Western Australia woo Indians with cricket, wildlife and aboriginal culture

Listening to the sounds of a didgeridoo in an ancient limestone cave, searching for the happiest animal on earth (it’s a quokka) or viewing the world from the longest timber jetty in the Southern Hemisphere — Western Australia (WA) promises all this and more. Flaunting an eclectic mix of Aboriginal culture, wildlife experiences, landscapes and adventure sports, WA has stepped up its game in a bid to woo the Indian market.

Wooing Indians

Australia has been a preferred destination for Indians keen on pursuing education and employment opportunities. India sends the second highest number of students to the country after China. In 2024, 1.3 lakh Indians opted to study in Australia, up from 1.2 lakh in 2023. Over the years, despite a stricter visa regime and increase in student fees, there has been an increase in extended stays by visiting family and friends to popular destinations like Melbourne and Sydney.

Tourism Research Australia forecasts that the number of visitors from India will grow at an average annual rate of 10% from 2023 to 2028. WA, the country’s largest state, is rolling out the red carpet for tourists to get a larger piece of the pie. Tourism WA acting managing director Steph Underwood says, “India has surged to become WA’s sixth-largest market by visitor numbers as of June 2024, up from 11th in 2019. This rapid growth reflects the strong demand driven by WA’s large Indian community, which includes approximately 61,000 residents and nearly 9,600 international students.”

Underwood adds that around 44% of visitors from India come to WA to visit friends and relatives, leading to extended stays. “India is a priority market for Western Australia, with a total of 35,000 visitors arriving in WA and spending AUD 118 million in the year ending June 2024.” Besides leveraging on its mix of natural beauty, culture and wildlife, WA has used cricket to tap the India market by roping in cricket legend Adam Gilchrist. The campaign coincides with the upcoming Border-Gavaskar Trophy (or ‘West Test’) to be hosted by Perth in November. The campaign highlights the appeal of road trips from Perth and taps into the nation’s passion for cricket.

Cultural pitch

A recent study showed that 86% of visitors to WA expressed a desire for an Aboriginal tourism experience, and 37% now actively participate, which is a significant increase from 17% a decade ago.

WA showcases Aboriginal culture and storytelling in many of its experiences like the Ngilgi Caves in Yallingup, which holds within its depths majestic stalactites, stalagmites, helictites, and beautifully coloured shawls. The sounds of the didgeridoo waft from the ancient limestone caves taking visitors back millions of years. The man playing the wind instrument is Josh Whiteland, a Wardandi man who runs the award-winning Koomal Dreaming, a tour company in the Margaret River Region.

Whiteland’s performance and his introduction to ancient traditions of fire-making and bush foods together give a glimpse of authentic Aboriginal culture, making WA a distinctive destination. “I see tourism as a vehicle to raise awareness about my culture and traditions,” he says. This tour, led by Aboriginal guides, offers visitors an immersive experience of Aboriginal storytelling, traditional knowledge and cultural interpretation, providing an authentic perspective of the region’s spiritual connection to the land and environment.



This kind of cultural engagement was much less prevalent a decade ago, with fewer Aboriginal-led experiences available to visitors, and marks a shift in how the country is taking steps towards preserving and presenting its culture.

Western Australian Indigenous Tourism Operators Council (WAITOC) CEO Rob Taylor says Koomal Dreaming Tour is an example of how Aboriginal culture has been showcased and integrated in WA’s tourism industry. Other experiences include the ‘EverNow: A Festival During Kambarang’ sound and light festival at the King’s Botanical Gardens and Dale Tilbrook Experiences, an Aboriginal owned and operated enterprise that offers cultural activities, talks, performances and bush tucker tastings. WA’s bid to promote Aboriginal culture within tourism has broadened the scope of offerings and significantly enhanced visitor engagement, says Taylor .



Chasing the wild

For many Indians, the chance to interact with wild animals is a rare opportunity despite being from a country that is rich in flora and fauna. WA’s nocturnal wildlife tours offer a peak into original bushland and a chance to observe possums, kangaroos and bandicoots without disturbing them. South West Eco Discoveries’ Ryan and Michael White, who conduct these tours in the Yelverton Brook Conservation Sanctuary, help spot native herbs and plants and feed ‘roos’ while sipping on bush billy tea (black tea blended with eucalyptus). Many are biting the bait. Cape to Cape Explorers that runs hikes, fishing and foraging along the coast say that they often get large groups of Indians eager for adventure. Among their growing segment are seniors who hike, fish and swim without a sweat.

Home to the happiest animals on earth — quokkas — Rottnest Island (Wadjemup) is a holiday haven of pristine beaches, aquamarine bays, bike tracks and walking trails. The main attraction, of course, is the highly photogenic quokka, a friendly marsupial that appears to smile. Not just the subject of countless celebrity selfies, the WA icon is also responsible for the island’s name: 17th century Dutch sailors mistook the cute creatures for large rats.

WA is also home to some of the most breathtaking landscapes, whether it is the Busselton jetty — the longest timber jetty in the southern hemisphere — or the Underwater Observatory at its end that gives a view of marine life and the greatest artificial reefs in Australia.

Sipping away

From Perth (Boorloo) to the rugged Southern Ocean coast, WA is home to nine wine regions, which can all be explored on a range of guided wine tours. The Margaret River region is also home to vineyards that offer tastings. So, whether it’s organic farming offered by Stormflower Vineyard in the Wilyabrup pocket of Margaret River Region or biodynamically grown grapes at Cullen Wines, spending an afternoon at a vineyard is a popular activity.

Perth is popularly known as one of the most isolated cities in the world. But now, it's eager to shed that tag with new hotels, infrastructure and experience upgrades that are sure to pique the interest of Indian tourists.

(The writer visited Australia on the invitation of Western Australia Tourism and WTTC)