See the other side of Byron
Turn your back on the BEACH and sample Byron Shire’s other DELIGHTS.
BYRON BAY IS FIXED in most people’s imaginations as a laid-back coastal idyll, where the Hollywood A-listers Chris and Liam Hemsworth catch waves with their fellow locals, and shoes – and sometimes shirts – are optional most of the time. Sun, sea and surf in endless supply.
But Byron Shire boasts more than just beaches. Heading inland from the coast to Byron’s lush hinterland will deposit you in any number of quaint villages and towns that are definitely worth exploration.
Set course south-west out of Byron itself and don’t stop until you reach the delightful town of Bangalow, an easy 15-kilometre drive through lush vegetation. Bangalow, with a modest population of just a few thousand, is a picture-postcard proposition – its main street lined with heritage shopfronts and cafes, and shopping in abundance.
Score a table under the wide verandah at Woods cafe, a sister to Byron Bay’s popular Folk, and order brunch from the plant-based, ethically sourced menu, which is also packed with gluten-free options. The feel here is relaxed and the staff are happy to make small tweaks to the menu staples to accommodate dietary requirements. The cafe is part of a collection of shops and galleries at 10 Station Street that includes an outpost of Assembly Label and local fashion brand Rowie.
Other stand-out shops you will want to browse include Bangalow Pharmacy, with its wooden shelves stocked with scents, lotions, potions and candles from the likes of Aesop, Santa Maria Novella and Cire Trudon, as well as light-as-air ceramics from France and Lucy Folk jewellery; local slow-fashion label Queen Mab’s, whose pieces are rendered in impactful wax block print fabrics imported from the Netherlands; and Our Corner
Store, a modern take on the general store. And make sure you take five minutes to duck into the Bangalow Hotel to see its lovely Art Deco interiors.
The sleepy town of Mullumbimby, 24 kilometres north from Byron, is all abuzz come Friday, when the local farmers’ market takes up residence in the showground from 7am until 11am; expect locally grown and organic produce, raw-food treats, handmade candles and fashions with a bright, breezy, hippy vibe.
Newrybar is another cute country town that has become something of a hotspot, with local creatives setting up shop here. Many can be found at Newrybar Merchants, a collective of “local artisans and curators of fine goods” that includes ethically produced kids’ clothing and decor, eclectic homewares and a pretty florist that supports small-scale flower farmers. Any trip to the town has to also include a visit to the celebrated Harvest, with its artisan deli, bakery (using a 116-year-old wood-fired oven to produce its loaves) and a continually hatted restaurant.
A 15-minute drive from Newrybar you will find the last piece of the Byron hinterland puzzle: The Farm Byron Bay, another collective that includes a market garden, grazing cattle, nursery, bakery and restaurant from the Three Blue Ducks crew.
REDISCOVER CRADLE MOUNTAIN LODGE
Sure, we’re a sucker for a slick new design hotel or a carefully curated Airbnb, but we have a particular soft spot for a classic, too. Especially if that classic sits right on the doorstep of Tasmania’s spectacular, World Heritage-listed Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park.
Cradle Mountain Lodge is widely considered one of Australia’s iconic wilderness experiences. Part of the Peppers portfolio of exclusive retreats since 2012, it has seen many changes since it opened as Pencil Pine Lodge, with seven guest rooms and two bathrooms and aimed squarely at passing fishermen and bushwalkers, in 1971. And it owes something of its existence to the pioneering Austrian botanist Gustav Weindorfer who developed the first accommodation in Tasmania’s Central Highlands in the early 1900s and would later be instrumental in the land here being proclaimed a national park in 1922. First of all, he built his own modest hut Waldheim (Forest Home), and then extended it into primitive accommodation in order to show off this wildly beautiful part of the world to friends and acquaintances willing to trade contemporary conveniences for the chance to experience the magnificent scenery; back then the large cast-iron bath would have been carried in by Weindorfer over many kilometres of trackless bushland.
Presumably, no such intrepid cross-country stunts were pulled in the making of Cradle Mountain Lodge as we see it today, newly refurbished, and nor do guests need to forgo any convenience for the immense privilege of being among unspoilt nature. But there is a little bit of Waldheim here: namely in the Waldheim Alpine Spa – with its views of fresh mountain streams curling around King Billy pines as indulgent as the treatments themselves.
A two-hour scenic drive from Launceston, Cradle Mountain Lodge is set lightly on this landscape and offers four different styles of accommodation, from the contemporary Pencil Pine Cabins to the luxurious King Billy Suites. It has the timeless feel of an alpine lodge and all the added benefits of Tasmanian produce, wine and warm hospitality.
