Make your way into the cultural heart of Australia and experience a vast and stunning landscape steeped in ancient Aboriginal creation stories.
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Both West & East Arnhem Land’s connection to Aboriginal culture is strong and perfectly interwoven into the experiences available. You can’t help but walk away from your holiday here with a deeper appreciation for the history of this land and a connection to it’s people.
Creation stories
If you like your history lesson to come with a view, head outdoors to the Roy (Malpi) Marika Lookout, in the Arnhem Land township of Nhulunbuy. The views reveal a spectacular and unspoiled coastline while interpretive signs detail a rich indigenous history. Learn about the area’s creation story, and a susuccessful struggle for land rights.
Don’t miss the incredible rock art sites in Kakadu National Park and around Arnhem Land. Indigenous heritage comes alive through the paintings that line the walls of these ancient galleries, sharing a vivid narrative of ancestral stories.
Community galleries
Visit arts centres within Kakadu and throughout Arnhem Land to view stunning examples of traditional painting, sculptures, prints and crafts. Watch local artists at work and browse exhibits for a deeper understanding into this ancient practice. Head to indigenous, community-owned galleries such as Marrawuddi Gallery, Injalak Arts and Crafts, Maningrida Arts and Culture, and Elcho Island Art and Craft, and purchase a special piece to take home with you. Many artists and works have featured in collections internationally as well as around Australia.
Indonesian interaction
Journey to north Arnhem Land and take the fascinating Wurrwurrwuy (Garanhan) Macassan Beach interpretative walk to learn about trade between Aboriginal Yolngu people and Macassan traders from Indonesia. Along the way, discover unique stone arrangements constructed more than 100 years ago by Yolngu elders. These tell the tale of exchange between the cultures over several centuries.
Unsettlement
Explore the haunting ruins of 19th-century Victoria Settlement in Garig Gunak Barlu National Park. Wander around the remains of a short-lived British settlement town plagued by disease and death, and abandoned after just 11 years in 1849.
