Tiagarra Cultural Experience

Join us for an enriching two-hour Tiagarra Cultural Experience, you’ll be immersed in local culture and the natural beauty of the Mersey Bluff. The event begins with a traditional Welcome to Country around the firepit, followed by a guided tour of the cultural centre. Concluding with a scenic walk along the bluff, enjoy lunch while soaking in the scenery and feeling a connection to the land while learning history from local Aboriginal people.

This is a catered event, so please provide any dietary requirements before November 7th, which can be indicated at checkout.

About Tiagarra

Tiagarra is one of the oldest Aboriginal operated Museum and Keeping Places in Australia. Officially opened 40 years ago, on 16 October 1976 by Sir Doug Nicholls OBE and Lady Nicholls, the museum tells stories of Tasmanian Aboriginal people and their culture, past to present. Since its opening thousands of Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people, including many school groups, have been guided through the museum and adjacent bluff bush trail.

The original people of the northern Tasmanian region included the Punnilerpanner people from around Panatana (Port Sorell), the Pallittorre from Lartitickitheker (Quamby Bluff), the Noeteeler at Ningherner or Parteenno (Hampshire Hills) and the Plairhekehillerplue at Emu Bluff. The Tasmanian North West Region is known as Tommeginne Country (according to the AIATSIS map created 1996).

Tiagarra is owned by the Aboriginal community, the local Aboriginal organisation is Six Rivers Aboriginal Corporation.

The Bushwalk

Reconciliation Tasmania are collaborating with Tiagarra for this special event. Enrich your learning about First Nations histories and cultures through this cultural bushwalk with the team at Tiagarra. Learn about Tasmanian Aboriginal people’s connection to Country, worldview, land management, and traditional and contemporary cultural practices.

The Bluff near Tiagarra holds many Aboriginal sites, including middens, tea tree living grounds, and (potential) petroglyphs across this peninsula of great natural beauty and undeniable Aboriginal cultural significance. The coastal site is rich in bird life, Indigenous plant foods and weaving materials. Two beaches provide saltwater resources with the Mersey River bounding the bluff on the east.

Fresh investigation with contemporary technology is required as a priority to carefully distinguish the multitude of naturally incised rock surfaces from any that were humanly modified hundreds, if not thousands, of years ago. One means of concretely showing Aboriginal occupation and cultural activities maintained over thousands of generations on the Bluff includes stone artefacts. These were routinely removed by collectors before disturbing Aboriginal sites became illegal in 1976. Many removed artefacts reside today in museum collections, including in Tiagarra.

Catering for dietary requirements cut-off is one week prior to event.