Indigenous Experience
Gagudju Dreaming is an enterprise focussed on positive indigenous outcomes, particularly for the Bininj people of Kakadu National Park. It is owned by the traditional owners of Kakadu. Principle stakeholders include the Federal Governments Indigenous Business Australia (IBA), the traditional owners are represented through Kakadu Tourism and the facilities are managed and staffed by InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG).
As part of the charter for the operation of Gagudju Dreaming, an Indigenous Employment Program (IEP) is in place to create opportunities for local Bininj to train and interact with the tourism industry. Part of Kakadu National Parks charter is to only develop tourism at a pace that is comfortable and set by the traditional owners of Kakadu.
Gagudju Dreaming has dedicated resources for the success of the IEP, which includes its own program coordinator and a progressive program that caters for the individual needs of the trainees. The program has been supported and co-developed by Charles Darwin University and the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations.
The IEP trainees are encourged to reach their potential and some are selected to undergo further training to reach leadership roles within Gagudju Dreaming.
The IEP program allows more indigenous interactions with visitors to the park, especially on Gagudju Dreaming's tours and cruises. You can see some of the unique qualities of our IEP in our blog, maintained by our staff at Gagudju Dreaming, or when you visit, ask for more details.
Gagudju Dreaming, managed by IHG, won the 2010 Northern Territory Brolga Tourism Award for best Tourism Education and Training. Gagudju Dreaming also won Best Major Tour Operator award and Best Tourism Marketing at the 2011 Northern Territory Brolga Tourism Award and qualifies for the Tourism Australia Award to be held in Cairns in March 2012.
In November 2010, IHG launched the Australian hospitality industries strongest commitment to equal opportunities for Aboriginal and Torres Straight Islanders to date, becoming the first hotel company to establish a Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP), recognised by Reconciliation Australia. IHG's RAP was the second of such commitment in the AU$33 billion tourism industry, the first being held by Qantas.
Held within IHG's RAP is having 2% of its Australian workforce made up of Aboriginal and Torres Straight Islanders by 2013. As of January 2012, over 20% of the workforce at Gagudju Lodge Cooinda and 40% of it's tour guides are indigenous.
The RAP was launched in ceremony with the Bininj people of Kakadu and the COO Australasia IHG, Bruce McKenzie, on the waters of Yellow Water Billabong.
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