But of course, the main reason you’re here is to explore the icons of the Tasmanian wilderness that are the towering Cradle Mountain with its ragged twin peaks and the picturesque Dove Lake that lies, mirror-like, at its foot. Some of the mountain’s best – and easiest – hikes leave from the doorstep of Cradle Mountain Lodge. Choose from over 20 different self-guided walking tracks, ranging from gentle meanders through buttongrass plains and moss myrtle forests to clambering to the top of Dove Canyon (with views of Cradle Mountain on a clear day), and the Dove Lake circuit walk, a six-kilometre jaunt and one of Tasmania’s best short walks. And if you are game for taking on the Cradle Mountain summit hike itself, what better way to reward yourself than with a session in the Sanctuary – the Waldheim Alpine Spa’s dedicated therapeutic area, followed by a room-service platter of Tasmanian cheese by the log fire?
WITH AN incredible location encircled by the Great Barrier Reef ’s jewelled waters, a staggering wealth of pristine natural beauty, a long heritage in hospitality, and activities to suit all comers, this tropical oasis in the Whitsundays is a repeat favourite on bucket lists. But if you’re yet to experience this haven firsthand, here are four reasons to make the iconic island your next escape.
ICONIC DESTINATION:
A tropical island escape
It’s difficult to refrain from using the word ‘breathtaking’ to describe the beauty of the island’s location, but even this old cliché barely does the place justice. As part of the Whitsundays, yes, will snatch your breath away with its dazzling reef, azure waters, brilliant-white sands, and palm-edged beaches. Icons don’t come much more obvious than this, yet it never loses its lustre as a must-visit holiday destination. And how could it? Offering incredible coral reefs, warm waters and seemingly endless sunshine, the island is also wonderfully easy to visit thanks to its own jet-accessible airport.
ICONIC NATURE: Heart Reef Whether you prefer to be a spectator to the surrounding natural wonder or are keen to get involved, Hamilton Island offers the perfect place from which to discover one of the reef ’s greatest icons, Heart Reef.
From the air, this sweet coral formation is a marvel to behold. Its heart shape rendered in tropical-blue shades almost looks purposefully created, but nature is the true artist here.
has a private pontoon helipad for the exclusive use of Hamilton Island guests. The sustainably built pontoon is only accessible to six guests at a time via helicopter. Once you descend, take a glassbottomed boat ride to the reef ’s lagoons for a snorkelling experience unlike any other.
ICONIC LUXURY: qualia
This world-class resort encompasses a uniquely Australian luxury with an aesthetic that is both welcoming and relaxed. As if the sweeping views alone weren’t enough to have you enamoured at first sight, qualia’s harmonious and sensitive design will leave you deeply committed to a return stay. This is indulgence at its most laid-back with each of the 60 elegantly appointed pavilions enveloped by native bush and swathed in vistas of the Coral Sea and neighbouring islands. If you can summon the energy to leave your lodgings, you can enjoy the resort’s two infinity pools, incredible restaurants and indulgent spa. You might even spot a celebrity.
ICONIC EXPERIENCE: A perfect holiday
WHILE the COVID-19 pandemic has curtailed the staging of the country’s vibrant Indigenous art fairs this year and prevented visitors from interacting with artists in person at outback and remote art centres, many are now coming up with innovative new ways to present, interact with and purchase art (while still ensuring that money goes directly to the artists and communities); they are also planning to return bigger and better in the future. Add these fairs and centres to your dreaming list and visit the websites to keep track of virtual programs and 2021 dates.
Taking place on Larrakia Country at the Darwin Convention Centre, this annual fair (now in its 14th year in 2020) held in August has become one of the largest gatherings of established and emerging Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists in the country. Showcasing the works (including paintings on canvas and paper, bark paintings, sculpture, didgeridoos and woven pieces) of more than 70 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islands art centres, representing some 2000 artists, the fair program includes artist talks, Indigenous food experiences and cultural performances. Due to the travel restrictions in place as part of the COVID-19 pandemic, this year’s fair will be the first-ever completely digital offering, with sales and events taking place on the DAAF website and social channels. This year’s program will also include the inaugural National Indigenous Fashion Awards, a celebration of creativity and innovation in fashion and fabric design by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander designers and artists. One thing that won’t change at this year’s fair, however, is the commitment to ensuring 100 per cent of the money made through the sale of artworks (a total of $11.6 million in the last five years) goes to the artists and their communities.
