Hamilton Island has launched an immersive Cultural Island Discovery tour with Indigenous local Robbie Congoo to celebrate the natural beauty of the Whitsunday Islands while honouring the rich cultural heritage of the region.
The four-hour journey transports guests to the Ngaro Cultural Site at Nara Inlet on Hook Island, home to ancient artefacts and millennia-old cave paintings.
Guided by Congoo, guests explore the island’s diverse flora and fauna while discovering the stories of his ancestors, the Ngaro People – expert seafarers who navigated the waters of The Whitsundays in bark outrigger canoes, sustaining their communities through fishing, hunting and gathering.
Congoo explains that the tour is much more than a history lesson – it’s an opportunity to “connect and be present”.
“I am honoured to share the stories and traditions passed down through generations and an provide an authentic and personal perspective on the island’s history and its significance to the Ngaro people,” Congoo said.
The journey begins aboard the private vessel Pebble Beach, where guests are skippered from Hamilton Island Marina to neighbouring Hook Island. Upon arrival, they are welcomed with a traditional smoking ceremony – a gesture of respect to elders and the land, and a ritual to ‘wake up the spirits.”
The Whitsundays boast archaeological treasures such as rock paintings and stone quarries – among the oldest in Eastern Australia – offering a glimpse into the Ngaro People’s way of Life.
“The Ngaro were skilled maritime hunters, using spears tipped with hardwood or the bone of whales and dugongs, and bark outrigger canoes to hunt for food. These practices sustained our people and connected us to the land and sea,” Congoo explained.
“Our ancestors also quarried a unique volcanic stone from South Molle Island that is found nowhere else in the world,” he added. “They used this stone to create artefacts, and both these artefacts and the island’s rock paintings hold special stories – stories that have lasted thousands of years.”
As the tour progresses, Robbie weaves cultural teachings into stories, deepening guests’ appreciation of the spiritual connection the Ngaro people share on Country.
The experience concludes with gourmet canapes and drinks served back onboard Pebble Beach. Crafted by qualia executive chef Joshua Hingston under Robbie’s direction, the menu celebrates native ingredients and distinctly Australian flavours, paying homage to the culinary traditions of the Ngaro people.
Hamilton Island CEO Nick Dowling highlights the cultural significance of the collaboration and the unique opportunity it offers for visitors to connect with Country.
“Cultural Island Discovery with Robbie Congoo is an invitation to experience The Whitsundays in an entirely new way – through the lens of its first people and their traditions,” Dowling said.
“This collaboration with Robbie allows guests to share in Ngaro culture and heritage. We hope this experience fosters a deeper connection to this remarkable region and its Traditional Custodians.”
