Mandingalbay Authentic Indigenous Tours

100% Indigenous owned and operated by Mandingalbay Yidinji Aboriginal Corporation (MYAC), Mandingalbay Ancient Indigenous Tours launched its first scheduled tours for independent travellers in March 2022 and in its first five months has hosted over 1,000 visitors on Country.

The company’s Hands on Country Eco Tour is a half day cultural tour starting at the Cairns Marina in the heart of the city escorting visitors by river cruise vessel across Trinity Inlet to the traditional Country of the Mandingalbay Yidinji people. Active Indigenous Rangers are the Tour Guides sharing culture through their song lines and storylines passed on through generations as descendants of their warrior king, Jabulum Mandingalbay, who was born around 1858 and survived the occupation and settlement of his country.

Tour & Transport

Sustainability Commitment

A feature of our Hands on Country Eco Tour is the Mandingalbay Tourism infrastructure project (stage one) including the stunning Yulu (Stingray) welcome shelter, an off-grid power and water sustainable systems project, with solar panels connected to batteries and a 10,000 litre rainwater tank supporting a large ablutions block. The project also contributed greatly to the building of skills training and job opportunities for Mandingalbay Yidinji people. Our Welcome to Country smoking ceremony is held in a special site in the rainforest at the end of a short trail, away from the buildings to create a natural setting, free of distractions.

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Hands on Country Eco Tour

The Mandingalbay Yidinji (MY) people have lived in harmony with their environment for tens of thousands of years. This tour allows you to immerse yourself in the world of the M.Y people, visiting places of significance and sourcing native food in the rainforest. You will be welcomed with a traditional smoking and cleansing ceremony. MY people will personally guide you, sharing ancient knowledge and insights into Indigenous customs. Guests gain an understanding of the connection between Country and Aboriginal culture. Incredibly, this authentic experience of Indigenous life is a short 15-minute vessel transfer from the Cairns Reef Fleet Terminal.