell at Balls Head, Waverton in Sydney.
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With 60,000 years of living Aboriginal heritage, New South Wales is a treasure trove of cultural wonders, with many of them hidden in plain sight. And whether you’re being moved by the timeless heartbeat embedded in Sydney’s streetscapes or exploring ancient trails across the Outback, Aboriginal cultural tours can refresh your perspective and deepen your connection to this ever-surprising state. This handpicked selection of some of NSW’s most sought-after Aboriginal-led experiences will see you enjoying art, food, cruises, iconic landmarks and wild landscapes through First Nations eyes.
Explore Sydney’s rich Aboriginal heritage
Prepare to be moved as you learn of the extraordinary relationship Sydney’s first inhabitants share with Sydney Harbour on Dreamtime Southern X’s The Rocks Aboriginal Dreaming Tour (Illi Langi). Soak up an astonishing depth of knowledge as you join Dunghutti-Jerrinjha Elder ‘Aunty’ Margret Campbell or one of her fellow guides on a 90-minute walking tour of The Rocks, and come away with a fresh perspective on this storied harbour and its foreshores.
See Sydney Harbour through Indigenous eyes on BridgeClimb Sydney’s Burrawa Indigenous Experience. Experience a heady combination of exhilaration and amazement as you ascend to the summit of the Sydney Harbour Bridge, taking in panoramic views of the Rocks and Circular Quay below as your Indigenous guide shares fascinating stories of Sydney’s Aboriginal past and present. Then take the water on a two-hour cultural cruise to hear stories of Sydney Harbour with Tribal Warrior.
Expand your understanding of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures at the Australian Museum , or spend a memorable evening surrounded by First Nations art at the Art Gallery of New South Wales on the Yiribana Experience. Here you can explore the gallery’s renowned Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander art collection with an Aboriginal host before tucking into a five-course meal featuring native ingredients and complemented by paired wines.
Get a taste for bush foods on an Aboriginal Bush Tucker Tour in The Royal Botanic Garden Sydney. And breathe in the salty air at Barangaroo Reserve, a culturally significant harbour headland a short walk from The Rocks, as your Barangaroo Aboriginal Cultural Tours guide explains how the Gadigal people, the first inhabitants of the area, used the native plants found in the reserve as food and medicine and for cultural practices.
Aboriginal Tour, Royal Botanic Garden Sydney Credit: Destination NSW
Guests learning about the rich Aboriginal culture of the Gadigal people on a guided tour in the Royal Botanic Garden Sydney.
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Aboriginal Tour, Royal Botanic Garden Sydney Credit: Destination NSW
Guests learning about the rich Aboriginal culture of the Gadigal people on a guided tour in the Royal Botanic Garden Sydney.
BridgeClimb, Sydney Credit: Destination NSW
Family enjoying the Burrawa Indigenous Experience at BridgeClimb, Sydney.
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BridgeClimb, Sydney Credit: Destination NSW
Family enjoying the Burrawa Indigenous Experience at BridgeClimb, Sydney.
Discover the north’s ancient landscapes
Savour the unique experience of being serenaded by a didgeridoo played by Elder Kevin ‘Gavi’ Duncan before tasting bush foods paired with botanical wines infused with native ingredients with Firescreek Botanical Winery Aboriginal Experiences on the Central Coast, 75 minutes north of Sydney. Or get a thrill zooming around the southern hemisphere’s largest shifting coastal sand dunes in nearby Port Stephens with Sand Dune Adventures, which runs quad-biking tours in the private Worimi Conservation Lands.
See the ocean in a new light as you hear the story of how waves were created on a Gaagal Yuludarla (Ocean Dreaming) tour or delve into the heritage of Gaagal Wanggaan (South Beach) National Park with Unkya Cultural EcoTours at Scotts Head on the NSW North Coast, a five-hour drive north of Sydney.
Follow the coastal highway north another 50 minutes to explore the idyllic creeks of the Coffs Coast on a stand-up paddleboarding experience with Wajaana Yaam Adventure Tours. Admire the fish darting through crystal clear waters as your Aboriginal guide brings the Dreaming to life, and introduces you to some coastal bush tucker.
