SeaLink South Australia is thrilled to announce the launch of the Kangaroo Island Indigenous Day Tour, a unique cultural experience, created in partnership with Ngarrindjeri elder Mark Koolmatrie, founder of Kool Tours, who this year was inducted in the South Australian Tourism Hall of Fame.
Starting mid-December 2024, this tour beautifully weaves together two stories and perspectives—respectfully intertwining the ancient, rich cultural history of the Ngarrindjeri people with the island’s more recent history and major events, including the devastating impacts of the 2019-20 bushfires and the amazing resilience and rebound of the landscape, flora, fauna and local community.
Through interactive storytelling, visitors are invited to experience Kangaroo Island—known to the Ngarrindjeri people as Nurrungaui—by delving into its rich cultural narratives exploring its pre-settlement history through the eyes of its original custodians. This journey offers a deeply immersive and transformative connection to the land.
Accompanied by Mark Koolmatrie, guests will uncover the island's sacred sites, learn about native bush foods, and hear creation stories passed down through generations. Highlights of this cultural exploration include:
- Welcome to Country smoking ceremony
- A bushwalk in Penneshaw, exploring native medicines and storytelling.
- Visits to Seal Bay, Admirals Arch, and Remarkable Rocks, where Ngarrindjeri myths and spiritual connections to landmarks are unveiled.
- The story of Nurrunderi, the creator who shaped the land and entered the spirit world from Kangaroo Island representing the beginning of life.
Mark Koolmatrie, Deputy Chair of Ngarrindjeri Aboriginal Corporation and Owner of Kool Tours, South Australian Tourism Awards Hall of Fame winner, reflected on the tour’s significance, sharing, "Each site we visit holds a significance in the Ngarrindjeri creation story, not just of the land, but of our people and our relationship to it.
“The land remembers our stories, and we’re proud to share them with visitors to Kangaroo Island. No connected tour blending the two stories like this has ever been done before on the island, so guests will experience something truly unique and special—unlike anything else available," Mr Koolmatrie said.
