The contribution to the history of Wolgan Valley is told through two very different perspectives, firstly by the Aboriginal people and their culture, and most recently, with two centuries of colonial settlers.
There are few indigenous cultures in the world more closely linked with nature than Australia's Aboriginal people. They have long understood that their very existence relies on the conservation of the plants and animals, the purity of the water, the air which sustains them and their imprint upon the Earth.
Cultural sustainability is a cornerstone of the Emirates Conservation Programme and extensive consultation with indigenous communities has taken place. The traditional land owners of Wolgan Valley have maintained cultural ties with the land and sites of historic or spiritual significance, having acted as its custodians for tens of thousands of years.
Duration: 1.5 hours
Grade: Easy
Departing from the 1832 Heritage Homestead and Kitchen Garden, the Field Guide walks guests through this award winning historic development, explaining the restoration process of the old homestead.
This is the ideal way to learn about the harshness of settlement times and how the Australian landscape tested the mettle of the early graziers. With hard work and ingenuity, they established the pastoral property using local materials to build an outpost that had to be virtually self sufficient in order for its people to survive.
Guests visit the heritage kitchen garden, which has been re-established to supply fresh vegetables, fruit, nuts and herbs to the resort kitchen and guided around the building that forms the Heritage Precinct.
Tours depart in the afternoon, commencing with afternoon tea or coffee and a snack and return in time to prepare for pre-dinner drinks and the evening meal. Tours can be arranged through the Guest Services Agent and are conducted subject to weather conditions on the day.
