East Arnhem Land
IT’S got rolling red cliffs and crystal water lapping at its doorstep — yet it’s so far off the tourist path few visitors ever venture to this part of the Territory. This traveller learnt what we’ve been missing
There are few chances these days to experience true seclusion. But in the farthest corner of the Northern Territory, a hidden — somewhat mystical — community offers just that. East Arnhem Land is considered by many as the last frontier of Australia. With dense bushland, rolling red cliffs and crystal water lapping at its doorstep, it’s a unique landscape that time has almost forgotten.
There is no phone reception, no Wi-Fi and no luxury accommodation. The Yolngu people have lived on the unspoilt land for thousands of generations and their knowledge of the region runs deep. Without the distractions of modern-day life, visitors to East Arnhem Land are given the chance to fully immerse themselves in traditional indigenous culture. Yolngu leader Marcus Lacey says opening his homeland up to tourism through ventures such as a new tour program with Intrepid Travel is a chance to share their way of life with the wider Australian population. “Come here, sit with us, walk with us, eat with us,” says Marcus. “This is real Aboriginal Australia.”
Getting There
The mining town of Nhulunbuy is about an hour’s flight from Darwin. From here, it’s a 20-minute light plane trip to the Nyinyikay homeland where visitors are based for most of the tour. The homelands are also accessible by road — albeit a rough one. But it’s from the air that you get the best views. The bright blue water cast against deep red earth is nothing short of spectacular. Once landed, visitors are given a traditional welcome to country by the Nyinyikay community and met with a Bungul (dance) ceremony before being invited into camp. Exclusive visits to the homelands are granted during the Dry season — May to October — characterised by warm, dry sunny days and cool nights.
Men and Women’s Business
As is tradition in Yolngu culture, men and women perform activities separately. Male visitors to the homelands are put to work as hunters and builders. During
their time on the country they’re taught to carve spears out of tree trunks, fish for stingrays and sharks in the dead of night and learn how the Yidaki (didjeridu) is made and played.
While the men are at work, the women are invited to watch and learn the intricate art of basket weaving and beading under the shade of frangipani trees. It’s all too easy to lose track of time here. Women are encouraged to join the young girls, mothers and Nyinyikay elders seated on the colourful rugs and listen to stories of family life on the homeland.
Everything is made from natural ingredients. Roots are ground up and boiled to create eye-catching colours, pandanus plants are stripped and dried for weaving and tiny shells are collected from the beach and cleaned one by one. It’s a chance to see first-hand why the unique art from this region is highly sought-after by collectors around the world. Artwork and sculpture from across Arnhem Land is displayed in the worldrenowned Buku-Larrnggay Mulka Centre in Yirrkala, a short drive from Nhulunbuy. Travellers are invited to visit the gallery as part of the Intrepid tour.
Bush Tucker
When it comes to food, the Yolngu people have mastered the balance of necessity and sustainability. The dense bushland and crystal waters that lap at the edges of the homeland provide an abundance of food or ‘bush tucker’. But as Marcus explains, respect for the land is vital.
“We only take what we
“Come here, sit with us, walk with us, eat with us. This is real Aboriginal Australia”
need and only at the right time.”
Sharing is an integral part of the Yolngu culture — after a particularly successful fishing trip, the entire homeland is invited to the feast. Mud crabs, stingrays and sharks frequent the menu while sea turtles are considered a top treat.
Fresh is best and seasoning is simple — just a few bush herbs and a pinch of salt. Yolngu people follow the principle: you catch it, you cook it. It doesn’t matter if it’s 10am or 10pm, if someone comes back to camp with a fresh catch, it’s immediately thrown on the fire to be cooked up. Alongside traditional tucker, an on-site cook is on hand to whip up creature comforts for guests to the homeland.
Culture Class
The Yolngu people are storytellers. Whether it’s through spoken words around the campfire, singing, hunting or even Bungul (dancing), every lesson is born from a story. Visitors to Ninyikay are guided through the intricate and often complex Yolngu culture and traditional way of life. Set against the backdrop of the rugged coastline, Yolngu leaders take guests step by step through lessons in Malk, (skin names) how song lines connect Yitidjkaand Doha clans and the nature of Yolngu ghurru (relationships).
The cultural class is fascinating and designed to truly immerse guests in the traditional teachings of the homelands. Inquiry is encouraged but visitors are warned that not every question can be answered. As is traditional in indigenous culture, some knowledge is considered private or even sacred and the wider public simply aren’t privy to.
It is this element of the visit that seems to embrace the broader vision of indigenous tourism — to spread knowledge of the traditional aboriginal way of life without exploiting it.