The best Christmas gift this year might be a walk on country
Behind the sparkle of the festive season sits a less appealing reality: excess packaging, unwanted presents and bins filled with waste. As Christmas approaches, the familiar rush to buy, wrap and exchange gifts gathers pace, and so does the pile of glossy paper and plastic trimmings that follows.
Research by The Australia Institute found that more than half of Australians would rather not receive material gifts at all, and almost one in three expect to get at least one present they will never use. The same study estimated that Australia generates around 275,000 tonnes of waste each festive season through discarded packaging and unwanted items.
Meanwhile, CSIRO data showed household waste rises by up to 30 percent at this time of year, with more than 150,000 kilometers of wrapping paper used. That’s enough to circle the planet nearly four times, and much of it can’t be recycled because of its plastic and metallic coatings.
So if you’ve ever stood in a shopping center in December wondering whether your loved ones actually need another thing, you’re far from alone.
A different kind of present
Discover Aboriginal Experiences has a suggestion. The national collective brings together more than 50 Aboriginal guided tourism operators, and this Christmas it’s encouraging people to gift connection to Country instead of more stuff. That could mean an Aboriginal-led experience, or a piece of art or an artifact made by an Aboriginal creative.
“Instead of cluttering our homes with more fast commodities and disposable goods, we can give experiences and artifacts that bring us closer to Culture, nature and community,” says Nicole Mitchell, Senior Experiences Sector Manager at Discover Aboriginal Experiences. “Every booking or purchase supports Aboriginal guides, creatives, language and Country. They’re gifts that keep giving long after the wrapping paper has gone.”
These gifts sit lightly on the land for practical reasons. Many First Nations experiences are built around walking, storytelling and cultural learning through making things. They don’t rely on high-emission transport or resource-heavy infrastructure. Guests are invited to see the land through the eyes of its Traditional Owners, for whom caring for Country and sharing culture go hand in hand. And because so much of the learning is hands-on, people tend to carry the stories home and pass them on.
The collective offers more than 200 experiences in almost every state, in cities and regional areas alike. Some take an hour or two. Others are journeys of several days. That range makes it easy to match a gift to the person, whether they have a free afternoon or a week of annual leave to use.
Discover Aboriginal Experiences’ Arnhemlander Cultural & Heritage Tour
Into the heart of the country
In the Northern Territory, SEIT Australia runs a guided Patji exploration on Anangu Country beyond Uluṟu. Guests learn about Tjukurpa, the Creation stories, along with the cultural protocols for visiting sacred land. It’s a chance to understand one of the world’s most recognizable landscapes through the people who belong to it.
In Queensland, Jarramali Rock Art Tours leads travelers deep into Cape York to see ancient galleries etched into sandstone. The art reveals 20,000 years of history, interpreted through Indigenous eyes. For anyone who loves a life-changing, immersive adventure, it’s the kind of trip that stays with you.
Culture close to the city
You don’t have to travel far from Australia’s major cities to find something meaningful. On the Sunshine Coast, Saltwater Eco Tours hosts bushtucker cruises, pairing time on the water with knowledge of native food. Further south on the Gold Coast, Jellurgal Cultural Experiences guides visitors on walks through coastal forest, a gentle way to see a familiar holiday spot in a new light.
Sydney has one of the more thrilling options on the list. The Burrawa Aboriginal Climb Experience lets you scale the Sydney Harbour Bridge while learning about the Indigenous heritage of Australia’s largest city. Gift vouchers are available, so the person you’re buying for can pick a date that suits them.
In the heart of Melbourne, Koorie Heritage Trust offers Aboriginal-guided interpretive walks along the Yarra River. If you’d rather give something to unwrap, its online shop sells prints, paintings, ceramics and jewelry, all made by Indigenous creatives.
The Burrawa Aboriginal Climb Experience. Credit BridgeClimb
Start someone’s art collection
Art makes a lasting gift, and buying it online means it can reach someone wherever they live. Janbal Gallery in Cairns, Queensland, is a lovely place to start a first First Nations art collection. In Western Australia, Waringarri Aboriginal Arts gives buyers peace of mind, with profits going back to the communities that created the works.
Also in Western Australia, Josh Whiteland owns and guides Koomal Dreaming. He’s a talented musician and artist as well. You can buy his delicate prints and recordings of his traditional and contemporary didgeridoo music online.
Waringarri Aboriginal Arts is a living art center that celebrates and honors the Miriwoong cultural identity. Credit: Waringarri Aboriginal Arts
Stories from the South
On Kaurna Country around Adelaide, Southern Cultural Immersion offers storytelling experiences that explore contemporary Aboriginal identity. Its online shop is extensive, selling everything from books to art, which is handy if your gift list is still growing in mid-December.
In Tasmania, wukalina Walk on Palawa Country invites visitors onto the island’s wild northeast coast. The four-day guided walk combines eco-conscious accommodation with cultural depth and genuine care for the environment. For the walker in your life, it’s a gift with real occasion.
Where your money goes
The appeal of these gifts goes beyond what’s in the box, or the fact that there isn’t one.
“First Nations tourism has always been about respect for the land and conservation of culture,” Mitchell says. “It’s regenerative and sustainable by nature. When you gift one of these experiences, art or artifacts, you’re supporting community-owned businesses, you’re protecting culture and you’re treading lightly on Country.”
That matters when you’re choosing how to spend. A booking or purchase with a Discover Aboriginal Experiences operator supports Aboriginal guides and creatives directly, helps keep language and culture strong, and contributes to reconciliation and shared understanding. It also keeps one more parcel of glitter and ribbon out of landfill.
For travelers across Asia-Pacific planning a trip to Australia, the same choice applies year-round. An hour with an Aboriginal guide can turn a city break or a road trip into something far more memorable than a list of sights.
Gifts that last
Most of us struggle to remember what we unwrapped a few Christmases ago. A day spent learning from someone whose family has cared for a place for generations tends to stick.
“Experiences and community-sustaining gifts like these remind us what really matters,” Mitchell says. “It’s time to give gifts that create memories, not waste. A walk on Country with an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander guide, or an artwork showcasing 65,000 years of culture and storytelling, are things people will remember and treasure for the rest of their lives. And that’s the true spirit of Christmas.”
This year, consider giving someone a story instead of a thing. It could be a climb above Sydney Harbour, a quiet walk beyond Uluṟu or a print that hangs on their wall for decades. Long after the decorations come down, they’ll still be telling people about it.
