Mandingalbay Yidinji Aboriginal Corporation
Cairns, East Trinity Reserve
Photography: Mandingalbay Authentic Indigenous Tours
Mandingalbay Authentic Indigenous Tours is 100% Indigenous Owned and operated by non-profit Mandingalbay Yidinji Aboriginal Corporation. Guests can travel in a small group fully hosted by Traditional Owners, and discover a stunning wetland environment just a ten-minute cruise from Cairns. Following a mangrove forest-lined river, guests arrive to a Welcome Ceremony before joining the Mayi Bugan Trail to discover native foods and traditional bush medicines as well as ancient Aboriginal traditions, customs and artefacts. Light refreshments are offered surrounded by the sounds of nature before returning to busy Cairns Harbour.
The Hands on Country Eco Tour provides guests with exclusive access to an Indigenous Protected Area (IPA) – one of only 82 such dedicated areas in Australia. The environment in which the tours operate has been managed and saved by the Mandingalbay Yidinji Rangers over the last 20 years, and these rangers are the same people leading the tours. In September 2022 the company was made a member of Tourism Australia’s Discover Aboriginal Experiences collection – one of only 47 Indigenous operators in Australia to be recognised as an outstanding, consistently-delivered experience ready for the international market.
