Rossville Retreat’s Creation Story
In 2019 Dave and Sandy worked on Elcho Island, East Arnhem Land where they lived with the traditional owner, his two wives and his family in Dhambala community. Dave and Sandy immersed themselves in to the Yolngu culture, they spent their time learning as much as possible from the residents, and very slowly, they were accepted in to the family, especially by the children!
Dave was adopted by Mawalan II Marika who is the leader of the Rirratjingu clan, the custodian of Rirratjingu lore as well as the custodian of Yalangbara, the birthplace of the Rirratjingu clan.
Being adopted by such a prominent elder allowed Dave and Sandy to have amazing experiences that many people can only dream of, they camped with their family at Yalangbara, listened to dreamtime stories, they drank the sacred fresh water from beneath the Yalangbara sand, hunted for stingray and ate the bush tucker.
Whenever they could, Dave and Sandy spent time with their new family and friends, the men made spears and went hunting, while the ladies collected bush tucker and bush medicines, they also took part in men’s business, women’s ceremonies and traditional healing ceremonies with legendary artist Banduk Marika.
With Mawalan’s approval, they shared their experiences and received amazing feedback from their family and friends worldwide who asked if they could meet their Yolngu family, learn about Indigenous culture and have similar experiences.
Following the time Dave and Sandy spent in Arnhem Land, they decided that they would establish a retreat where they could create a safe space for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders to teach others about their culture and traditions, and in return get paid fairly for their time.
In 2021 they purchased and began creating Rossville Retreat, a 300-acre property located just off the Mulligan Highway in the Wet Tropics World Heritage Area, at the gateway to Cape York and its traditional owners are the Kuku Nyungkul clan.
Helenvale Airport (ICAO airport code YHEL) is located at Rossville Retreat. It has a 1200m all-weather airstrip, and is just a 10-minute flight from the Great Barrier Reef, 20 minutes from the Daintree Rainforest and 40 minutes from Cairns International Airport making Rossville Retreat perfectly located and easily accessible by both road or air.
Rossville Retreat is an eco-friendly tourism business that is using ecologically sustainable practices in order to be awarded an Eco Tourism Australia accreditation.
The twelve lodges are built in the bush alongside their private airstrip and each lodge sits on a raised platform, maximising the breezes from the Coral Sea, they have environmentally sustainable waste water management systems and are powered by solar energy giving the lodges zero carbon energy emissions.
Dave and Sandy are now focusing their attention on their passion and have built a multi-use community hub where locals and tourists alike can come to enjoy truly unforgettable First Nations Tourism Experiences, as well as workshops, yarning circles, traditional and Indigenous healing retreats.
Sandy and Dave are honored to be working alongside Mooks, a world-renowned tour guide with over 40 years’ experience and Kuku Nyungkul traditional owner and elder. Mooks was raised locally and learnt the old ways from his Grandparents, Uncles and elder family members who taught him about bush medicines and bush foods. Mooks is known as ‘Kuku bugga’ which means he loves to talk and finds great joy in sharing his knowledge of plants, his culture and the land.
Indigenous Tours and Activities
Rossville Retreat is supporting our local communities to facilitate cultural activities so that guests can have truly authentic First Nations Tourism Experiences, as is the goal of Tourism Tropical North Queensland, to “deliver memorable experiences through partnerships between the tourism industry and communities.”
The following activities are run by our Indigenous team and are available to drive-in and fly-in guests, the local community, for school excursions and immersion retreats:
- Smoking and Welcome to Country ceremonies
- Dreamtime story telling
- Guided bush tucker and bush medicine walks
- Indigenous yarning circles and language lessons
- Fireside yarning with traditional “kurrma” bush oven
- Women’s workshops including traditional basket weaving, painting and jewelry making
- Men’s workshops including traditional spear and clap stick making
- Learning about country and its spiritual connection to Indigenous culture
Workshops and Retreats
Rossville Retreat is overlooked by magical Kalkajaka (Black Mountain). It’s idyllic landscape and uplifting energy also lends itself to many other uses and activities including:
- Meditation and wellness retreats
- A wedding venue
- Healing retreats including massage, yoga, and reiki
- Banaji Dikarr healing with Mooks
- “Connect to country” days
- School camps and cultural immersion retreats
The Team
Dave and Sandy – the owner operators are both reiki masters and have owned several successful businesses, Sandy deals with the business administration whereas Dave manages the workplace and deals with customer queries. Dave and Sandy work tirelessly to bring their vision into fruition, their family in Arnhem Land and the local community members are the driving force which have helped them create Rossville Retreat.
Mawalan II Marika – Rirratjingu clan leader – Mawalan is the lore man of the Rirratjingu clan and the custodian of Yalangbara. He is a renowned artist, land care advocate and teacher. The locals have named Mawalan “the magic man” due to his immense presence and cultural connection.
Mooks – Kuku Nyungkul Traditional Elder – Mooks was eventually initiated by his elders into an unbroken lineage of tribal healers and to this day Mooks uses his knowledge of plant medicines and healing practices to help people worldwide. Mooks is the last of the rainforest healers, he works with his ancestors and the “rainbow serpent” whose head is Kalkajaka (Black Mountain).
The Goal
The goal is to offer a safe and supportive environment where locals can share their stories, culture and traditions with the guests staying at Rossville Retreat, providing them a genuine, authentic First Nations tourism experience that celebrates the deep Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture, with the intention to encourage friendships which connects cultures to create an understanding and acceptance of each other’s traditions.
The Mission
The mission is to promote the recognition and respect of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander’s stories, cultures and traditions.
To encourage Indigenous skills development, employment and business creation which will ensure that Indigenous tourism is driven by a skilled workforce that generates sustainable socio-economic outcomes for First Nations individuals, their families and their communities.
For Rossville Retreat to become the “go to” community hub where people from all different walks of life come together to expand their awareness and acceptance of one another.