DARWIN ABORIGINAL ARTS FAIR (DAAF)
Celebrating 30 years in 2020, this event takes place during September and October at the Araluen Arts Centre in Alice Springs and features works of art from the 35 Desart-member art centres
DESERT MOB
TRACE AN ANCIENT SONGLINE ALONG THE DAMPIER PENINSULA
Acacias flower, raucous red-winged parrots breed and flocks of cockatoos feed on the bush onions during the dry Barrgana season on Western Australia’s Dampier Peninsula. Kangaroos are well-fed and fat, lizards hibernate underground and a sea mist moves inland on cool nights. This is prime walking season for the Lurujarri Dreaming Trail, which travels north of Broome along the coast of the Dampier Peninsula just a few times per year between June and August. A nine-day walk with Goolarabooloo traditional owners following a songline, this is an exercise not in ‘arriving’ anywhere, but in experiencing what it is to live on Country. You’ll walk on coastal sand dunes (the meaning of Lurujarri) scattered with midden sites and overlooking the Indian Ocean and red pindan cliffs of the Kimberley; on beach, reef and through bush, mangroves and salt plains. You’ll cook on fires, wash in the sea and use the same camping spots that have been used for thousands of years in a true example of sustainable living. You might even find yourself seeking out timber for impromptu carving workshops – and making anything from (boomerangs),
(water bowls) or (clapping sticks).
The Lurujarri Heritage Trail has been running for 32 years and was established by the author Paddy Roe to encourage the members of his Goolarabooloo community to start walking on Country again, to renew and stay connected to their roots and traditional skills by tracing this songline; think of it as an oral heritage map – something that keeps the body of cultural knowledge known as Bugarregarre, the Dreaming, alive. Right from the start, Roe sought to share this ancient culture with outsiders and in 1991 he was awarded an Order of Australia Medal for his facilitation of cross-cultural understanding.
karli cumbuk coolamon
FOR HER EYES ONLY: PLAN A WOMEN’S ONLY TOUR OF ARNHEM LAND
The Yolngu people of Arnhem Land, located in the Top End of the Northern Territory, have a profound attachment to the land that has housed and nourished them for millennia. Indeed, they describe it as their mother. This relationship is at the centre of a visit to this area, and none more so than Lirrwi Tourism’s women’s only Gay’Wu dilly bag tour. Conducted entirely by Yolngu women (Lirrwi Tourism was established a decade ago in the hope of creating a new economy for Yolngu people in Arnhem Land through tourism), the tour gives an insight into the strictly defined rituals and practices that women undertake within the society, and gives insight into the bush, the universe, the sky and the ancestors. It also allows for a deeper connection with and appreciation of the environment, something that is definitely not culturally exclusive. During this five-day small-group tour, women and girls will learn about everything from bush medicine and weaving to kinship and astrology, and experience traditions like a crying ceremony and gathering mud crabs. It might also include a day trip into one of the remote Yolngu communities found in Arnhem Land, and always finishes with a visit to the Buku-Larrnggay art centre in Yirrkala, considered one of the best in the country. The 2021 season runs from April to October.
A TRADITIONAL PERSPECTIVE ON THE FLINDERS RANGES
In 2016, the Flinders Ranges National Park was officially renamed Ikara-Flinders Ranges National Park to incorporate the traditional name, meaning ‘meeting place’, of its star attraction, Wilpena Pound. And with the only accommodation within the park, Wilpena Pound Resort, under the aegis of the traditional Adnyamathanha owners, you’re all but guaranteed an authentic immersion here. Take part in any number of its Aboriginal Cultural Tours, from a Yura Udnyu stroll to Old Wilpena Station to a guided cultural walk to Sacred Canyon to see ancient rock engravings. And take a self-guided scenic drive to Arkaroo Rock – a particularly important Aboriginal art site in the Flinders Ranges featuring ochre and charcoal images depicting the creation of Wilpena Pound.
Some 200 kilometres north-east of here lies Vulkathunha-Gammon Ranges National Park. The spectacular terrain of this Northern Flinders Ranges park is crowned by a vast salt lake, Lake Frome – or Munda – which plays an important role in the lives of the Adnyamathanha people. Hiking trails will take you deep into the heart of the rugged landscape, but your best bet is to sign up for a journey with Indigenous owned and operated Iga Warta, which has a range of tours and activities that shine a light on Adnyamathanha culture and the rules for living from the Muda (Dreaming). Opt for an overnight camping trip, with its privileged views of sunrises and sunsets over the ephemeral salt lake.
St Mary Peak, the highest summit in the Flinders Ranges, is central to the Adnyamathanha creation story, as Uluru is to Anangu. And while its circuit trail is part of the popular Wilpena Pound circuit, its traditional owners prefer that visitors don’t climb the summit and advise stopping at Tanderra Saddle.