Imagine what the iconic tourist town of Byron Bay on the Far North Coast was like before colonisation on a walking tour of Cape Byron led by Arakwal Bundjalung woman Delta Kay from Explore Byron Bay. Drift back to the Dreaming as Creation stories are shared in the shade of towering gum trees home to the odd dozing koala, and taste delicious bush tucker hiding in plain sight. Or treat yourself to a private tour hosted in Byron Bay, Bangalow or Broken Head
Stockton Sand Dunes, Port Stephens Credit: Destination NSW
Quad biking experience on the Stockton Sand Dunes in the Worimi Conservation Lands, Port Stephens.
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Stockton Sand Dunes, Port Stephens Credit: Destination NSW
Quad biking experience on the Stockton Sand Dunes in the Worimi Conservation Lands, Port Stephens.
Explore Byron Bay, Bangalow Credit: Destination NSW
Explore Byron Bay located in the Bangalow Parklands in the Byron Hinterland, guided by Delta Kay an Arakwal Bundjalung woman passionate about sharing local Aboriginal culture. Guests hear about Aboriginal existence before colonisation including how Bundjalung people cared for and preserved the land. Delta teaches some Bundjalung and provides information about local bush tucker, natural medicine, tools, weapons and artefacts.
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Explore Byron Bay, Bangalow Credit: Destination NSW
Explore Byron Bay located in the Bangalow Parklands in the Byron Hinterland, guided by Delta Kay an Arakwal Bundjalung woman passionate about sharing local Aboriginal culture. Guests hear about Aboriginal existence before colonisation including how Bundjalung people cared for and preserved the land. Delta teaches some Bundjalung and provides information about local bush tucker, natural medicine, tools, weapons and artefacts.
Soak up the south’s cultural wonders
Drink in a wealth of knowledge in the Riverina region as Wiradjuri guide Mark Saddler of Bundyi Aboriginal Cultural Knowledge takes you on a cultural tour of the riverside city of Wagga Wagga and surrounds. Spot living artefacts alongside the Murrumbidgee River on his Aboriginal Walkabout Tour and feel the spirituality of important sites visited on an Aboriginal Special Places Tour.
Admire the craftsmanship of the boomerangs, didgeridoos and clapsticks on display in Wiradjuri Elder Michael Lyons’s Sandhills Artefacts gallery in nearby Narrandera before joining him on a cultural tour to sacred birthing rocks and caves along the Murrumbidgee.
Revel in the wild and rugged scenery of Kosciuszko National Park on a five-night kayaking adventure with Alpine River Adventures. Paddle and camp in the rugged Byadbo Wilderness with your Aboriginal guide on this unforgettable experience on a remote section of the Snowy River, home to a number of significant cultural sites.
Broaden your horizons in Yuin Country on the South Coast of NSW. Explore the Aboriginal cultural heritage of the Shoalhaven, around three hours south of Sydney, on a bespoke experience crafted by Djiriba Waagura. Join one of their regular group cultural bushwalks, beginning with a grounding Welcome to Country ceremony.
Feel culture all around you as you follow a coastal Dreaming track dotted with middens (ancient piles of shells and bones) in Eurobodalla National Park near Moruya with a local Elder from Minga Cultural Experiences. Also based in the Eurobodalla region, directly south of the Shoalhaven, Southbound Escapes offers a range of experiences in partnership with local Aboriginal guides – feel transformed by a
Bingi Dreaming Walking Tour with Yuin Nation knowledge holder Patricia Ellis or cruise Narooma’s serene turquoise Wagonga Inlet with Nar-Oo-Ma Aboriginal Cultural Tours.
Reflect on Aboriginal wisdom on the two-night Yuin Retreat hosted by Ngaran Ngaran Culture Awareness near Narooma. Hear sacred Dreaming stories passed down over generations as you walk on Country, bear witness to traditional ceremonies around a crackling campfire, and savour gourmet catering showcasing native ingredients.
Bundyi Cultural Tours, Wagga Wagga Credit: Destination NSW
Bundyi Cultural Tours, Wagga Wagga. Bundyi Cultural Tours specialise in sharing Wiradjuri/Aboriginal culture on full and half day tours by bus or 4WD. A 2 hour walking tour is now also available. All tours are conducted by Mark Saddler, a proud Wiradjuri man from whom visitors can learn about the oldest people and culture in the world.
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Bundyi Cultural Tours, Wagga Wagga Credit: Destination NSW
Bundyi Cultural Tours, Wagga Wagga. Bundyi Cultural Tours specialise in sharing Wiradjuri/Aboriginal culture on full and half day tours by bus or 4WD. A 2 hour walking tour is now also available. All tours are conducted by Mark Saddler, a proud Wiradjuri man from whom visitors can learn about the oldest people and culture in the world.
