You'll hear it at events, conferences, and on guided tours. For international visitors, it can be unfamiliar. Here's what it means, why it matters, and what it means for you.
By Cooee Tours
📖 10 min read
Australia is home to the world's oldest continuous living cultures. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples have been custodians of this continent for over 65,000 years — long before recorded history began anywhere else on earth. When you visit Australia, you step onto ancient land. Acknowledgement of Country is how Australians recognise that profound truth.
The Basics
What Is an Acknowledgement of Country?
An Acknowledgement of Country is a statement recognising the Traditional Owners and custodians of the land on which a gathering, event, or activity is taking place. It acknowledges that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples have a continuing and unbroken connection to the land, waters, and culture of that place — a connection that predates and persists through the period of European colonisation.
You'll encounter Acknowledgements at the start of conferences, public events, guided tours, school assemblies, council meetings, sporting events, and in institutional settings across the country. They are also printed on websites, letterheads, government forms, and cultural venue signage. Over the past two decades the practice has become standard across Australian public life — in the private sector, government, education, sport, and tourism.
📚 Key Term: "Country"
In Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, "Country" (always capitalised) is much more than a geographic location. It encompasses the land, sea, sky, plants, animals, stories, and spiritual connections of a specific place. Each Aboriginal nation has its own Country — and caring for Country is a profound cultural and spiritual responsibility passed down through generations.
Australia's ancient landscape — 65,000+ years of custodianship
Every road in Australia crosses Aboriginal Country
Landscapes shaped by millennia of custodianship
Travelling with awareness and respect
An Important Distinction
Welcome to Country vs Acknowledgement of Country
These terms are often used interchangeably, but they are meaningfully different. Understanding the distinction is part of engaging respectfully with Australian Indigenous culture.
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Welcome to Country
A formal ceremony that can only be performed by a Traditional Owner or their authorised representative. It is an act of welcoming visitors to their Country. A Welcome may include ceremonial song, dance, smoking ceremony, spoken blessing, or a combination — its form is determined by the community. Only someone with cultural authority for that specific Country can extend a Welcome.
Traditional Owners only
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Acknowledgement of Country
A verbal or written statement that anyone — Aboriginal or non-Aboriginal — can make. It is not a ceremony but an act of respect: recognising the Traditional Owners of the land and acknowledging their continuing connection to it. Sincere and informed is more meaningful than formulaic.
Anyone can make this
💡 Why the Distinction Matters
Asking a non-Indigenous person to perform a Welcome to Country would be inappropriate — it's not theirs to give. Conversely, waiting for a Traditional Owner to be present before anyone can make an Acknowledgement would be impractical. Both practices serve important purposes; understanding which is which shows cultural literacy and respect.
The History Behind It
Why Does This Happen?
Australia was colonised by Britain from 1788. The colonisation process dispossessed Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples of their lands, forcibly disrupted cultural practices and family structures, and caused harm that continues to reverberate today. For much of Australian history, Aboriginal presence and deep connection to the land was officially denied, minimised, or erased from public life.
Acknowledgement of Country is one way contemporary Australia recognises what was always true: that this land has been Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander land for tens of thousands of years, and that these peoples maintain a living, continuous connection to it. It is not a political statement or an exercise in guilt — it is a factual acknowledgement of the world's oldest continuing cultural heritage.
"We acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of the land on which we stand, and recognise their continuing connection to land, water, and community. We pay respect to Elders past and present."
— A common form of Acknowledgement heard across Australia
The formal practice of Acknowledgement of Country in public settings became widespread in Australia from the 1990s onwards, growing out of the broader reconciliation movement. The 1992 Mabo decision — in which the High Court of Australia recognised native title for the first time — was a landmark moment, legally establishing that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples' connection to land was never extinguished by colonisation.
🌏 Context for International Visitors
If you are from the US, Canada, New Zealand, or other nations with Indigenous peoples and colonial histories, the concept will feel familiar even if the specific form differs. If you come from a context where this is less common, think of it as Australia publicly acknowledging a foundational truth about its own history and heritage — the same way many countries mark moments of national significance.
