Bucketlist Travels logo

Travel bucket list idea:

Kuku Yalanji Cultural Habitat Tours

  • Cooya Beach, Queensland, Australia

Last updated: 24 June, 2023

The Kuku Yalanji have survived in this part of Queensland for over 50,000 years, developing a belief system that is inextricably tied to the natural world that surrounds them. Knowledge is passed down through the generations; an understanding developed over the centuries of the natural world and its annual cycles.

Gaining an insight into their culture and remarkable coastal lifestyle, gives a completely different perspective on the region.

To see the coastal lands through their eyes, join a traditional guardian from the Kuku Yalanji people for a morning of fishing, mud crabbing and spear throwing. The tours, which will appeal to adults and children alike, are led by brothers Linc and Brandon Walker, who will take you on a walk along the sands, mudflats and mangroves – stopping to teach you traditional skills such as fishing with a spear and how to find medicinal plants.

Along the way, your guides share stories passed down from their ancestors.

Logistics

Price from: £48
Minimum age: 4
Age suitable: 4+
When: All year around
Duration: 3 hours

Getting there & doing it

Tours take place along Cooya Beach, about 15kms north of Port Douglas. If you don’t have your own vehicle, contact the operators about transfers from your accommodation. Appropriate clothing, such as sunhats and beach shoes, is recommended. Guests should bring drinking water, sunscreen and insect repellent. Tours last for around three hours.

When to do it

These tours operate daily, one leaving in the morning, one in the early afternoon. Coastal night-time walks and fishing adventures are also available, plus private tours on request.