Mandingalbay Yidinji Ancient Indigenous Tours and Savannah Guides joined with the Authority to host the first on-country Wet Tropics Tour Guide Field School at East Trinity Reserve on 16-17 March.
The Field School was designed to provide professional development for tour guides in the Wet Tropics, and to build their awareness of Traditional Owner protocols. It also aimed to develop the capacity of Rainforest Aboriginal people involved in the tourism industry and showcase emerging Aboriginal experiences.
More than 50 participants heard from a range of speakers at Cairns Library, including Djunbunji Ltd executive director Dale Mundraby, Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service senior ranger Tony Mitchell, Eastern Kuku Yalanji Traditional Owner Delissa Walker and Savannah Guides’ Russell Boswell.
CQUniversity’s Professor Bruce Prideaux shared news on CQUni’s support of Indigenous tourism, before a discussion on local art at Gimuy Gallery with Hendrik Fourmile and Susan Reys.
Participants then camped overnight at East Trinity reserve, spending the next day with Mandingalbay Yidinji Ancient Indigenous Tours.
Mandingalbay Yidinji Ancient Indigenous Tours and Djunbunji Ltd successfully hosted the field school through a Wet Tropics Management Authority Rainforest Aboriginal Grant.
The Wet Tropics Management Authority thanks Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service for its support of the 11th Wet Tropics Tour Guides Field School.