Aboriginal cultural experiences: South Australia

Get set to experience South Australia through the timeless lens of its Traditional Owners.

With Flinders Ranges in the background, First Nations guide points to something in the distance while two tourists look on. This is a wonderful area to experience Aboriginal Australia. Image credit: Tourism Australia.

Jetstar
March 2022

From the urban bustle of Kaurna (Adelaide) to the rugged far-flung outback of the Ikara-Flinders Ranges National Park, connect with South Australia’s rich First Nations culture. These are some of our favourite Indigenous experiences, spanning traditional and contemporary art, heritage and history, and spiritually significant landscapes.

Adelaide experiences

Tandanya National Aboriginal Cultural Institute

Australia's oldest First Nations-owned and managed cultural centre, Tandanya has been showcasing and supporting contemporary and traditional Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander visual and performing arts since 1989. Its lively calendar of exhibitions, concerts, theatrical events, workshops and more is always worth checking out. Plus there's a great gift shop and on-site cafe.

Adelaide Kaurna Walking Trail

Learn about the heritage and culture of Adelaide’s Traditional Owners, the Kaurna, with this leisurely, self-guided walking tour. Along the way, you’ll see sites of historic significance, as well as public artworks inspired by personal and traditional stories. The downloadable itinerary contains a map and comprehensive details about each point of interest. Based in the city centre, the walk takes two to three hours.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander War Memorial, Adelaide. Image credit: Robert Hannaford, Wikimedia Commons. — The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander War Memorial is one of many sights you’ll pass on the Adelaide Kaurna Walking Trail. Image credit: Robert Hannaford, Wikimedia Commons

Ikara-Flinders Ranges National Park

Yura Udnyu: Our Culture, Your Culture

Home to some almost inconceivably spectacular outback landscapes, the Flinders Ranges are vast and ancient. This fascinating tour explores the intersection between the culture of the area’s Traditional Owners, the Adnyamathanha, and European settlement, with a stroll to Wilpena Pound Station, one of the state’s oldest, best-preserved pastoral outposts. Wandering along Wilpena Creek against a backdrop of majestic River Red Gums, you’ll learn about the area’s native flora and fauna and hear about the station’s history and significance for both cultures.

Aboriginal culture walking tour at Wilpena Pound Resort, Flinders Ranges, South Australia. — Get the inside story on both Aboriginal and European history at Wilpena Pound Station.

Gorgeous Gorges half-day tour

Take a trip back in time – more than 100 million years, in fact – on this unforgettable tour through Brachina and Bunyeroo Gorges in the Flinders Ranges. Known as the ‘Corridor through Time’, the area’s amazing fossil layers give an intriguing glimpse into Australia’s most distant past. Your First Nations guide will share stories about this rugged area and show you the best views of Bunyeroo Valley. You might even spot a yellow-footed rock wallaby or two!