Four EAST ARNHEM LAND experiences every Aussie will love
Explore a spectacular LANDSCAPE where art and ANCIENT songlines will better CONNECT you to Country.
EAST ARNHEM LAND’S landscape towers with escarpments clad in monsoon rainforests, exquisitely outlined by the Arafura Sea’s turtle- and dugong-rich aquamarine waters. To appreciate its complexity and nuances, see it through the knowing eyes of its Traditional Owners, the proud Yolngu nation.
FOR A RICH TASTE:YOLNGU DAY TOURS
There are a couple of day trips available from Nhulunbuy township, such as Gove Gululu Day Tour, which begins with an explanation of how the bark canvas is made for painting and its rich bush medicine uses followed by an exploration of the Dhimurru Recreation Area’s culturally significant sites. Art lovers are in for a treat with a fascinating guided wander through the Wurrwurrwuy Macassan Beach Interpretive Walk. Further afield, other day trip options submerge you into the culture. Learn a little of the lingo, Yolngu Matha, and the local sign language, too. The sea is integral to Yolngu people’s life and lore so traditional spearfishing and crab hunting on stunningly white beaches could supplement your picnic lunch.
FOR A STRONG FEMININE CONNECTION: YOLNGU WOMEN’S TOURS
Women’s and men’s ‘business’ is plainly delineated in Arnhem Land so Lirrwi Tourism offers small group tours to female visitors. The five-day Gay’Wu (Dilly Bag) Tour explores how the Yolngu sisterhood connect with their environment and each other through spirituality and philosophy. Handwoven with dyed pandanus leaves, the dilly bag is a symbol of feminine power, with practical and spiritual connotations. Weave, paint and cook with the Yolngu over five intimate days, as they share their knowledge of sacred practices like ‘healing’ and ‘crying’ ceremonies.
FOR THE ADVENTUROUS ART LOVER: ABORIGINAL ART CENTRE TOURS
For the adventurous aesthete, Lirrwi’s Art Centre Tours fly you into some of the most remote, remarkable places in Arnhem Land, from Elcho Island Arts at Galiwin’ku to Bula’Bula Arts in Ramingining (near Arafura Swamp, which was the setting for Rolf de Heer’s film Ten Canoes). The Buku-Larrnggay Mulka Centre in Yirrkala is a significant Indigenous art hub in Australia. Discover why Yirrkala Church Panels (1962-63) are some of the most important works of modern Aboriginal art in existence.
FOR A DEEP IMMERSION:YOLNGU CROSSING COUNTRY TOURS
Five-day ‘Yolngu Dhukarr’ tours are deep immersions into Homelands, where the Traditional Owners act as Indigenous ‘counsellors’. Appreciate how the Yolngu express themselves by learning how they make and play a yidaki while you learn to dance like a shark and crocodile. Young families can expect a compelling experience because the Yolngu children revel in interacting with visitors.