When deciding on activities I wanted my Yankee mother to experience on her first visit to Australia, I wanted to highlight the best that Far North Queensland has to offer: exquisite tropical forests, exotic fruit and cuisine, a vibrant, ancient living culture, and one-of-a-kind wildlife to name just a few. There is only one place in Kuranda where all the above boxes are ticked: Rainforestation Nature Park.

A short scenic drive to the village of Kuranda takes you to these tropical grounds, spanning 100 acres of World Heritage Rainforest. Founded in 1974 by the local Woodward family, this eco-friendly attraction not only offers expeditions in to the tropical forest and sights of striking wildlife but also revelations of indigenous culture. Upon our arrival, that is exactly where we commenced: the Pamagirri Aboriginal Experience.

I’d say that it is an absolute must for holiday-makers visiting FNQ. It’d be a shame to travel around this immense and magnificent country and not have an intimate peak into the oldest living culture in the world. This is a rare opportunity to gain an awareness of the traditional practices and values traditional owners of this land keep alive, and to acknowledge the importance of upholding and sharing their ancient knowledge and wisdom. So it was with this in mind that I had my heart set on introducing local culture to my mother.

With our knowledgeable and hospitable guide for the day, Amanda guided us to our lesson on what has supported human existence for thousands of years: hunting. Red Kangaroo, our expert spear thrower named after his totem animal, demonstrated how to use a woomera, an ingenious tool used to extend the human arm, permitting a spear to travel at a greater speed and force than otherwise possible. Not really imagining he could top the stunning display of skill, Red Kangaroo went on to demonstrate how the Aussie-emblematic boomerang is used as a hunting tool. What was most impressive was his three-boomerang-throw used to hunt airborne birds in a flock. Mom and I even had a chance to try our hand at flinging this ancient weapon with hilarious results, but I even surprised myself when my boomerang did a 360 and came back! Beginner’s luck!

After our hands-on weapon experience, we delved into another domain of Aboriginal culture: music. It all began with Red Kangaroo instructing us in the fine art of the didgeridoo, a traditional Aboriginal instrument created by allowing termites to hollow out a tree trunk. By being able to simultaneously breathe air in and blow it out all while piercing his lips together, our musician was able to create the well-known low, mellow tones pierced with high-pitched shrieks to imitate the sounds of a kookaburra.

Following this serenade, we entered the vast Rainforest Amphitheatre for the renowned Pamagirri Aboriginal Performance. Be sure to sit near the stage for the best view! The opening number welcomed the audience to the venue with clapping sticks, the sonorous sounds of the didge, and triumphant shouts from the flamboyantly clad performers. Other songs depicted relevant aspects of life on the land: a kangaroo dance highlighted the acrobatic ability of the dancers; the spear dance demonstrated the power of the hunter; the emu dance paid tribute to the sacred animal; and the ‘swish-swish’ of the mosquito dance made obvious the practicality of branches in the wet tropics. The snake dance was the most interactive, bringing me face-to-face with a “snake” (see photo), but by far, the most entertaining moment was when mom volunteered to dance on stage!

Entering the Pamagirri home environment is a must in order to put into context their cultural practices. That’s where the Army Duck comes in. These bad boys are a modification of the 2-ton capacity CCKW trucks driven by the American military during World War II.  With the largest fleet of DUCKWs (known as Ducks) in Australia, Rainforestation offers guests the exclusive perspective of riding through the verdant tropical paradise on a massive all-terrain vehicle before splashing into the lake for a scenic boat cruise. Fiona, our knowledgeable Duck Captain, pointed out unique tropical flora and fauna all while in the comfort of our six-wheel-drive amphibious truck. I learned all sorts of helpful facts that I’ve tucked away for future reference should I ever need survival knowledge for my next camping trip! For example, I learned: 1. those pesky vines that I get attached to on hikes are aptly named wait-a-while vines, 2. one should NEVER roll in a brush of stinging tree leaves, and 3. rattan can actually be used as a water source. While we didn’t have a chance to, make sure you take a tour of the Tropical Fruit Orchard which has more than 60 exotic tropical fruit trees from North Queensland and beyond, all included in your Army Duck experience.

No doubt, the most adorable part of our day was hand feeding the free roaming roos. Tip from the Expert: They love a good scratch under their neck! We even spotted oversized feet dangling from her mother’s pouch- apparently someone didn’t want to leave home and start paying rent yet. Other iconic creatures of Australia inhabit the Wildlife Park, including their star attraction “Jack the Ripper,” a 650 kilo saltwater crocodile. This 5 metre long killer is notorious for slaying 12 of his former girlfriends. While there were countless creatures we had had the pleasure of seeing, my last and most memorable sighting was glimpsing my first ‘active’ koala, animals famous for sleeping around 18 hours a day.

Finally, a day full of activity works up an appetite- luckily we didn’t have to leave the grounds to satiate our hunger. Rainforestation boasts three restaurants and a snack bar- we were seated at the Colonial Restaurant and were treated to a feast! Fine cheeses, scrumptious salads, and even a delectable crocodile soup were on the menu. So what more can I say? Rainforestation Nature Park has it all! If you want to find out more about Rainforestation Nature Park, visit their website at https://www.rainforest.com.au/ and contact CCEB travel!

–Nina, CCEB Teacher

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