Indigenous Experiences at Holiday Haven

Connecting with local culture while visiting the Shoalhaven can be done in many ways – but none more so than getting ‘hands on’ and immersing yourself in a workshop or authentic experience. A new initiative that Holiday Haven Parks has been proud to roll out through the 2023/24 summer season has been onsite cultural workshops, provided by Gadhungal Marring. It has been a wonderful opportunity for visitors to learn more about the original inhabitants of these lands.

Who is Gadhungal Marring?

Translated as ‘saltwater people’, Gadhungal Marring is the collective name for a group of proud Dharrawal traditional custodians who provide indigenous cultural programs, tours, experiences and training to groups, businesses and holidaymakers!

Their goal is to provide a deep immersion into the culture – including a smoking ceremony, traditional dances and stories about the local region, as well as providing knowledge about plants and bush tucker. These cultural immersions are suitable for all ages.

“I wanted to learn more about the Language and Culture of the land … but knew I would have to bring my three year old son on the tour. I was worried he wouldn’t be able to sit through it and become disruptive. Well… the stories and dancing totally captivated my son – so much so that he listened and watched almost the whole time. Thank you – I’m so glad that we both got to experience it.” – Britt J (tour participant)

Why bring this to Holiday Haven?

At Holiday Haven, we know how privileged we are to enjoy some of the region’s very best locations alongside rivers, lakes and ocean in all 12 of our Parks which have deep significance to the traditional custodians of this land. Having heard positive feedback from past participants of the Gadhungal Marring workshops and reading reviews online we connected with them to find out more.  

We knew the workshops would be a great fit for our guests and set up workshops across the 12 parks over a month, giving us enough time to sample these great workshops:

• Hunting & Gathering
• Painting & Weaving
• Bush Tucker Yarn
• Artefacts Yarn

The cultural workshops are a fantastic opportunity for visitors and commjnity to gain deeper understanding and perspective about Aboriginal culture. What a better time to experience this while on holiday! 

The feedback we received from both staff and guests was outstanding! Our team appreciated the incredible stories and wisdom shared by Gadhungal Marring and know that our guests went home with great memories from participating. 

We are grateful for the initial connection to Gadhungal Marring through Shoalhaven Tourism, and we hope to offer more workshops with Gadhungal Marring in the near future. Stay tuned!

Other ways to experience culture 

There are many excellent tours and experiences across the region. These include Djiriba Waagura Cultural Tours in Nowra – walk trails along the Shoalhaven River, visiting significant Indigenous sites and participating in bush tucker knowledge and stories. 

At Wreck Bay in Booderee National Park, on the southern side of Jervis Bay, Aunty Julie Freeman from Galamban Extraordinary Aboriginal Experiences is known for her campfire yarns and workshops on tools, tucker and ancient technology. You can also join Paul McLeod (Jrumpinjinbah) to learn about traditional therapies.

Meanwhile, further south, you can indulge in a bush food and bush medicine walk with Elders Noel Butler and Nura Gunyu (Swan Country) in the Budawang Ranges. And at Ulladulla, organise a guided tour along Coomee Nulunga Track with a local Aboriginal guide. 

For more suggestions, check out our detailed post here.