How the world’s oldest culture can deliver Queensland a bright future

Industry leaders and government have identified an opportunity to target a large and growing group of travellers keen to get a taste of Australia’s ancient history and culture.

QUEENSLAND is aiming to establish itself as a global hub for indigenous tourism over the coming decade.

Industry leaders and government have identified an opportunity to target a large and growing group of travellers keen to get a taste of Australia’s ancient history and culture.

“Queensland is in a really unique position as the only state with two First Nations groups — both Torres Strait Islands and aboriginal people,” Cameron Costello, chief executive of Quandamooka Yoolooburrabee Aboriginal Corporation (QYAC).

“We have the oldest living cultures on earth here — two of them. Yet Queensland doesn’t have an indigenous tourism strategy. Why?”

Mr Costello is now chairing an indigenous tourism leaders’ advisory group, working with traditional owners and operators around the state to develop a Queensland First Nations Tourism Potential Plan, expected by the end of this year.

“We can be the leaders in Australia and change the perception that you have to go into the Red Centre and Uluru to get an indigenous experience.

“This is an opportunity to become a global cultural tourism destination,” Mr Costello said. “There is a growing thirst for First Nations experiences from tourists.”

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(From left) Malakai Fyfe, Debra Coillier, Harleigh Mosby, Nakoa Alfie Frederickson, Raeschiah Collier, and Lamont Fyfe from the Sacred Creations dance troupe. Picture: Brian Cassey

Sean O’Meara, a partner with professional services firm PwC, agrees Queensland can tap into a huge untapped market of big-spending visitors.

“The United nations World Tourism Organisation estimates that 47 per cent of tourists worldwide are motivated by a desire to experience a country’s culture and heritage,” he said. And that sector was growing at a faster rate than tourism overall.

A Tourism Research Australia report this year said the number of international visitors taking part in at least one indigenous tourism activity had risen 40 per cent since 2013. But it is still only one in seven — and fewer than half of those did it in Queensland. None of the top indigenous tourism destinations were in the Sunshine State.

ABS data, albeit from 2012, shows ‘’cultural and heritage’’ visitors stayed in the country 19 days longer than others and outspent them $5,956 to $3,779.

As part of the State Government’s economic transition plan for North Stradbroke Island, where sandmining will end this year, Mr Costello’s QYAC group is running or developing dozens of tourism-related operations.

They have taken over management of the national park which covers 85 per cent of the island — known as Minjerribah to the traditional owners — and run six campgrounds and two beach

camping sites. They are adding glamping and high-end boutique accommodation.

Cameron Costello, CEO of Quandamooka Yoolooburrabee Aboriginal Corporation. Picture: Liam Kidston

Guided walks and bush tucker experiences are offered and, next month, QYAC will launch whale-watching tours in partnership with the SeaLink travel group which operates the ferries between the island and the mainland.

A whale interpretation centre — Yalingbila Bibula (while on the hill) --)is being built at Point lookout and will house a 15m humpback skeleton.

The three-month annual Quandamooka festival is a firm fixture on the state’s events calendar after five years and plans are well-advanced for a Government-funded cultural centre on the island, to be called QUAMPI (Quandamooka Art Museum and Performance Institute)

Mr Costello has dubbed the venue “a black MONA” in reference to the Museum of Old and new Art which has supercharged tourism in Hobart.

“This will be an edgy contemporary venue for First Nations art, not just from Queensland and the rest of Australia but around the globe — truly international, featuring the work of indigenous groups from all over the world.”

A ‘’three islands walk” covering Moreton, North and South Stradbroke is on the agenda and application is being compiled together with Queensland Parks and Wildlife to UNESCO (the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation) for the whole of Moreton Bay and its islands to become Queensland’s sixth World Heritage-listed natural wonder.

“We have cultural heritage sites dating back over 20,000 years and a wealth of natural assets and wildlife,” Mr Costello said. “We have a big agenda but it’s exciting.”

Minjerribah Rangers Shara Beard and Claudia Engelbrecht. Picture: Liam Kidston

The Star Entertainment Group is partnering with them on producing native bee honey for restaurants at its multi-billion resort precincts in Brisbane and the Gold Coast.

Michael Hodgson, Star’s general manager of tourism, food strategy and partnerships, said: “One of their points of difference is delivering food experiences you can’t get anywhere else in the world.

“It’s really important to build trust and relationships. This is the first one. We will look to do more with The Quandamooka people and then expand to other communities.”

The group was committed to using its supply chain to support indigenous businesses to flourish, generating money within communities.

Mr Costello said the opportunities all around the state were almost limitless. The indigenous tourism strategy is expected to include support for business development and an accreditation system covering both ecological and cultural aspects.

“We want a really strongly authentic set of experiences,” he said.

“The concept has been there in the background for a while but what I’ve noticed very recently is there is almost a cultural awakening in the tourism sector.

Trainee native bee keeper Cheyenne Doyle with Michael Hodgson from The Star. Picture: Patrick Hamilton

“I’m a bit frightened to be honest because there is so much willingness right now that the time will pass and the opportunity be lost.”

He’s right, there is no time to waste. Queensland faces some competition from the NT, where the government has spent $355,000 to compile a recently-released Aboriginal Tourism Strategic Plan aiming to make the territory the national leader.

“There is huge potential,” Queensland Tourism Industry Council CEO Daniel Gschwind said. There really is a gap,

“We look enviously across the ditch at how they use the Maori language and how the culture is celebrated there and embedded in New Zealand tourism. It’s always puzzled me why we don’t make more of it.

“If someone said they had suddenly discovered a direct link back to the ancient Egyptians we would be falling over ourselves, yet here we are with a community that can look back 60,000 years in a continuous culture.

“It’s like having a telescope to the past. There is an appetite and a hunger from around the world to explore that.”

The Accor hotels group runs an indigenous employment program, with 650 staff. “We have high ambitions, we are moving our indigenous talent into middle management and senior management levels,” Chief Operating Officer Pacific, Simon McGrath said.

“We believe firmly that an indigenous voice in tourism is so critical.”