Indigenous women leading Australia's cultural tourism transformation

Media release

Ahead of International Women’s Day on 8 March 2026, Discover Aboriginal Experiences celebrates the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women who lead, teach and nurture culture across Australia – guiding visitors not only through landscapes, but through knowledge systems sustained for more than 65,000 years.

Across the continent, Indigenous women have always held central roles in community life. They are educators, knowledge holders, decision makers and caretakers of Country. Today, many of these leaders are also at the forefront of Aboriginal tourism – sharing stories in their own voices, strengthening community pride and creating pathways for the next generation.

Aboriginal-guided tourism offers something unique: cultural exchange grounded in authority. When experiences are led by Traditional Custodians, visitors learn not just about a place, but from those whose families belong to it. Women leaders across the Discover Aboriginal Experiences collective embody this principle every day – ensuring knowledge is shared respectfully, accurately and in ways that honour community protocols.

For many operators, tourism is not simply a business. It is education, cultural preservation and empowerment combined. By guiding walks, hosting conversations, sharing food traditions and explaining kinship systems, these women are actively continuing oral traditions while also building sustainable livelihoods for their families and communities.

Their work also reshapes how visitors understand Australia today. Rather than presenting culture as historical, Aboriginal women guides reveal living knowledge – contemporary, adaptive and deeply connected to identity. The conversations, meals and shared time on Country often become the most memorable part of a journey, creating understanding that continues long after travellers return home.

“Aboriginal women have always been teachers,” says Nicole Mitchell, Executive Officer, Discover Aboriginal Experiences. “Through tourism, they’re continuing practices that have existed for millennia – passing on knowledge, caring for Country and strengthening identity – while also shaping how Australians connect with First Nations cultures today.”

Women leading on Country

Across the Discover Aboriginal Experiences collective, powerful female leaders are welcoming guests onto Country and inviting deeper understanding of culture, environment and community life.

On North Stradbroke Island / Minjerribah in Queensland, Elisha Kissick of Yura Tours shares Quandamooka culture through storytelling grounded in her mother and grandmother’s connections to the island. Guests visit sacred women’s places and learn how daily life, food gathering and seasonal knowledge are interwoven with place. Her tours create an intimate environment where visitors come to understand that culture is not historical – it is lived.

Watch Elisha talk about the Yura Tours experience here.

“I’ve got three young girls and my middle child is really interested in what I do,” says Elisha. “She loves her culture and loves to speak in front of people. The thing is there’s not a lot of Aboriginal women tour guides around. I want to make it accessible and let the girls know that you can make a living from actually being on Country and doing what you love.”

In Western Australia’s Dampier Peninsula, Rosanna Angus of Oolin Sunday Island Cultural Tours brings visitors into the seascapes and traditions of the Bardi Jawi people. Her experiences centre on coastal life – tides, shellfish gathering and the rhythms of saltwater Country – offering rare insight into how community and ocean remain inseparable. It’s this passion that that saw Rosanna take out Australia’s Top Tour Guide at the 2023 Qantas Australian Tourism Awards. “To be honest, I forgot I won!” Rosanna laughs. “But it means a lot, particularly as a female Indigenous tour guide in this very male-dominated space.” 

On Bundjalung Country in northern New South Wales, Delta Kay of Explore Byron Bay comes from a strong line of Aboriginal women. During tours she introduces guests to cultural perspectives often unseen in one of Australia’s most visited destinations, through bush foods, language and storytelling. “I feel that most people have heard the male Aboriginal story – how to play the didgeridoo, dot paintings, hunting,” she says. “I want the female side to be told, loud and proud. I show off designs on women’s bowls, clapsticks, woven mats, we crack a macadamia. I want to show my mum’s and grandma’s perspectives.” 

Just outside Perth in Western Australia, Dale Tilbrook – aka the ‘Bush Food Queen’ – of Dale Tilbrook Experiences shares Noongar culture through food, language and hands-on experiences. A trailblazer in Aboriginal tourism, her work demonstrates how culture continues to evolve while remaining anchored in ancient knowledge.

Watch Dale talk about her bush tucker experiences here.

Together, these women represent diverse Nations and environments – island, desert, rainforest and coast – yet share a common purpose: cultural continuity through connection.

Knowledge shared across generations

Many Aboriginal tourism leaders also mentor future guides, ensuring knowledge remains community-led. Their work provides employment pathways while strengthening cultural confidence among younger generations.

In the Kimberley, Bec Sampi of Kingfisher Tours Garingbaar has long been a leading cultural guide, introducing visitors to the landscapes around Broome / Rubibi through stories, bush foods and local history. Beyond guiding, she has developed a natural beauty range inspired by traditional plant knowledge, extending cultural sharing into everyday life and self-care practices. Also in the Kimberley, mother and daughter Mary and Shonelle O’Rieri work together to share the ancestral stories of matriarchal ancestors during the deeply moving Injiid Marlabu Calls Us experience at El Questro lodge.

In Tasmania / Lutruwita, Carleeta Thomas of wukalina Walk plays a key role guiding multi-day walks through Palawa Country. The experience combines storytelling, language and time on Country – allowing guests to slow down and learn through immersion. Female guides are central to the walk’s atmosphere, shaping reflective conversations around identity, resilience and belonging. And in Tropical North Queensland, Natalie Smith takes the lead decoding the Great Barrier Reef for guests on a Dreamtime Dive & Snorkel cruise, heading up the team as the First Nations Marine Biologist.

“Visitors often say the conversations stay with them long after the trip ends,” says Mitchell. “That’s the power of learning directly from Aboriginal women – the experience becomes personal, human and memorable.”

Editor’s Note:

The Discover Aboriginal Experiences collective is part of Tourism Australia’s Signature Experiences of Australia program that promotes outstanding tourism experiences within a variety of special categories. This collection showcases a diversity of experiences delivered by the world’s oldest living cultures, creating memorable trips for adventure seekers, culture enthusiasts, foodies and nature lovers, ranging from exploring hidden rock art galleries to foraging for native delicacies, stand-up paddleboarding on culturally significant waterways to bedding down at wilderness lodges in serene natural settings. Each member of this collection is considered a world-class leader in Aboriginal tourism, representing local Aboriginal cultures with integrity and authenticity. 

Find out more about the Discover Aboriginal Experiences collective via our website. From the website you can access a dedicated trade and media portal, replete with a media kit packed with story ideas, interviews, Discover Aboriginal Experiences resources and more. Keep up to date and be inspired via our Connect to Country digital magazines, and explore operator experiences in detail in our 2026 Brochure.

A collection of royalty-free Aboriginal tourism images and video are available here. Please search for Discover Aboriginal Experiences in the Resources section.