For Visitors
What Should I Do as a Visitor?
Simply listen respectfully. No specific action is required — you don't need to stand, respond, make a gesture, or do anything beyond being present and attentive. Think of it as similar to observing a moment of silence or hearing a national anthem: a brief, meaningful pause to acknowledge something significant.
If you are attending an event where a Welcome to Country is performed by a Traditional Owner, it is customary to thank the Elder afterward if you have the opportunity — a simple, genuine expression of gratitude is always appropriate.
You might also find yourself wanting to make your own Acknowledgement — perhaps before a presentation, a community gathering, or even a personal journal entry about your travels. This is encouraged and valued. The key is sincerity: a heartfelt, simple Acknowledgement is more meaningful than an elaborate but hollow performance.
✅ A Practical Tip
Before any significant gathering or presentation during your travels in Australia, you can use a simple form like: "I'd like to begin by acknowledging the [Nation name] people, the Traditional Custodians of this land, and pay my respects to their Elders past and present." Knowing whose Country you are on makes this much more meaningful — see the next section.
Know Before You Go
Whose Country Are You On?
Australia has hundreds of distinct Aboriginal nations, each with their own Country, language, law, and cultural practices. There is no single "Aboriginal culture" — Australia's First Nations peoples are as culturally diverse as the nations of Europe. The AIATSIS Map of Indigenous Australia shows the approximate boundaries of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander language and nation groups across the continent — a remarkable document that reveals the extraordinary cultural richness of pre-colonial Australia.
Here are the Traditional Owner groups for the areas where Cooee Tours operates:
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Gold Coast
Yugambeh Country
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Brisbane
Turrbal & Jagera Country
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Cairns
Yirrganydji Country
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Springbrook & Tamborine
Yugambeh Country
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Daintree
Eastern Kuku Yalanji Country
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Glass House Mountains
Jinibara & Kabi Kabi Country
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Crocodile Country (FNQ)
Various Yalanji Country
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Noosa / Sunshine Coast
Kabi Kabi Country
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Lamington NP
Wangerriburra Country
🗺️ Find Whose Country You're On
The AIATSIS Map of Indigenous Australia is the definitive resource. Many local councils and tourism bodies also list Traditional Owner groups on their websites. In cities, information centres and cultural venues often have this displayed prominently.
Note: Boundaries shown on maps are approximate and represent historical records — actual cultural boundaries are complex and are best understood through direct engagement with communities.
Practical Guidance
How to Engage Respectfully with Indigenous Culture
Visiting Australia is an opportunity to experience the world's oldest living cultures. Here's how to approach that experience with genuine respect:
01
Seek Indigenous-led experiences
Aboriginal-owned and led cultural tours, bush tucker walks, art centres, and cultural centres offer the most authentic and meaningful way to learn. Look for experiences where the knowledge-sharing is led by community members, not interpreted second-hand.
02
Listen more than you speak
Cultural sharing is a gift. Approach it with genuine curiosity and humility. Ask questions when invited to do so — and if you're unsure whether a question is appropriate, it's fine to simply listen and reflect.
03
Support Aboriginal businesses
Buy art directly from Aboriginal artists or community art centres — not from souvenir shops selling mass-produced items. Choose Indigenous-led tours. Purchase authentic products with clear provenance. Your spending has a direct impact.
04
Respect protocols and restrictions
Some places have cultural restrictions on photography, access, or behaviour. Sacred sites may be restricted entirely. Always follow signage, guide instructions, and community notices. When in doubt, ask before photographing.
05
Use correct terminology
Preferred terms include Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, First Nations peoples, and Traditional Owners. Many communities prefer their specific nation name (e.g., "Yugambeh people"). Outdated terms should be avoided — when in doubt, follow the lead of community members.
06
Keep learning after you leave
Australia's First Nations cultures are extraordinarily rich and complex. A holiday visit is a starting point, not a comprehensive education. Resources like AIATSIS and SBS Learn offer deeper context.
