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The Star
11-07-2025
- The Star
A journey of culture, flavour and nature in Western Australia
When you step into Ngilgi Cave in Western Australia, you are not just exploring a geological wonder – you are stepping into a living story. Unlike most cave tours, where the experience is guided by facts and narration, a tour with Koomal Dreaming is guided by sound. The music of the didgeridoo, a traditional wind instrument used by Indigenous folks in Australia, echoes through the ancient limestone chambers. This is not a recording, it is played live by Josh 'Koomal' Whiteland, a cultural tour guide, storyteller, musician, Wadandi custodian and owner of Koomal Dreaming. The music breathes life into the cave, carrying the stories of The Dreaming – ancestral tales from a time when creator spirits shaped the land and taught Indigenous people how to live. Aboriginal Cultural Tour at Ngilgi Cave Ancient Lands Experience with Josh Whiteland from Koomal Dreaming. 'This is something truly unique, an experience you won't find anywhere else,' said the managing director of Tourism Western Australia, Anneke Brown, in an exclusive interview recently, back in Kuala Lumpur. Western Australia has always been a favourite destination among Malaysian travellers, she said. 'Today, it's becoming a more welcoming destination for Muslims, with a growing number of Muslim-friendly F&B options.' According to Brown, Malaysia remains one of the state's top markets, attracting many high-yield travellers each year. The pandemic has changed the way people travel and what they look out for in a holiday. Today's holidaymakers are willing to 'invest in experiences that feel truly different', Brown said, adding that it is no longer about ticking boxes on an itinerary. 'Travellers want something meaningful and a chance to reconnect with themselves.' Luxury travel has also gone beyond fine dining experiences and five-star hotels. It is more personal now; it is about tasting local flavours, taking things slow and feeling genuinely connected to a place. By offering smaller, more intimate group tours, Brown believes that Western Australia is creating space for deeper, more personal travel experiences. Whether you are foraging for truffles in the forest, cruising along crystal-clear waters in search of the freshest catch, or swimming alongside giant whale sharks, Australia's largest state has something special to offer every traveller. Brown suggested that one of the best ways to take in the state's vast landscapes is to hit the open road. A self-drive holiday gives you the freedom to explore on your own terms: no hectic tour schedules, no rushing from stop to stop. Brown says luxury travel is about connection and authentic experiences. — Photos: Tourism Western Australia Farm experiences Malaysian traveller Samantha Philip, 36, kicked off her tour of the state with truffle hunting at Margaret River Truffle Farm, a three-hour drive from the capital city, Perth. She experienced first-hand the hands-on sensory adventure, guided by specially-trained dogs with a nose for earthy treasures. 'I was amazed,' she shared. 'Abby, the sweetest Labrador, sniffed out black truffles like an expert. Watching her in action was such an eye-opener. It was one of the most unique things I had done on a holiday.' Besides the excitement of unearthing your own truffles (yes, you can dig for the truffles yourself), you also learn about the mushroom's life cycle and its role in culinary history. But that's just one of the farm-themed experiences Western Australia has to offer. For something more laid-back, treat yourself to a farm stay. Wake up to fresh air and start your day by feeding farm animals like pigs, ponies, cows and even alpacas. You will also learn things like how worms can recycle all kinds of food and plant waste, or that chickens and geese help control pests. Some farms even use sheep as natural 'lawnmowers' to manage weeds in vineyards. Take a vineyard tour and learn all about the winery's rich heritage. — JARRAD SENG Wine and dine Margaret River has more than 200 wineries and vineyards dotting the region. Brown said that some wineries are now rethinking the traditional wine tasting experience to meet the changing expectations of tourists. Cullen Wines, the first winery in the region is one of them. Visitors can not just explore its storied winemaking journey, but also stay overnight on the vineyard. Besides wine, the state's craft beer scene is just as fascinating, Samantha said. 'I learned how beer is brewed at a local brewery and gained an appreciation for how the beverage is made.' However, a meaningful way to connect with one of the world's oldest living cultures – the Aborigines – is through food. 'Food is a big part of Indigenous heritage,' said Brown, adding that native ingredients are at the core of Indigenous cuisine. Koomal Dreaming has a food tour that is led by an Indigenous guide. The tour includes insights into traditional fire-lighting, tool-making and bush foods. Additionally, visitors should look out for dishes that feature native Australian ingredients, including wattleseed, kangaroo grass, lemon myrtle and finger lime. Some restaurants – such as Fervor – whip up dishes that use native ingredients like the root vegetables bloodroot and youlk. If you are craving something even more exhilarating, head to Rottnest Island for a seafood cruise. First you would need to get to Fremantle (a three-hour drive from Margaret River), then take a to 30-minute ferry to the island. Hop on another boat from the island for the cruise; a fresh seafood feast will be served onboard. Watch as the crew hauls up cray pots from beneath the surface, revealing a catch of lobsters. Travellers get to sample native cuisine in Western Australia, too. — CHRIS GURNEY Nature and wildlife While you are on Rottnest Island, it is a must to visit the famed Pinky Beach, one of the island's longest and most beautiful stretches of sand. Its calm, clear waters are perfect for swimming, snorkelling or simply enjoying the relaxing atmosphere. At sunset, the sky turns gold and pink. Standing over the bay is Bathurst Lighthouse, a landmark built after a tragic shipwreck that claimed 11 lives. Though you cannot enter the lighthouse itself, Bathurst Point offers a sweeping vista of the coastline. Of course, no trip to Rottnest is complete without meeting its most charming resident – the quokka. Famous for their smiles and playful nature, these marsupials are adorable and can largely be found in the wild only on this island. In fact, Rottnest owes its name to them: Early Dutch explorers thought the quokkas were giant rats and named the island 'Rottenest', meaning rat's nest in Dutch. Swimming with a whale shark along Ningaloo Reef. Ningaloo Reef, a Unesco-listed treasure, teems with vibrant coral reefs and marine life, from manta rays, to sea turtles and humpback whales. Dive into the deep blue sea to swim with the world's largest fish – the majestic whale shark. Visit between late March and mid July for the best chance to encounter whale sharks up close at Ningaloo Reef. From June to November, the reef also becomes a highway for migrating humpback whales as they travel along the coast. Brown said that a single visit to Western Australia is 'never enough'. This is perhaps one of the reasons why Malaysians often return. 'Every time you come back, you'll find something new,' she shared. 'That's the magic of Western Australia.' And with open landscapes and space to spare, over-crowding isn't much of a concern here. 'We've got plenty of land to go around,' Brown concluded.
