THE Cairns region is home to a number of indigenous groups who graciously offer visitors an insight into their culture.

For visitors to Australia, one of the most fascinating aspects of the country is the tradition and culture of Aboriginal Australians.

In the past 20 years or so, indigenous cultural groups have developed exciting and educational experiences for visitors to learn more about their culture.

The biennial Laura Dance Festival, at Laura, 330 km north of Cairns, brings together Aboriginal dancers from throughout the Cape York region and beyond.

One of the country’s top cultural attractions is based in Cairns. The Tjapukai Aboriginal Cultural Centre operates out of a purpose-built venue at the base of the Kuranda Range, north of Cairns.

The Tjapukai people are one of the indigenous peoples of the Cairns region, specifically the area of Smithfield and Kuranda.

The cultural centre offers visitors art, dance, music and traditional storytelling as well as great food and a natural landscape.

Other areas including Kuranda and Mossman Gorge, near Port Douglas, also offer educational and fun experiences with the people indigenous to the area.

For a Cairns outback experience, the Walker family of Wujal Wujal can take visitors through their ancestral lands explaining the traditional and cultural importance of each landmark, plant and animal.

Wujal Wujal is just one of the Aboriginal townships in the Cape York and Cooktown area that are open to visitors.

• Laura Dance Festival
• Kuranda Tourist Information
• Cape York and Cooktown Tourist Information
• Mossman Tourist Information
• Cairns Aboriginal Culture

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