Tour opens visitors’ eyes

Cruise ship visitors to Bunbury are taking up unique tour opportunities to learn about the city’s rich cultural history.

Ngalang Wongi Aboriginal Cultural Tours operator Troy Bennell took a group from the first cruise ship visit to the city last week and is expecting more visitors to take part in a Boxing Day tour.

Mr Bennell said it was an exciting time of year as the first cruise ships of summer docked in the city.

The Azamara Quest cruised into Bunbury last week when 680 passengers disembarked to check out the region.

Seabourn Sojourn is due to arrive on Boxing Day carrying more than 450 passengers and in January the Maasdam will bring more than 1258 passengers to the city.

Mr Bennell said his tours were a unique opportunity that had already made an impression on visitors.

“It opened up their eyes,” Mr Bennell said.

“When they came on the tour, it just opened up their eyes to the past because they didn’t realise a lot of stuff that happened here.

“It opened up their eyes on football, culture, family, identity – everything.”

Mr Bennell has created a unique tour for the cruise ship visitors who are taken to places like Wyalup Rocky Point, Minninup and Big Swamp Parkland.

The tour finishes up at Koombana Park where the Noongar community has an entrenched history along the Leschenault Inlet.

Mr Bennell said looking over at the completed Dolphin Discovery Centre and its Indigenous inspired design was the perfect end to the tour.

Ngalang Wongi Aboriginal Cultural Tours run Dreaming Town and Estuary Walkabout tours daily.