NEED TO KNOW
The seaside city of Geraldton on Western Australia’s Coral Coast (see #33) supports a proud Indigenous culture and the Yamaji Drive Trail is testament to this. Looping together 14 sites of significance to local Aboriginal communities, the 195-kilometre trail takes in natural beauty, art and history and can be driven in one to two days at leisure, beginning at Champion Bay (Jambinu). For thousands of years, this white-sand city beach provided shelter and fishing ground for Aboriginal people from across the Midwest, known collectively as Yamaji. From here the trail takes in the cast bronze and ceramic
midden sites and more around town before heading south.
From the historic town of Greenough, amble along the Greenough River Nature Walk Trail and visit freshwater Bootenal Spring, believed to be the site of confrontations between local Aboriginal people and early settlers. Then head east to Ellendale Pool, a waterhole and campground that makes for a dreamy swimming and overnight spot; encased by giant gums and a rocky gorge, the site is watched over by Bimarra the Serpent.
Continue east to the wildflower town of Mullewa and the red-dirt landscapes of the lower Murchison (above); the tour ends at Butterabby Graves site, a place of conflict between First Nations people and pastoralists. Visit Geraldton Visitor Centre to pick up a trail map.
(Things Belonging to the Sky) Sculpture, Ilgarijiri
Since the 1980s the Aboriginal people of Cape York have celebrated their culture though song and dance at the Laura Dance Festival. Held every two years, the much-anticipated festival draws in thousands of visitors to watch local dance groups from 20 communities vying for the winner’s shield.
LAURA DANCE FESTIVAL, QLD WINDS OF ZENADTH CULTURAL FESTIVAL, QLD
This unique biennial event sees the communities of the Torres Strait Islands descend on Thursday Island for a celebration of their diverse cultures. Over four days this small isle is buzzing with activities, from boat races to storytelling and a showcase of local island cuisine.
What really sets The Karijini Experience event apart is its location in the remote and simply breathtaking Karijini National Park. The four-day program features around 50 events such as meditation and yoga in the ancient rugged landscape, guided cultural walks, film screenings under the stars, bush tucker high tea and more.
THE KARIJINI EXPERIENCE,WA
Part of Byron Bay’s long-running Bluesfest, Boomerang Festival is a showcase of local and regional Indigenous music, with artists coming from all over the country, the Torres Strait Islands and even Papua New Guinea. Festival-goers can partake in musical workshops, watch dance rituals and join thought-provoking cultural exchanges.
Held at the O’Donnell Gardens – a significant meeting place for traditional owners – Yalukut Weelam Ngargee is one of Melbourne’s largest cultural festivals. The busy one-day schedule features different spaces to watch cultural performances and cooking demonstrations of native foods, and to partake in craft workshops such as basket weaving and face painting. You can also browse the food and market stalls.
YALUK-UT WEELAM NGARGEE,VIC
GO DEEP INTO Quinkan Country with a 100 per cent Indigenous owned and operated company to explore one of the top 10 rock art sites in the world according to UNESCO.
Jarramali Rock Art Tours might have only been operating for three years but the ground it covers, the Quinkan rock art sites found in the sandstone escarpments outside of Laura in Tropical North Queensland, is eternal.
Depart from Cairns or Port Douglas in a 4WD or fly in via a scenic helicopter ride from Cairns or Laura. Choose between a day trip or a one- or two-night experience, camping in what the family-owned operator describes as ‘five-billion-star accommodation’. With a Kuku-yalanji traditional owner as your guide, you’ll learn about nature, heritage and spirituality and emerge with a true understanding of where you’ve been.
Jarramali Rock Art Tours was established by Johnny Murison, who is a descendant of a Kuku-mini (a clan of the Kuku-yalanji people) woman named Rosie Maytown Palmer. His great grandmother, she was born in 1902 at Maytown on the historic Palmer River goldfields. “From the Palmer my old people traversed through Country all the way to Laura to hold ceremony and trade. This is my connection to the land that is called Quinkan Country, holder of some 10,000 rock art sites,” says Murison. When Rosie was five years old she was snatched from her mother’s arms and became part of the Stolen Generations. And so part of the reason Murison started his tours was because he wants people to “walk into our past, recognise, acknowledge, respect and feel the pain my old people went through. Then perhaps we can walk together into a brighter reconciled future,” he explains.
