Deadly Blogs
new package blends sunset cruise & ancient stories with authentic north qld flavours!
A new premium tourism package is set to elevate the way visitors are introduced to the Cairns and Great Barrier Reef region. Combining the magic of a Deadly After Dark Sunset Cruise with a specially curated and locally sourced Outback Menu at the award-winning Ochre Restaurant, this offering delivers a one-of-a-kind evening that celebrates Indigenous culture, local storytelling, and world-class cuisine.
“This package offers something truly special,” says Dale Mundraby, a Traditional Owner and Operations Manager of Mandingalbay Authentic Indigenous Tours. “It’s an invitation to connect with the land, the stories, and the flavours of this region in a way that’s immersive, respectful, and memorable.”
Departing as the sun dips low over the horizon, the Deadly After Dark Sunset Cruise immerses guests in the sights, sounds, and stories of First Nations culture. Set against the breathtaking backdrop of trinity inlet, the cruise provides guests with exclusive access to the traditional lands of the Mandingalbay Yidinji people and Australia’s 50th proclaimed Indigenous Protected Area.
This tour is 100% Indigenous community owned and operated and provides visitors to Cairns with a traditional Welcome to Country before joining a group of young Mandingalbay story tellers under the shelter of the Yulu (Stingray in local Yidi language) for a yarning circle, before returning to the tropical river waters for some spotlighting for crocodiles before cruising back into the light of Cairns city after dark.
Following the cruise, guests will dine at the acclaimed Ochre Restaurant, renowned for its focus on locally sourced, native ingredients and contemporary Australian cuisine. The exclusive Outback Menu showcases native bush foods, including crocodile, kangaroo, and seasonal produce sourced from across the region — a true taste of tropical north Queensland, crafted by expert chefs.
“Ochre is proud to connect with Mandingalbay and offer a unique meal to compliment their culturally rich tours. An experience that will enrich the soul.” Says Craig Squire, owner of Ochre Restaurant.
Whether you’re a first-time visitor or a local looking to rediscover your own backyard, the Deadly After Dark + Ochre Outback Menu package promises an unforgettable night of culture, cuisine, and connection.
winner - 2024 queensland reconciliation award
Mandingalbay Authentic Indigenous Tours is proud to announce that it has been awarded the prestigious Business Category award at the 2024 Queensland Reconciliation Awards. This recognition highlights the company’s exceptional commitment to fostering reconciliation and promoting
Indigenous culture through authentic and immersive tour experiences.
Owned and operated by Mandingalbay Yidinji Aboriginal Corporation, the tourism operation is based in the heart of Mandingalbay Yidinji Country east of Cairns, offering unique opportunities for visitors to engage with the rich cultural heritage of the Mandingalbay Yidinji people.
Through guided tours that include storytelling, traditional practices, and educational activities, the company aims to build
a deeper understanding and appreciation of Indigenous culture. Winning the Business Category at the Queensland Reconciliation Awards underscores Mandingalbay Authentic Indigenous Tours’ dedication to creating meaningful cross-cultural connections and
supporting the local Indigenous community.
The company’s efforts have not only enriched the cultural experiences of countless visitors but have also contributed to the economic sustainability and empowerment of the Mandingalbay Yidinji people.
Operations Manager of Mandingalbay Authentic Indigenous Tours, Dale Mundraby expressed gratitude for the recognition:
“We are honoured to receive this award, which acknowledges the hard work and passion of our team in promoting reconciliation and sharing our culture with the world. This award inspires us to continue our mission of fostering mutual respect and understanding between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians.”
The Queensland Reconciliation Awards celebrate initiatives that advance reconciliation in Queensland by building relationships, respect, and opportunities between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and the wider community. Mandingalbay Authentic Indigenous Tours’
achievement in the Business Category highlights its role as a leader in these efforts.
Descendants of fierce warrior continue to protect his country
Wait-a-while is one of the first plants unsuspecting visitors learn to identify on a cultural Indigenous tour in Tropical North Queensland. If you brush up against the long spiky tendrils of lawyer cane it grabs your clothes and prevents you from walking further through the world’s oldest rainforest.