In Practice
What Does an Acknowledgement Sound Like?
Acknowledgements of Country are personal and can take many forms — there is no single "correct" version. What matters is sincerity, specificity (naming the actual Traditional Owners), and genuine respect. Here is an example of the Acknowledgement Cooee Tours uses:
Cooee Tours — Acknowledgement of Country
"Cooee Tours acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of the lands on which we operate — the Yugambeh, Turrbal and Jagera, Yirrganydji, Eastern Kuku Yalanji, Jinibara, Kabi Kabi, and Wangerriburra peoples. We pay our deepest respect to their Elders past, present, and emerging, and recognise their continuing connection to land, waters, and community. We are privileged to share these places with our guests."
This is adapted for our specific operating regions. Your own Acknowledgement should name the Traditional Owners of wherever you actually are.
Notice the specificity — naming actual nations rather than using a generic phrase. This specificity is what transforms an Acknowledgement from a formality into a genuine act of recognition. A brief search before your event or presentation to find the correct Traditional Owner group is a simple gesture that makes a real difference.
🌱 Growing Practice
Some organisations and individuals now go beyond the standard Acknowledgement to include a commitment — not just recognising the Traditional Owners, but also stating what they will actively do to support reconciliation and First Nations communities. This "Acknowledgement plus commitment" approach is increasingly encouraged as best practice.
🌿 Walk Country With Those Who Know It Best
Experience Indigenous Culture on Country
Cooee Tours partners with Indigenous guides for cultural experiences in the Gold Coast hinterland and Cairns region. Walk Country with the people whose families have been its custodians for thousands of generations.
A statement made by anyone — Aboriginal or non-Aboriginal — recognising the Traditional Owners and custodians of the land on which a gathering, event, or activity is taking place. It acknowledges Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples' continuing connection to the land, waters, and culture of that place.
A Welcome to Country is a formal ceremony that can only be performed by Traditional Owners or their authorised representatives — it is their act of welcoming visitors to their Country. An Acknowledgement of Country is a verbal or written statement that anyone can make, recognising the Traditional Owners. Welcome includes ceremony; Acknowledgement is verbal recognition. Only a Traditional Owner can extend a Welcome.
To recognise that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples have lived on this land for 65,000+ years and maintain a continuing, unbroken connection to it. This truth was denied or ignored for much of Australia's colonial history. Acknowledgement of Country is part of how Australia recognises the world's oldest living cultures and works toward genuine reconciliation.
Simply listen respectfully. No specific action is required. It is a moment to pause and recognise the Indigenous heritage of the place you're visiting — similar to observing a moment of silence or standing for a national anthem. If a Traditional Owner performs a Welcome to Country, a simple thank-you to the Elder afterward is always appreciated.
The AIATSIS Map of Indigenous Australia shows the approximate boundaries of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander language groups. Most local councils, tourism bodies, and cultural institutions also prominently list the Traditional Owner groups for their area. In Queensland: Gold Coast is Yugambeh Country; Brisbane is Turrbal and Jagera Country; Cairns is Yirrganydji Country.
Yes — absolutely. Acknowledgement of Country is intended to be made by anyone, including non-Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. In fact, it's encouraged. The key is sincerity, using the correct Traditional Owner names for the specific location, and approaching it with genuine respect rather than treating it as a box-ticking exercise.
No. An Acknowledgement of Country is a civil act of recognition and respect — not a religious or spiritual ceremony. Some Welcomes to Country may have spiritual dimensions as determined by the Traditional Owners, but a standard Acknowledgement of Country is a cultural and historical statement, similar to how many nations begin official proceedings with a moment of reflection.
🌏 Travel With Awareness
Explore Australia With Respect and Curiosity
Understanding Acknowledgement of Country enriches your time in Australia and deepens your connection to the places you visit. Cooee Tours is committed to respectful, culturally aware travel across Queensland and beyond.
