Cultural connections with Koomal Dreaming at Ngilgi Cave

The narrative is engaging and interactive, with 3D cave models made to touch, a visual representation of the Noongar seasons, recorded bird sounds to listen to, and places to rest and contemplate.  It’s an experience accessible to all ages and abilities, with above-ground cave viewing options available.

When we visited, we were fortunate to be accompanied by Holly Winkle – Capes Foundation Communications Manager, who is passionate about the cave ecosystem. She has first-hand knowledge of Ngilgi Cave from a tour guide’s perspective and says she still gets goosebumps when she descends into the space. Her love of the cave system, which she describes as an ecosystem indicator, is only eclipsed by her knowledge of the crystalised formations and her fascination with ancient troglobites (cave-dwelling insects) that lurk in the depths.

The new Ancient Lands Experience allows visitors the freedom to explore at their own pace above and below ground with the option to interact with knowledgeable guides at the entrance and inside the cave. There is also an exciting new space where Koomal Dreaming Cape Cultural Experiences hold traditional fire lighting and gourmet bush food feasts.

Koomal Dreaming Cape Cultural Experiences is run by local Wadandi man Josh ‘Koomal’ Whiteland, who has operated cultural tours in the region for over 15 years. Josh’s immersive tours allow visitors to connect to country and to experience aboriginal culture through the eyes of Traditional Owners.

When we spoke with Josh ‘Koomal’ Whiteland, he revealed deep family connections to the region. His grandparents, Wadandi saltwater people, lived in the last traditional bush camp in the area, and his grandfather was responsible for renaming Ngilgi Cave (previously Yallingup Cave) in 2000. Josh’s grandmother created the original mosaics in the mid 1990s, now relocated and displayed in the new Koomal Dreaming space.

Koomal (the Wadandi word for brushtail possum) is Josh’s totem. Koomal Dreaming’s ‘Food, Cave and Didgeridoo Tour’ will heighten your senses as you experience the three things Josh is passionate about – music, art, and food.  The experience begins at the entrance with a welcome to country, before a guided bush walk, where Josh identifies local food and medicinal plants and discusses seasonal indicators and flowering times.

Josh then takes you inside Ngilgi Cave, where he shares a song on his didgeridoo – a sound that resonates deeply with the underground acoustics of the cave. He also shares stories about the cave and its importance to the local people. The stillness inside the ancient cavern is due to the constant temperature and humidity levels no matter the conditions above ground.

Back at the meeting place, Josh shares some artefacts and talks about how they were made. Josh is one of few people in the region who practices traditional fire lighting and management. The local name for fire is karla, and the fire lighting experience, using traditional methods, is hands-on for visitors (depending on the season).

Once the fire is alight, it’s time for some more music and a bush feast, which culminates in a gourmet long-table lunch where you will taste traditional foods such as kangaroo, emu, quandong, emu plum, and saltbush, prepared over the campfire. Meals are accompanied by local beer, wine and soft drinks.

Josh says, “The experience flows really nicely and heightens all the senses – you’re tasting ingredients, you’re hearing the music, you’re seeing all the wonderful structures.”

No stranger to gastronomy, Josh played a part in the food movement of the region with his involvement in the Gourmet Escape Festival (2012 – 2019). The world-class food festival attracted international chefs whom Josh had the privilege of working alongside, as well as visitors to the region. Chef Marco Pierre White declared it as the ‘Greatest show on Earth’.

An accomplished artist, Josh produced the illustrations and patterns utilised across the Gourmet Escape brand. He also produces and sells original Wadandi artwork in local Margaret River galleries and online.

Holly hopes the Ngilgi Cave Ancient Lands Experience, teamed with cultural tours held by Koomal Dreaming, will enable visitors to become advocates for the cave ecosystem, Wadandi cultural heritage and the Leeuwin-Naturaliste National Park.

The Ancient Lands Experience and Koomal Dreaming Cape Cultural Experiences pay homage to the true significance of this place and its spiritual connections to the Traditional Owners of the land.