The Guardian
20-05-2025
- The Guardian
Walk with the world's oldest living culture in Western Australia
There are few places on Earth where stories stretch back 60,000 years, and even fewer where those stories are still being lived, told and passed down through generations. Western Australia is one of those rare places: a vast, wild land where the world's oldest continuous living culture invites travellers not just to admire the stunning landscape they walk through, but to connect with it. Across the state, from the rugged red cliffs of the Kimberley to the turquoise waters of the South West, a growing number of Aboriginal tourism experiences offer visitors the opportunity to connect deeply with self, with others and with country. Designed for all ages, the tours are fun, hands-on and moving. To walk alongside an Aboriginal guide in WA is to see the land not just for what it is, but for everything it holds: knowledge, culture, spirituality and identity. In the state's South West, two tour operators – Kurrah Mia in Albany and Koomal Dreaming in the Margaret River region – offer immersive journeys that bring the beauty of this incredible place to life through the eyes of its traditional custodians. Aboriginal Walking Tour with Kurrah Mia, Denmark. Photo credit: Base Imagery. Near the coastal city of Albany, also known as Kinjarling, or 'place of rain', the team at Kurrah Mia welcomes visitors to walk in the footsteps of the Menang Noongar people. Guided tours pass on knowledge from elders to the next generation and to all who walk with them on country. On the Mount Clarence Walking Tour, guests walk with an experienced Menang guide, learning how the Menang people used ochre, plants, stone, bone and fire in daily life, as tools for hunting, medicine, storytelling and survival. Every element of the landscape has purpose and meaning, from the native flora that once healed wounds to the birds whose call signals change with each season. The Aboriginal Walking Tour to Quaranup takes guests deeper still, following ancient paths to Quaranup (or Kwooranup – place of the brush-tailed wallaby). It's here that you begin to understand how closely the Menang people lived in rhythm with the tides and seasons. Among granite outcrops and sea-swept cliffs, tour participants discover ancient stone structures, engravings, waterholes and artefacts left untouched by time. When the tides allow, the group ventures to the rocks to forage for shellfish, just as the ancestors once did. Dreaming stories, woven with culture and song, bring the walks to life and cast the land in a new light. The experience isn't just about what you see; it's about what you begin to feel. Kurrah Mia's tours are an invitation to slow down, listen and start to understand the bush as a vibrant, living classroom. Through bush food tastings and lessons in native medicine plants, visitors gain an understanding of how the Menang people thrived here for tens of thousands of years – long before Albany became a port town and maps drew lines across the landscape. Aboriginal Cultural Tour at Ngilgi Cave Ancient Lands Experience with Josh Whiteland from Koomal Dreaming. Photo credit: Tourism Western Australia. Further west, in the picturesque Margaret River Region, the founder of Koomal Dreaming, Josh 'Koomal' Whiteland, offers guests a deeply personal encounter with Wadandi and Bibbulmun country. The Aboriginal Food, Cave and Didge Tour is a multisensory experience that begins with a gentle walk through native bush, where guests learn to identify seasonal foods and medicinal plants that have nourished generations. Then, the journey moves underground into Ngilgi Cave, a sacred site where time seems to slow down. A gifted storyteller, musician and cultural custodian, Josh shares Dreaming stories passed down by his ancestors. His didgeridoo performance, in the cave's cool, cathedral-like chambers, reverberates with a haunting, ancient beauty. After emerging from the cave, it's time to gather around the campfire to feast on the likes of kangaroo, emu and seasonal bush foods such as saltbush and quandong – all paired with local Margaret River wines and beers. For an experience of a different kind, the Twilight Didgeridoo Cave Tour invites guests into Ngilgi Cave after hours. As the sun sets above ground, the cave becomes a sanctuary of sound and story. This 90-minute tour ends in stillness, with the soft glow of lanterns casting shadows on the limestone walls while the didgeridoo speaks its ancient song. On his tours, Josh encourages guests to reflect on their place in the world, their responsibilities to nature and the importance of keeping culture alive. Aboriginal Walking Tour with Kurrah Mia, Denmark. Photo credit: Base Imagery. Whether you're exploring cultural sites, learning about bush foods or listening to elders share history, these guided Aboriginal tours give context and depth to the landscape around you. For travellers who want to understand more than just the scenery, the tours offer a powerful way to see the South West region through a different lens – and to better understand the deep cultural connections that continue to shape life across Western Australia. Discover more at
