Tara Cave Walk and The Sundancin Tour - Coonabarabran
From $ 185.0 to $ 185.0
Direct Phone Number : (02) 6825 4364
Return to Coonabarabran
The Tara Cave Walk and the Sundancin’ Tour both offer an opportunity to gain a valuable insight into the rich Aboriginal culture of the Warrumbungle region, and an understanding of the original inhabitants of this area, the Gamilaraay people (also known as Gamilaroi and Kamilaroi people).
The Tara Cave Walk is led by an Aboriginal National Parks & Wildlife Discovery Ranger who provides informative commentary on traditional use of the land, gives a bushtucker demonstration, and at Tara Cave shows a range of artefacts collected in the area. The tour is 2 – 3 hours and morning tea is included.
The Sundancin’ Tour offers another option within the Warrumbungle region as a half day tag-along tour (participants require their own vehicle) and is guided by an Aboriginal National Parks and Wildlife Discovery Ranger and a Gamilaraay Elder. It includes a visit to the Sandstone caves in the Pilliga Nature Reserve and BurraBeeDee Mission and shows how times have changes for the Gamilaraay (also known as Gamilaroi) people. This tour is 4 – 5 hours and is approximately 80kms return trip from Coonabarabran. Morning tea and lunch are included.
Both tours are part of the National Parks & Wildlife Service Discovery Program. Bookings are essential and minimum numbers apply.
Services for Tara Cave Walk and The Sundancin Tour
- Tara Cave Guided Walk
- Tara Cave is one of the sites used traditionally by Gamilaraay (also known as Gamilaroi or Kamilaroi) people for more than four thousand years. The tour led by an Aboriginal National Parks and Wildlife Discovery Ranger, gives and understanding of the first people to live in the Warrumbungle’s. The Ranger will show you bushtucker and explain traditional use of the land, and at Tara Cave will show a range of artefacts collected in the area. Morning tea is included. Duration of the tour is 2- 3 hours. Participants need to have drinking water, wear hats and sensible shoes – sunscreen is also a recommendation. This tour is part of the National Parks & Wildlife Service Discovery program. Bookings are essential and minimum numbers apply. The departure point is advised on booking.
- The Sundancin' Tour
- The Sundancin’ Tour offers another option within the Warrumbungle Region. It is a half day tag-along tour (participants require their own vehicle) which includes a visit to the Sandstone caves in the Pilliga Nature Reserve and BurraBeeDee Mission and shows how times have changes for the Gamilaraay (also known as Gamilaroi and Kamilaroi) people. Guided by an Aboriginal National Parks and Wildlife Discovery Ranger and a Gamilaraay Elder, this tour commences in Coonabarabran where an orientation is given with discussion about Gamilaraay people who inhabited the area for over four thousand years prior to European settlement. The journey begins with a trip out to the Sandstone Caves in the Pilliga Nature Reserve. This area consists of forest and woodland communities and is habitat to a variety of birdlife. The walk to the caves is an easy walk with time to observe the variations in vegetation and landscape – the traditional uses of a variety of plants is explained – some as bushtucker and some for medicinal purposes. The cave network is fragile and beautiful and was once used as shelter by the Aboriginal people. Stories are shared here about early life in the area. After returning to vehicles the tour visits Burra Bee Dee Mission – an Aboriginal Mission with a different story. The Elder with this tour will recount life on the mission, but also as descendants of Mary Jane Cain. The establishment of this mission was driven by the local people – Mary Jane Cain wrote directly to Queen Victoria requesting an allocation of land near Forky Mountain for her people to live. This was granted and the rest is history. There will be time here for lunch on arrival at the mission and a visit to parts of the mission including the Aboriginal cemetery before returning to Coonabarabran. Distance travelled by vehicle is approximately 80kms (a return trip from Coonabarabran). Participants must have drinking water, wear hats and sensible shoes and sunscreen is recommended. This tour is part of the National Parks & Wildlife Service Discovery program. Bookings are essential and minimum numbers apply. The departure point is advised on booking.
Experiences around Coonabarabran
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
- Flora/Fauna
- Historic/Heritage
- Nature based
