Unparalleled Expertise
We pride ourselves on ensuring you have the most fulfilling experience aboard the Sydney Sundancer meaning we've gone the extra mile to bring you unparalleled expertise.
There are 74 Islands collectively known as The Whitsundays. Most are National Parks that are generally pristine being unaffected by man or machinery, a truly unique area. Being originally part of mainland Australia they are inhabited by the natural flora and fauna found on our Island continent. The Islands became separated from the mainland as the sea level rose at the end of the last ice age. As the sea level rose, the original inhabitants, the seafaring Aboriginal Ngaro people (often called the “Canoe “ People) developed skills that enabled them to cross the water in their highly advanced, sturdy three piece bark canoes (which were often made of iron bark) and capable of traversing the open sea. These allowed them to hunt large marine animals such as turtles, dugongs and even small whales using barbed harpoons. They are examples of inhabitation predating European discovery. Archeological evidence proves that they inhabited and navigated the regions marine environments continuously for at least 9,000 years. Unlike many other coastal Aboriginal groups, the Ngaro were specialized full-time marine people.Their lives, food sources and travel routes were completely intertwined with the ocean and tidal mangrove systems. They left behind an extensive footprint across the Whitsundays, representing some of the oldest archeologist sites on the Great Barrier Reef and Eastern Australia. One that is very popular to visit, is on the Southern end of Hook Island at Nara Inlet, where the Aboriginal Rock art and shell middens (estimated to be up to 500 years old) reveal how the Ngaro lived and ate. We visit that fascinating and very beautiful historical place on just about every charter. Guests can sit under a beautiful Zamia Palm whilst listening torecordiings of voices from Aboriginal people about the history of that area. There is a huge cave with rock paintings which we have nicknamed “the Nara Hilton” due to its size and comfort from the elements!
In conducting our expeditions we personally introduce our guests to places of rare natural beauty on the islands, in the intertidal zone and under the water. We identify the inhabitants encountered and describe the interaction in their environment. Under the water is the worlds largest symbiotic relationship where the whole environment lives and interacts together. It is a privilege to share our knowledge with our guests.
