Koomal Dreaming

Star 5.0 (22 Google reviews)

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Koomal Dreaming

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Monday to Sunday 9-5pm
The cultural experiences depart from either of the following meeting points: Ngilgi Cave (Yallingup Caves Road, Yallingup) or Cape Naturaliste Lighthouse precinct (1267 Cape Naturaliste Road, Naturaliste), both just a 10 - 15min drive from Dunsborough.
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For over 50,000 years, the Wadandi of the Busselton, Dunsborough and Margaret River areas of Australia’s south-west have walked this ancient land. Koomal Dreaming is your opportunity to follow in their footsteps and experience Wadandi country through their eyes. Wadandi custodian Josh “Koomal” Whiteland will introduce you to the world’s oldest living culture with his authentic, personal interpretation. Be moved by the skill and intensity of Josh’s didgeridoo playing & fire-making, taste native foods, discover bush medicine and meet the animals, plants and Dreaming spirits that have enriched the lives of Wadandi people since time began.
Koomal Dreaming allows visitors to experience Wadandi and Bibbulman country through the eyes of the traditional owners.

From his home base of Dunsborough, Josh allows guests to taste native foods, discover bush medicine, and experience traditional fire lighting. Josh recounts stories of the Dreaming spirits related to his traditional area and takes visitors deep into Ngilgi Cave for a uniquely memorable didgeridoo cave experience. 

Private cultural tours along with Aboriginal food foraging and tastings are available on request at Ngilgi Cave as well as the stunning Cape Naturaliste location in the Margaret River region.

Providing a deep connection and lasting memories,  Josh will also provide a deeper appreciation of the beautiful and inspiring Cape to Cape region. 

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Amenities

Experiences

Aboriginal Food, Culture, Cave & Didge Tour

What's Included: cave entrance fee, guided bushwalk, didgeridoo performance, BBQ lunch
Duration: 3 hours
What else:
Enclosed walking shoes, hat and sunscreen recommended. Any dietary requirements or allergies must be notified minimum 48 hours in advance.

Take a guided bushwalk with Josh to forage for seasonal native bush foods and medicines and discover their cultural uses. Learn about the six Noongar seasons and how they influence what is hunted and gathered.  Journey into Ngilgi Cave for Josh’s authentic storytelling of the Dreaming and a unique didgeridoo experience; this is the only place you’ll ever hear the ancient instrument through the awesome acoustics inside a cave.

Discover the art of traditional fire lighting and tool making, as Wadandi custodian Josh demonstrates how to create a spark by rubbing two sticks together and explains how his ancestors created the artefacts you can touch and feel.

Taste traditional foods and flavours in a bush BBQ lunch around the meeting place campfire. Depending on the season, these could include kangaroo, emu, quandong, emu plum and saltbush. Matched to iconic local wine and beers this lunch is filled with flavours of the Margaret River Region.

Ngilgi Cave Cultural Tour

What's Included: cave entrance fee, guided bushwalk, didgeridoo performance
Duration: 2.5hrs
What else:
Enclosed walking shoes, hat, sunscreen and water bottle recommended.

Take a bush walk with Josh and learn how to identify traditional plants, foods and medicines and how they are uniquely linked to the six Noongar seasons. Discover the art of creating a fire by rubbing sticks together, and share a magical didgeridoo performance inside the Earth amplified by the superb acoustics of the cave. See and touch the tools and cultural artifacts used by the Wadandi in their every day lives.

Didgeridoo Cave Tour

What's Included: cave entrance fee, guided bushwalk, didgeridoo performance
Duration: 1.5hrs
What else:
Enclosed walking shoes recommended.

A focused, heart-opening 90-minute cultural tour with powerful Aboriginal learnings. Enjoy a short guided bushwalk identifying traditional medicine plants and learning local Noongar knowledge about the region.  Next, venture into Ngilgi Cave where the good spirit Ngilgi dwells to hear Josh relate the Dreaming legends with his unique way of storytelling. Here, deep inside the Earth, Josh delivers a mesmerising didgeridoo performance in the stillness of the cave. Guests say it is an experience to treasure for all time.

This tour usually runs in the morning but is available at other times upon request.

Twilight Didgeridoo Cave Tour

What's Included: cave entrance fee, guided bushwalk, didgeridoo performance
Duration: 1.5hrs
What else:
Enclosed walking shoes recommended.

Experience Ngilgi Cave at twilight. A focused, heart-opening 90-minute cultural tour with powerful Aboriginal learnings. Enjoy a short guided bushwalk identifying traditional medicine plants and learning local Noongar knowledge about the region. Next, venture into Ngilgi Cave where the good spirit Ngilgi dwells to hear Josh relate the Dreaming legends with his unique way of storytelling. Here, deep inside the Earth, Josh delivers a mesmerising didgeridoo performance in the stillness of the cave. 

 
As you depart the cave, you’re likely to see a glowing WA sunset to seal the memory. Guests say it is an experience to treasure for all time.

This is a seasonal tour departing at 4 or 5 pm depending on the time of sunset. 

Kaya Cape Experience

What's Included: guided bushwalk, didgeridoo performance
Duration: 1.5hrs
What else:
Enclosed walking shoes, hat & sunscreen recommended.

Learn about the deep connection the Wadandi people have to the Cape to Cape region. The Kaya tour is wheelchair accessible and begins with a ‘Welcome to Country’. Your guide will escort you on short (200m round trip) walk around Cape Naturaliste Lighthouse, where you are surrounded on three sides by oceans, interpreting the landscape to you through the eyes of an Indigenous custodian.  Next, gather at a private Meeting Place for an interactive experience with an artifact interpretation and a didgeridoo music session.

For groups with more than 10 guests, a gourmet BBQ with native food tastings is available as a lunch or dinner option.

Reviews

Star 5.0 (22 Google reviews)
0
Boonty Boo 12 March 2024

Your culture has many similarities to Māori that honour your ancestors, cultural traditions and respect of the natural world. I highly recommend spending time here. There are so many things we can do to take better care of our planet that just make sense. Thank you Josh. My friends and I thoroughly enjoyed our time with you and I hope to see you in New Zealand some day. Many thanks, Robyn

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Jack Overhill 01 April 2024

I booked 3 of us onto Cave, Didgeridoo cave and food culture tour. The whole thing was amazing Josh certainly knows and connects his country like it's the bank of his hand! When I booked the tour, I thought the food section was more of a snack thing, but turned out Josh and his team cooked a amazing lunch of meats, salads, bread, cheeses and all locally sourced with home made spices. The day didn't feel rushed and had good time to explore everything and to ask Josh any questions. I would definitely recommend Josh's tours!

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Simon Reed 30 December 2023

Fantastic tour by Josh with amazing food, beautiful caves and in depth knowledge of the area and history of the aboriginal people of the region

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Maggie Petrie 22 July 2020

Shared this wonderful experience with my 13yo daughter and it's one of the most lovely and memorable things we have done within Australia. I would love every West Australian and every visitor here to have the privilege of experiencing this. Spending this time on country and Josh's knowledge as a proud Wadandi man was just incredible and I've been recommending it to everyone. I've even referred the business to a local travel agent I know who is looking for new ways for her clients to experience WA now that we are dealing with the challenges of the pandemic. We did the sunset tour which finished with Josh playing the didgeridoo inside Ngilgi Cave which was so haunting we had chills. Next time we plan to do one of the longer tours as we have heard Josh is an amazing cook and we are more intrigued with bush tucker and just being able to understand this country better from the vast knowledge and experience of its traditional custodians.