CONNECT WITH Country

Totem animals are significant to all Aboriginal people with important morals and teachings shared through Dreaming. One sacred totem that is recognised throughout the Bundaberg region, is the Milbi, also known as the bum-breathing whitethroated snapping freshwater turtle. Several indigenous language groups use the word Milbi to describe turtles in a more general sense. It’s why Bundaberg Regional Council’s ten-day community celebration of all things turtle was named the Milbi Festival.

Known affectionately as Turtle Town, Bundaberg is home to the largest turtle rookery in the southern hemisphere, where several species of sea turtles return to nest each year. The annual cultural festival, which will kick off on October 27 this year, honours our love of turtles, the Region’s rich indigenous history, as well as our commitment to protect the Southern Great Barrier Reef.

Welcoming locals and visitors alike, the Milbi Festival was designed to bring people together from all walks of life to celebrate rebirth, ritual and regeneration. It’s an ethos that is reflected throughout the Festival’s intrinsic branding and design, curated by local Goreng Goreng and Taribelang Bunda artist, Rachael Sarra. Next time you’re at the Mon Repos Turtle Centre for a nightly ranger-guided encounter in turtle season or enjoying one of their year-round interactive experiences, take the opportunity to indulge in a treat at the Milbi Café.

Operated by the Gidarjil Development Corporation, the Milbi Café celebrates local ingredients across their menu. They provide training and employment opportunities for Aboriginal youth, and also showcase the Region’s indigenous culture through art and souvenirs that celebrate the milbi.

Behind the scenes, their attentive staff share the Region’s first nations culture, working alongside Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service rangers to implement history and culture into the Mon Repos Turtle Centre experience.

Sit back and relax with a cuppa and cake, admire the rich architectural design and soak up all there is to know about turtles.

WORDS BY KATHERINE REID, CEO OF BUNDABERG TOURISM

More visitors than ever before are seeking experiences that are real and authentic, that share the story of people and place. Importantly, they want to learn first-hand from the oldest continuous living culture on earth.

Leading the way in sharing these stories with travellers from across the globe is our thriving tourism industry. In the five years to December 2019, participation in indigenous tourism experiences grew 6.4 per cent; in some cases that’s 6 per cent more than participation in other tourism sectors. Annual visitor expenditure on indigenous experiences accounted for more than $500 million. About 400,000 travellers immersed in Aboriginal culture.

In the past ten years, tourism bodies like Bundaberg Tourism, industry, government departments, indigenous organisations and Aboriginal elders have been working together to support and foster the development of sustainable first nations experiences.

Recognising the thousands of generations of continuous culture that has shaped this country and the people on it, Bundaberg Tourism is proud to currently be working alongside two local cultural tourism experiences to empower them.

We are helping them grow and become market ready, so that Australian and international visitors can take part in authentic, local indigenous experiences that share culture respectfully.

Looking ahead, the Brisbane Olympics in 2032 brings an exciting opportunity for Queensland’s first nations tourism experiences to be at the forefront, leading and championing these authentic cultural offerings. Committed to sustainability and protection of our natural environment, the Bundaberg Region has a significant role to play and a lot to offer.

In January, the Bundaberg Region became the second destination in Queensland and fifth in Australia to announce Eco Destination Certification through Ecotourism Australia. It’s a significant achievement, brought about through extensive effort and collaboration between Bundaberg Tourism, the PCCC, local eco-certified tourism operators and Bundaberg Regional Council.

Our local tourism industry has long believed that experiencing internationally significant but fragile natural assets is the greatest way to educate people about the need for conservation. The Bundaberg Region continues to shine as one of Australia’s most exciting emerging tourism destinations. The knowledge that their holidays are underpinned by respectful, sustainable and, in some cases, regenerative business practices will only strengthen our desirability as a destination.

Late last year Queensland Tourism Industry Council and the Queensland First Nations Tourism Council released a best-practice guide for working with first nations tourism in Queensland. Available for all, the guide is the first of its kind in Queensland and aligns with the interests and aspirations of the mainstream tourism industry.

The sharing of stories, connection to country and culture through tourism is a step towards reconciliation and sustainability. Acknowledgement and education through truth telling brings communities together.