Sandhills Artefacts, Narrandera Credit: Narrandera Tourism
Wiradjuri Elder Michael Lyons leading a cultural tour at Sandhill Artefacts, Narrandera.
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Sandhills Artefacts, Narrandera Credit: Narrandera Tourism
Wiradjuri Elder Michael Lyons leading a cultural tour at Sandhill Artefacts, Narrandera.
Go west to meet the Outback’s Traditional Custodians
Immerse yourself in Aboriginal culture in major towns throughout the vast Central West plains of Country NSW. Absorb the ancestral learnings of Wiradjuri Elders on half-day and full-day Aboriginal-led cultural tours to notable sites around Bathurst, a three-hour drive west of Sydney.
Be astounded by the breadth of knowledge imparted by Gerald Power of Indigenous Cultural Adventures in the renowned wine region of Orange. His food-focused cultural tours begin in a local bush tucker garden before venturing out of town to visit ceremonial grounds and other significant sites.
Surrender to the mesmerising open road to Outback NSW and explore Mutawintji National Park, less than three-hours’ drive from the outback city of Broken Hill, where the Mutawintji Cultural Festival celebrates the region’s extraordinary First Nations heritage.
Mutawintji National Park, Mutawintji Credit: Destination NSW
Couple enjoying a visit to Mutawintji National Park, Mutawintji.
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Mutawintji National Park, Mutawintji Credit: Destination NSW
Couple enjoying a visit to Mutawintji National Park, Mutawintji.
Indigenous Cultural Adventures, Orange Credit: Destination NSW
Native plants shown on a tour with Indigenous Cultural Adventures, Orange.
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Indigenous Cultural Adventures, Orange Credit: Destination NSW
Native plants shown on a tour with Indigenous Cultural Adventures, Orange.
Sea Cliff Bridge, CliftonCredit: Destination NSW
Sun rising over the Sea Cliff Bridge, Clifton.
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Buckle up for a spectacular journey exploring the Grand Pacific Drive, taking in rugged coastal cliffs, pretty beachside towns and secluded stretches of sand, stopping in at wineries and immersing in pockets of rainforest all within easy reach of Sydney.
Coast along ocean roads
Heading south from central Sydney, your journey begins well before the official starting point of the Grand Pacific Drive. Relish an increasing sense of freedom as you leave Sydney’s southern suburbs behind and find yourself driving through the open coastal bushland of the Royal National Park. Cruise into the first-ever declared national park in the country for an invigorating hike along one of the many walking trails in this expansive oceanside nature reserve, or make memories when you come face to furry face with a koala at Symbio Wildlife Park, immediately south of the Royal National Park in Helensburgh.
Follow the winding road down the steep escarpment from the Royal National Park to begin your Grand Pacific Drive odyssey by cruising along the spectacular Sea Cliff Bridge, which winds for 665m around sheer cliff faces with the waves of the Pacific Ocean crashing below. Rest and recharge with coffee and a refreshing swim at one of the beachside villages along the coastal road, such as Austinmer, before continuing on to Wollongong, NSW’s third-largest city. Here you can immerse in Aboriginal, Asian, colonial and contemporary art at Wollongong Art Gallery, tour fascinating Nan Tien Temple, the largest Buddhist temple in the southern hemisphere, or dive under the waves at one of the city’s golden beaches.
Hug the coastline as you leave Wollongong bound for the stunning surf beaches of Shellharbour, taking in the bird-rich expanses of Lake Illawarra to your right and the deep blue of the ocean to your left along the way. Marvel at the skill of surfers catching powerful waves at Minnamurra Beach and Killalea Beach, which together form the Killalea National Surfing Reserve. Join awestruck locals at Minnamurra Whale Watching Platform to spot majestic humpback whales making their way along the coast on their annual migration from Antarctica from May to July and from September to November.
Symbio Wildlife Park, Helensburgh Credit: Destination NSW
Friendly koala at Symbio Wildlife Park, Helensburgh in the Illawarra region.
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Symbio Wildlife Park, Helensburgh Credit: Destination NSW
Friendly koala at Symbio Wildlife Park, Helensburgh in the Illawarra region.
