Indigenous guided tours
Rossville Retreat is a 300-acre eco-friendly retreat in Cape York, Far North Queensland which promotes Indigenous tours and activities
Rossville Retreat is passionate about promoting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Tourism, working closely with our Kuku Nyungkul traditional owners, who enjoy sharing their knowledge by facilitating traditional Indigenous cultural activities including:
- A Welcome to Country ceremony in Kuku Nyungkul language
- Traditional Indigenous smoking ceremonies
- Bush food, bush medicine and bark shelter walks
- Boomerang throwing and traditional artefact sharing
- Storytelling about the land, meeting places, Mooks’ life and his ancestors
Our on-site Indigenous artefact museum and art gallery showcases historical displays alongside traditional artwork and gifts for sale, with all proceeds supporting local artists.
Harold Tayley, well known as Mooks, is a Kuku Nyungkul elder and traditional owner of the country at Rossville Retreat.
Mooks was raised on his traditional land where he learnt the old ways from his Grandparents, Uncles and elder family members.
He leant all about bush medicines and bush foods from them and he finds great joy sharing his knowledge of plants, his culture and the land.
As a tour guide, Mooks has over 40 years’ experience and in Kuku Nyungkul language he is known as a ‘Kuku bugga’ which means he loves to talk.
Throughout his life Mooks has always been a keen communicator of Indigenous culture, helping people from all walks of life, to make a deeper connection to country.
Mooks runs a two and a half hour tour at 9am and a one and a half hour tour at 3pm, they are both very popular so bookings are essential, please contact us for large group bookings. His tours include:
2 and 1/2 Hour Tour – Welcome to Country in Kuku Nyungkul language with a smoking ceremony. A bush food and bush medicine walk, followed by boomerang throwing, storytelling about the land and its ancestors. Then Mooks will show his personal handmade artefacts, discuss their traditional uses and share his personal stories, the tour then finishes with a closing ceremony.
$125 per adult and $62.50 per child (8 -16 years old).
1 and 1/2 Hour Tour – Welcome to Country in Kuku Nyungkul language with a smoking ceremony. A bush food and bush medicine walk, followed by storytelling, the tour then finishes with a closing ceremony.
$75 per adult and $37.50 per child (8 -16 years old).
What to bring – Enclosed walking shoes, camera, water, sunscreen and a hat.
“My family and I travelled from Belgium to spend two weeks learning with Mooks. His knowledge of plants and bush medicine is astonishing and we sat talking for hours! We highly recommended taking a tour with him and we intend to be back again for another visit very soon!”