He also hopes these tours will help guests leave as a better version of themselves and understand the Kuku-yalanji’s way as people by sitting down and learning. “Not only is the quantity and quality [of the Quinkan rock art sites] astounding, they are archaeologically and culturally remarkable,” he explains. “I bring about a cultural understanding of our old people’s ways and why they were able to survive and thrive in such harsh and rugged conditions. I am candid about the impacts of colonisation and share the impact of the gold rush era on the Palmer and take folk to see significant old-timer miner sites and old camps. Even with the impact of the Palmer River gold rush in the 1870s (which was the beginning of the end of our traditional ways of life), the rock art remained unscathed. Without intervention the rock art has been there for 20,000 years in pristine condition.”
Jarramali tours offer a multidimensional experience incorporating four-wheel driving, rock art, pioneer history, camping and stargazing. And: “The views are spectacular,” Murison continues. “I call it the Grand Canyon of the north. Rugged and beautiful all at the same time. I have travelled the world playing my didgeridoo and traditional dancing on the banks of the Danube, Germany, Scotland and England, just to name a few. Now I have the world coming to me. This is a much better arrangement, as I used to get homesick. Now people come to my home and see the treasures that lie in the sandstone escarpments.”
VERNACULAR INDIGENOUS Australian architecture is not something we hear about often. Yet it existed, and vestiges remain. On the west coast of Tasmania, you might come across depressions – large circular hollows dug into the top of small hills, dunes or middens – that were once Aboriginal huts: large beehive-shaped structures of wood and bark that would accommodate up to 14 people. This is just one fascinating example of the Indigenous culture that is hidden in plain sight in a state where a pervasive myth throughout much of the 20th century did its best to erase it. Today, the word palawa refers to Tasmanian Aboriginal people as a whole, but encompasses the many different groups from all around Tasmania, or lutruwita, in the revived palawa kani language. Here are ways you can experience this culture through both a contemporary and historical lens today.
The was a quiet revolution when it launched in early 2018 as Tasmania’s first Indigenous owned and operated tourism venture. A four-day walk in the state’s north-east, around the spectacular landscapes of the larapuna/Bay of Fires and wukalina/Mt William areas, it invites guests to reacquaint themselves with this land as the cultural homeland of the palawa. Two nights of the trip are spent at the bespoke camp, krakani lumi, which means place of rest; these award-winning communal huts are directly influenced by traditional Aboriginal Tasmanian domed architecture.
Local and family-owned
runs bespoke day trips through the Meander Valley near Launceston that combine visits to Aboriginal cultural sites and a view of contemporary Indigenous culture with a taste of the region’s standout produce – think truffles, salmon and wine.
Local outdoor educator and cultural adventure tour operator Ben Rea, of
has paired with Sheldon Thomas, a Tasmanian Aboriginal healer, cultural and ceremonial guide to create one of the most unique Indigenous experiences you’ll find in Tasmania. Their is a day-long Aboriginal on-Country adventure on the Forestier Peninsula in the state’s south-east – a remarkable historic place in the cultural story of Tasmania and Australia’s settlement history. Here, guests are immersed in cultural lore and healing ceremonies, are
ON TOUR
treated to a seasonal picnic of local bush foods, and visit the site of original contact and conflict between Tasmanian Aboriginal people and European explorers. “Sheldon and I co-created the Nohoiner Adventure to empower an authentic experience for guests to connect with the Tasmanian Aboriginal story through a cultural immersion that deepens guests’ understanding of Aboriginal perspectives in a wild Tasmanian natural setting,” says Rea. “It shines light on the spiritual healing knowledge and wisdom of our first people and their sacred connection to Country. Through conversation and story sharing framed with ceremony and ritual, guests gain insight and understanding that inspires personal growth and a deep appreciation of the cultural, historic and spiritual values of our island home, Tasmania.” Watch this space for further joint ventures.
AT MUSEUMS AND GALLERIES
The always-engaging
is a good introduction to Tasmanian Aboriginal culture, heritage and current perspectives. As well as hosting
nation; opt for the barbie lunch of kangaroo, emu, fish and damper.
BRISBANE
Riverlife Mirrabooka Learn Indigenous history through the music, dance and stories of the Yuggera Aboriginal dancers.
PERTH
Djurandi Dreaming The 45-minute Dreaming in the Quay walking tour with a local Nyungar guide around the bright, shiny Elizabeth Quay development explores the near and ancient history of the people of the Swan River (below).
ADELAIDE
Tandanya National Aboriginal Cultural Institute Australia’s oldest Aboriginal owned and managed multi-arts centre holds exhibitions, performances and art fairs exploring modern and traditional Indigenous culture (above left).