Spend 3 hours with the fun and informative Mandingalbay Yidinji Rangers on their traditional lands at East Trinity Reserve, a unique Indigenous Protected area just 15 minutes by boat from the Cairns Marina.
This business is 100% Indigenous owned and operated and is an Eco-Certified Australian tourism product. You will experience a traditional welcome to country, learn about this proclaimed Indigenous Protected Area where for the last 10 years the Traditional Owners have worked in collaboration with scientists and National Park rangers to conserve and protect a unique mangrove, wetland - which is now once again full of life.
Move away from our modern life and walk with first nations people as you connect and experience Mandingalbay Yidinji Peoples Country and Culture.
Posted By : garyvE1740MA
This is an excellent tour, with friendly, engaging, and informative traditional owner guides. I was grateful for their welcome to the land that their families have lived on for generations, and for the insights they shared with us. As someone who has had a long-term interest in Australian cultural history, I valued being able hold and learn about the manufacture of traditional items and wares. It’s one thing to read about and see items in books and museums, but quite another to hold and learn about manufacture from people who know how it’s done. Feeling the weight of a bloodwood club, holding a rock-hard piece of tree resin that can be heated and manipulated to haft an axe or join blades to form an X-shaped boomerang, seeing how a woomera is actually used – wow! There’s nothing like “hands on” to really gain understanding. I highly recommend this tour to anyone visiting Cairns. For me, it was the highlight of our time here. Yeah, there’s the reef, and the rainforest, but there is so much more here in Cairns – take a glimpse of the depth of Australian culture that Mandingalbay tours offers you and gain a fresh perspective of Australia’s quite chequered post-European history. Along with meeting some great people, it will (hopefully) also leave you with much to think about afterwards, and I mean that in a very positive sense.
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Posted On : 2024-05-06 19:41:00 
Posted By : J7J8J
Great tour experiencing local traditional culture and stories. On the boat ride across, local landmarks around Cairns harbour and creation stories were explained, the various Indigenous tribe names and delineations of their boundaries. Arriving at an award-winning shelter constructed within the Mandingalbay Indigenous Protected Area, we found out more about the Traditional Owners' efforts to overcome high levels of acid sulphate degradation from past sugarcane land clearing. The area is now close to being restored, after decades of hard work in conjunction with scientists. We then boarded a bus and visited the Ranger Station, where a traditional welcome and cleansing smoke ceremony were performed. Ladies get a special clay face treatment as well! A nearby guided bushwalk uncovered Indigenous customs, bush foods, tools and medicines - make sure to wear sturdy covered shoes and plenty of insect repellent. Morning tea awaited us afterwards, consisting of fresh scones, jam & cream, seasonal fruit, tea and coffee. Highly recommended tour for someone seeking an authentic local experience that is out of the ordinary.
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Posted On : 2024-03-11 06:42:06
Posted By : Freedom31091985367
This 2.5 tour consists of meeting an aboriginal ranger who talks about his family's background and short work in the forest with an aboriginal guide who points out medicinal plants used by the Aboriginals. We were expecting more. Not worth the money.
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Posted On : 2024-02-09 17:37:29
Posted By : roelandj2023
We had an amazing morning during the tour. We started with the boat ride and since we were with a small group there was more then enough time to ask any question. Our guide Barbara explained a lot about the Nation. After the boat ride we drove to the station and uncle Vic told more about the history of the people living on the land. We also learned more about native plants, food and medicine. Thank you all for the great experience. We absolutely recommend this great tour
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Posted On : 2024-01-10 03:58:04
Posted By : 210juniorj
We learned so much in a short time
and really appreciate this genuine experience. All of the staff were friendly, open, informative and so knowledgeable. Thank you so much for today. I’ve never been able to experience Aboriginal culture like I did today. Thank you!
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Posted On : 2023-11-18 06:07:25
Posted By : Wander17852089500
I had a wonderful day learning about the Mandingalbay Yidinji people. Brenda and Jermaya were particularly fantastic, they were informative, fun and engaging. Particularly loved Jermaya's analogy of the forest as a free supermarket. All guides we encountered were passionate and charismatic.
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Posted On : 2023-10-29 23:16:54
Posted By : johncT5410VT
Yesterday after 2 earlier false starts my wife and I partook in this tour and so so glad we did. The highlight of our stay in Cairns. The tour was so natural and informative and the tour young tour guides Brenda and ? were absolutely fantastic-they were genuine and spoke from the heart. They told us stories of not only their background but their ancestors elders aunties and uncles. We got to see and hear about many native edible foods and medicines.
Highly recommend this tour to anyone who wants to know more about the first peoples and their culture and traditions.
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Posted On : 2023-10-13 21:07:41
Posted By : kylieh282
Such an amazing opportunity to learn and be welcomed to the lands of the Mandingalbay Yidinji people. The day I took the tour was rainy so the itinerary adapted to the situation, but this was handled with ease and grace. We were so lucky to see a crocodile and brolga while in transit from Cairns. The tour was a wonderful sharing of knowledge on the land, history and experiences of the Indigenous peoples of this area. Absolutely recommend as a must do.
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Posted On : 2023-10-07 21:11:58
Posted By : 68juttae
Very nice operator, a family business that acts great.
Unfortunately we didn’t have the smoking ceremony.
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Posted On : 2023-08-29 20:26:34
Posted By : theriman
The Traditional Owners share local Indigenous history and culture in this beautiful tour. A short cruise, scenic drive through bush land and then a walk through native flora and fauna is finished off with the best damper I’ve had!
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Posted On : 2023-08-15 23:27:16