Minnamurra River, NSW Credit: Destination NSW
Friends kayaking on the Minnamurra River on the NSW South Coast
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Minnamurra River, NSW Credit: Destination NSW
Friends kayaking on the Minnamurra River on the NSW South Coast
Have a blast in Kiama
Jump back in your car for the short drive to Kiama, a pretty beachside town that’s best known as the home of the world’s largest blowhole. Glory to the power of nature as the ocean sprays water 30m into the sky at the Kiama Blowhole before following the Kiama Coast Walk track to Little Blowhole and a seemingly never-ending series of scenic headlands and bays. Recharge after a bracing coastal walk with a wholesome burger at Kiama’s Hungry Monkey, or graze on the all-day brunch menu at Diggies Kiama. Linger longer and top up your ‘vitamin sea’ levels while taking in the ocean views from your room at one of the many accommodation options in Kiama.
Rejoin Princes Highway for the 10-minute drive to Crooked River Wines, to sample fine wines and craft beer and slide down freshly shucked South Coast oysters, before the short drive to Gerringong, a classic beach town where the allure of the laidback lifestyle is hard to resist. Slip back into the swimsuit you’ve left drying in the back of the car for a revitalising dip at Gerringong’s Werri Beach before easing into a seat at The Hill Bar and Kitchen for a post-swim snack of locally sourced seafood or perhaps an ale or a glass of wine.
Cruise from Gerringong through lush coastal farmland to the village of Gerroa for a soul-soothing walk along the white sands of Seven Mile Beach before checking into a beach house looking out over the ocean. Or steer your car back onto the coastal road to cross into Seven Mile Beach National Park and the start of the Shoalhaven region. Settle in to a secluded luxury suite at Bangalay Luxury Villas at Shoalhaven Heads, at the southern end of Seven Mile Beach, to rest before communing with the ocean on a sunset stroll. Complete a memorable day of exploration by indulging in incredible food incorporating native ingredients and locally sourced and foraged ingredients at the in-house restaurant Bangalay Dining.
Seven Mile Beach, Gerroa/Shoalhaven Heads Credit: Destination NSW
Surfer catching waves at Seven Mile Beach which stretches from Gerroa to Shoalhaven Heads.
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Seven Mile Beach, Gerroa/Shoalhaven Heads Credit: Destination NSW
Surfer catching waves at Seven Mile Beach which stretches from Gerroa to Shoalhaven Heads.
Bangalay Dining, Shoalhaven Heads Credit: Anna Wiewiora
The breezy Bangalay Dining restaurant at Bangalay Luxury Villas in Shoalhaven Heads.
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Bangalay Dining, Shoalhaven Heads Credit: Anna Wiewiora
The breezy Bangalay Dining restaurant at Bangalay Luxury Villas in Shoalhaven Heads.
Go wild in Jervis Bay
Keep the good times coming by sampling your way south at the wineries of the Shoalhaven Wine Coast, including Coolangatta Estate and Mountain Ridge Wines, both around a five-minute drive from Bangalay Luxury Villas. Then follow the Shoalhaven River inland and cross the placid waterway on the outskirts of Nowra, the largest town in the region.
Refuel yourself and your car before the 20-minute drive from Nowra to the sheltered waters of Jervis Bay. Here you can splash around on powder-white, tree-lined beaches or hire a kayak from Sea Kayak Jervis Bay to paddle the clear waters of Jervis Bay Marine Park while spotting dolphins, seabirds and penguins. Take a scenic cruise with Dolphin Watch Cruises for a thrilling encounter with bottlenose dolphins — and with migrating humpback whales in winter and spring. Or slide under the waves and swim with seals and colourful reef fish with Dive Jervis Bay.
Relish an unusual wine pairing with a Whales & Wine tour, combining tastings at two local vineyards with a two-hour whale-watching cruise around the bay. And bliss out in a cottage or glamping tent at The Woods Farm or retreat to an elevated safari-style luxury tent at Paperbark Camp to restore your energy levels ahead of another memorable day on the bay.
Coolangatta Estate, Shoalhaven Heads Credit: Destination NSW
Sun setting over the scenic grounds of Coolangatta Estate, Shoalhaven Heads.
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Coolangatta Estate, Shoalhaven Heads Credit: Destination NSW
Sun setting over the scenic grounds of Coolangatta Estate, Shoalhaven Heads.
Dolphin Watch Cruises, Jervis Bay Credit: Somethingswild
Sun rising over Huskisson Wharf in Jervis Bay.
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Dolphin Watch Cruises, Jervis Bay Credit: Somethingswild
Sun rising over Huskisson Wharf in Jervis Bay.