Indigenous walks and tours in Sydney

This 90-minute leisurely walkabout in The Rocks delves into the authentic history of Aboriginal peoples’ saltwater heritage within Sydney Harbour; you’ll learn about their land and water use and their spiritual connection to the adjoining waterways and foreshores that surround our city. The Sydney Rocks Dreaming (Illi Langi) tour departs from Cadmans Cottage in The Rocks. Before the ‘walking country’ experience begins, you partake in a ceremony in which you accept ochre – a natural clay earth pigment – that personally acknowledges Earth Mother before you hear about her landscape. As you overlook Sydney Harbour itself, you’ll gain a unique interpretation of the Eora Clans’ reaction to strange visitors landing in Wocconmagulli – now Bennelong Point – where you’ll find the Sydney Opera House and the land we know as Circular Quay and The Rocks.

Time: 90 minutes
Price: $102pp for people aged 16+
When: Daily 10.30am (subject to min. number of 15 people) 

On this full day experience, you get a sense of the creative and spiritual way of traditional Aboriginal life in the Blue Mountains.  The walk starts and finishes in the Blue Mountains on Faulconbridge Railway Station platform. You need to meet there at 10.50am and will then follow a songline of sacred sites, including a secluded 3.5km bushwalk. This tour goes through a beautiful rainforest, where you'll be spending six hours in nature (prepare for two hours of walking with four hours of activities). The idea is to find a deep connection to country and culture. You’ll see surviving rock art and artefacts, and experience bush food and ochre bark and body painting. Local Aboriginal guide Evan Yanna Muru varies the route and includes rest stops by rock pools and waterfalls so you’ll stay cool and feel comfortable even in the middle of summer.

Time: Full day
Price: $150pp
When: Daily 10.50am

Stingless bee colonies, Moreton Bay fig trees and juicy Davidson plums are just a few of the natural wonders you’ll see (and taste) on this tour of Sydney’s harbourside horticultural oasis. Meet at the Garden Shop, Royal Botanic Garden Sydney. You’ll then be led on a walk past some of Sydney’s most famous landmarks as you trail around the fringe of the city looking back out to the Opera House, Mrs Macquarie's Chair and the Harbour Bridge. You’ll wander through Farm Cove and learn about how the Gadigal people lived and worked with the seasons before the area was colonised and their deep connection to Country and community.

Time: 60 minutes
Price: Adult $35pp, Concession $27, Child $22
When: Thurs–Sat, 1pm

Meet at Munn Street in Barangaroo Reserve to get started on the Barangaroo Aboriginal Cultural Tour. Led by a knowledgeable Aboriginal guide, this immersive walking tour explores the rich cultural history of Warrane (Sydney Harbour) and the deep connection the Gadigal people have to the land. Wander through the six-hectare waterfront reserve, home to more than 75,000 native trees and shrubs – along the way, you’ll discover native plants traditionally used for food, medicine, tools and weapons, while hearing stories of Barangaroo, the Cammeraygal woman the reserve is named after. Part history lesson, part nature walk, this tour offers a meaningful way to connect with Sydney’s Indigenous heritage while soaking up spectacular harbour views.

Time: 90 minutes
Price: Adult $36.30, Child $16.50
When: Mon-Sat, 10.30am  

Discover the rich Indigenous history woven into Sydney’s most famous beach on the Bondi Aboriginal Walking Tour with Aboriginal elder, artist and performer Walangari Karntawarra. This gentle downhill walk through Bondi Beach reveals a side of Bondi many visitors never see, from ancient Aboriginal rock carvings to native bush foods and medicinal plants still growing in the wild. Along the way, Walangari shares stories of Bondi’s geological beginnings, the deep connection Aboriginal people hold with the area and how the coastline’s natural resources were traditionally used. With individual headsets provided, it’s an intimate and engaging cultural experience that finishes at the iconic Bondi Pavilion, just steps from the sand and surf.

Since this tour can be done as a private group booking only, contact Walangari directly on 0414 932 863 or email: contact@walangari.com.au