Introduction

The land on which Canberra is built — and the vast national park that surrounds it — is Ngunnawal Country, home to the Ngunnawal people for tens of thousands of years before European settlement. The cultural landscape of the Canberra region contains evidence of this profound and ancient connection: rock art sites, ceremonial grounds, fish traps, grinding grooves, and scar trees distributed throughout the parks and valleys of the ACT. Yet many visitors to Canberra engage with this heritage only superficially if at all, focusing on the relatively recent history of Federation and the purpose-built capital. This guide points toward experiences and places where a deeper engagement with Ngunnawal Country and its culture is possible.

The Yankee Hat Rock Art Site: Ancient Art in Namadgi

The Yankee Hat walk in Namadgi National Park leads to one of the most significant and accessible Aboriginal rock art sites in the ACT region. The art, which includes a range of anthropomorphic figures, animal tracks, and abstract forms, is believed to be several thousand years old and represents a continuous cultural tradition linking Ngunnawal people to this country over an extraordinary timescale. The walk is 9.5 kilometres return through open grassland and eucalypt woodland, passing a picturesque creek before reaching the art shelter beneath a large rock overhang. An interpretive sign at the site provides context, but engaging with a cultural guide significantly enriches the experience. Photography is permitted but visitors are asked to approach the art with respect — do not touch the surface, lean against the rock, or allow children to climb on the art panel.

Birrigai Time Overhang and Early Human Occupation

The Birrigai rock shelter in Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve is one of the most scientifically significant archaeological sites in Australia's south-east. Excavations here revealed evidence of human occupation dating back approximately 21,000 years, making it one of the oldest known sites of human activity in the region and predating the end of the last ice age. The shelter is visible on the Birrigai Track in the nature reserve, and interpretive information explains the significance of the archaeological discoveries. The site represents a remarkable connection between the present and one of the earliest known chapters of human history in this region.

Ngambri-Ngunnawal People and the ACT

The Canberra region is the traditional Country of several groups sometimes collectively referred to as the Ngunnawal people, though the naming and grouping of these communities has been a subject of discussion among descendants. Formal recognition of traditional custodians is embedded in Canberra's institutional life — all significant public events open with a Welcome to Country or Acknowledgement of Country, and the ACT Government has established formal processes for consultation with traditional custodians on land management decisions. Understanding this contemporary relationship between the Ngunnawal community and the institutions of Australia's capital city adds an important dimension to visiting Canberra — the people and culture of this Country are living and ongoing, not historical artifacts.

The National Museum of Australia's First Australians Gallery is one of the most thoughtfully designed and emotionally powerful museum spaces in the country. The gallery presents Indigenous Australian history, culture, and experience through objects, personal testimonies, and immersive design elements that centre Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander voices. The Canberra location of the museum means visitors can encounter this material in the context of the nation's capital, where decisions about Indigenous Australian policy are made. Allow at least 90 minutes for a thorough engagement with the gallery, and take advantage of guided tours (available on selected days) that provide additional cultural context.

The Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies

AIATSIS (the Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies) is headquartered in Canberra near the National Museum and houses the world's largest collection of materials relating to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures and history. While much of the collection is accessible only to researchers, the institute's public programs, exhibitions, and the remarkable AIATSIS Map of Aboriginal Australia (which shows the distribution of language and cultural groups across the continent) are available to all visitors. The institute's bookshop carries an excellent selection of books about Indigenous Australian culture, language, and history.

Cultural Tours and Guided Experiences

Several ACT-based guides and tour operators offer guided cultural experiences that provide genuine engagement with Ngunnawal Country. These tours range from walking experiences in Namadgi National Park that contextualise the landscape through traditional ecological knowledge, to food experiences incorporating bush tucker plants, to storytelling sessions at significant cultural sites. Engaging with these tours rather than exploring independently provides far richer cultural context and directly supports Ngunnawal community enterprises. The ACT Government's tourism website maintains an up-to-date directory of acknowledged cultural experience providers.

Approaching Indigenous Cultural Sites with Respect

Visiting Aboriginal cultural sites requires an approach that honours their significance to living communities rather than treating them as tourist attractions. At rock art sites, never touch or stand close to the art surface, do not apply water to improve photographic clarity, stay within marked visitor areas, and follow all posted guidelines. If you encounter artefacts such as stone tools or grinding grooves that are not marked with interpretive signage, report their location to Parks ACT rather than touching or moving them. Approaching these places with genuine curiosity and respect — understanding that you are visiting sites of profound cultural significance, not simply scenic attractions — creates a more meaningful experience and honours the custodianship of Ngunnawal people over thousands of years.

The significance of Birrigai extends beyond its archaeological importance — it represents a living connection to ice age Australia when the landscape looked vastly different from today. During the coldest periods, the shelter would have provided refuge when snow lay thick on the surrounding ranges and the vegetation was dominated by hardy alpine species rather than the eucalypt forests we see today. The artefacts recovered from careful excavation — stone tools, ochre fragments, and food remains — tell a story of remarkable adaptation and survival across changing climatic conditions.

Guided cultural walks at Tidbinbilla often incorporate the Birrigai site alongside other significant locations, allowing visitors to understand the broader cultural landscape of the valley. These experiences typically include traditional plant use demonstrations, where guides explain how native species were harvested for food, medicine, and tools. The bogong moth caves in the reserve also hold particular cultural significance, as these protein-rich insects formed a crucial part of seasonal gatherings that brought together Aboriginal groups from across south-eastern Australia during summer months.

For those seeking more immersive cultural experiences, several operators in the region offer multi-day programs that combine bushcraft skills with cultural education. These might include learning traditional fire-making techniques using native materials, understanding seasonal calendars that guided movement across country, and participating in ochre painting workshops using pigments sourced from local deposits. Such programs often culminate in sharing traditional foods prepared using age-old methods.

The Australian National Botanic Gardens provides another avenue for cultural engagement through their Aboriginal Plant Use Trail and regular guided walks with Indigenous educators. Here, visitors can learn about the sophisticated botanical knowledge that sustained Ngunnawal people, discovering which plants provided medicine for specific ailments, which roots and seeds were processed into nutritious meals, and how bark and fibres were transformed into everyday implements.

Planning your visit requires sensitivity and preparation. Many cultural sites are managed jointly by Parks Australia and Traditional Owners, with access sometimes restricted during significant cultural periods or for conservation reasons. Booking guided experiences well in advance is essential, particularly during peak tourist seasons. When visiting independently accessible sites like Yankee Hat, carrying plenty of water, sun protection, and appropriate hiking gear is crucial, as the Namadgi landscape can be harsh and weather conditions change rapidly.

Remember that every step taken on Ngunnawal Country is an opportunity to reflect on the depth of connection between Aboriginal people and this landscape — a relationship that continues today through ongoing cultural practice, land management partnerships, and the sharing of knowledge with respectful visitors willing to listen and learn.