The Indigenous ranger tour guides at Mandingalbay Authentic Indigenous Tours show you how to’ wait a while’ and safely unhook yourself from the rainforest plant, while telling you how the black lawyer cane, known in language as Jabulum, was used to make shelters, baskets, fish and crab traps.
Their ancestor Jabulum Mandingalpai was strong like the black lawyer cane and as the lead warrior of his fearsome warrior people he lived by the rule of his hand, not his words. The second part of his name, Mandingalpai, means ‘of the hand’ and his descendants are today known as the Mandingalbay Yidinji people.
The Mandingalbay Yidinji people have lived continuously on their land, just a 10 minute boat ride from the Cairns CBD, for tens of thousands of years and today their 100% Indigenous owned and operated tours showcase their culture and country with walking tours, camping and Deadly Dinners.
The Rangers who guide visitors through the waterways, mangroves and rainforest of their traditional country are direct descendants of Jabulum. The warrior was born around 1858, before contact, and saw the first white men come to his neighbour’s country to establish the port of Cairns.
Jabulum was a fierce, resourceful and strategic leader who survived the occupation and settlement of traditional lands. His people were known throughout the Yidinji Nation as warriors and often were asked by neighbouring clans to help defend them against attack.
Jabulum’s primary camp site was Maurahbai, now known as Green Hill. Representing one of the many significant story lines traversing Mandingalbay Yidinji country, Maurahbai was a useful vantage point for Jabulum. He would dispatch runners with messages from the hill and mobilise his warriors if neighbouring tribes, especially the Gunggandji people, needed assistance during times of conflict.
Jabulum was also the lore man for his people, upholding the traditional laws that governed their lives such as what food could be taken at different times of the year and marriage matches with other clans to ensure correct bloodlines.
The Mandingalbay Yidinji warrior reputation was reflected in their clan totem, the black scorpion, Djunbunji, which is found in the rainforest of their country. The totem continues to be used today with the Traditional Owners who manage the Mandingalbay Yidinji Country for their people.
The Rangers look after the landscape and its cultural values including the sacred sites, Dreaming tracks, and totemic animal and plant species, sharing their knowledge by supporting Mandingalbay Authentic Indigenous Tours to host visitors wanting to know more about the oldest living culture on earth.
SISTERS DOING IT FOR THEMselves
Leeann (left), Joanne (middle), Brenda (right)
Three young sisters are leading the way in connecting visitors to an authentic and ancient culture as Tour Guides.
Joanne (34), Leeann (30) and Brenda Mundraby (27) currently lead groups of Australian and International visitors on the Hands-on Country Eco Tour to East Trinity.
Working with the Indigenous owned and operated Mandingalbay Authentic Indigenous tours in Cairns, the trio are playing a crucial role in promoting sustainable, responsible, and community-based tourism on their traditional lands.
All three were new to tourism and have worked hard to build their confidence to be able to share their culture in front of large groups.
As Indigenous Tour Guides, they have become powerful cultural ambassadors for Mandingalbay Yidinji people.
“I love that our guests are wanting to come to us and learn about our culture and we’re able to create that safe space for them to ask questions”, remarked Joanne.
Leeann added, “It means the world to work on Country, as it makes me feel close to the old people and connected to them.”
For Brenda working on country is about the next generation, “I get to keep my culture alive and pass it down to my children. Once I’m on country my worries go away,” she said.
She added, “With some guests we feel a personal connection to them right away and I feel that by coming on to our country with us in some way heals them too.”
“My hope is that the younger generation will dive into this as they too can learn so much. They’ll have the beautiful opportunities we have been blessed to have,” Leeann enthused.
Operations Manager Dale Mundraby sees a bright future for the three sisters.
“Our people are our business, and we believe that Indigenous tourism is reconciliation in action, with the interactions and conversations with our guests bringing about greater understanding of our culture, and our people’s history.”
Come and enjoy sunset in an amazing location while discovering why this country is so special.
For more information and live bookings go to www.mandingalbay.com.au
or to make an enquiry email reservations@mandingalbay.com.au
call 07 4019 7998
