The early white pioneers of Australia found out the hard way that ‘going bush’ is no mean feat.
They didn’t have an easy time during those early expeditions – many starved, others got lost and disappeared.
They did, however, prove two very important things: Australia is a vast continent; and to understand its immense beauty one should consult those who have lived here the longest – the Aboriginal people.
Indigenous Australians are estimated to have lived in Australia for anywhere between 40,000 and 60,000 years.
They have insider knowledge when it comes to Australia’s outback and it’s well worth picking their brains if you want a greater understanding of the way this continent really functions.
Aboriginal Australians have a binding spiritual link to the land and explain its creation with songs, stories and pictorial art which are passed down from generation to generation.
The time of creation is referred to as the Dreamtime, and describes the creation of people, animals and the land.
The Dreamtime, or the Dreaming, can also be described as a sort of cosmic awareness, often inspired by the land itself.
On a practical level, many of the songs contain geographical and seasonal references which are vital for survival.
More modern songs and art tell of contact with Europeans, a complex issue which has not been a positive experience for most Aboriginal people.
Their art today is also used as a means to express and preserve ancient Dreaming values and Aboriginal culture for communities and to gain worldwide understanding, awareness and acceptance.
There’s lots of captivating Aboriginal art on sale in Australia, but if you buy some please ensure money is going back to the artist.
At the time of the ‘white invasion’, there were several hundred Aboriginal language groups (or tribes). Unlike the New Zealand Maori, for example, each of these tribes had its own language.
Even now, in some remote parts of northern Australia, English will be the third language of many Aboriginal people – their own tongue and the language of a neighbouring tribe will come first.
It’s generally easiest for travellers to get a taste of Aboriginal culture in the Northern Territory.
The streets of Darwin and Alice Springs are full of shops selling indigenous art and didgeridoos, while tours to areas like Kakadu National Park and Uluru are often peppered with talk of Aboriginal Dreamtime stories and bush tucker.
For the best insight into how Aboriginal people lived in more traditional times, visit one of the Aboriginal reserves, such as Arnhem Land, in the NT.
They remain largely untouched by European influences.
It is vital to buy permits from the relevant land councils (such as at nlc.org.au) before entering these areas.
It’s not always necessary to go off the beaten track, however, as examples of Aboriginal art can be found literally all over the country, even right by Bondi Beach.
Photos: Getty