Spirits of the Red Sand - Aboriginal cultural experience November 7, 2022
Spirits of the Red Sand wins Gold at the Queensland Tourism Industry Council’s Queensland Tourism Awards (QTA) held on the Gold Coast Friday night 4 November 2022. The 37th annual awards ceremony recognise the outstanding achievements of the state’s tourism industry, including individuals, businesses (industry operators) and events.
Spirits of the Red Sand wins Gold for Best Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander tourism experience at the Queensland Tourism Awards 2022 for the second year in a row, automatically entering them into the Australian Tourism Awards, which they also won last year.
Cultural Elder & Co-founder Uncle Eddie Ruska, proud descendant, traditional owner and Elder of the Yuggera, Nunukul and Koombumerri people had his granddaughter, Shanice Ruska, grandsons and daughters accept the award. “We are humbled by this honour. We are humbled because we are sharing 60,000 years of culture. We are sharing our stories, we are sharing our histories, we are sharing who we are as a people. Nunya (thank you) to our team, our guests and our industry partners for acknowledging Spirits of the Red Sand in this way” Shanice Ruska said.
Brisbane Economic Development Agency, General Manager of Tourism, Business and Major Events, Lorelle Chittick said it was no surprise Spirits of the Red Sand took out the top honours.
“Spirits of the Red Sand is sweeping the board with its innovative and immersive cultural experiences, from winning at the 2021 Australian Tourism Awards to becoming Queensland’s Best Indigenous Tourism Experience at the 2022 Queensland Tourism Awards,” Ms Chittick said.
“A first-of-its-kind experience in Australia, this award is a testament to the team’s commitment to creating a meaningful experience for visitors to the Brisbane region.
“Thank you for sharing the vibrant spirit of Aboriginal Australia through storytelling and enriching the lives of visitors and locals alike.”
Queensland tourism’s night of nights was celebrated by all and Spirits of the Red Sand acknowledges all the businesses who put their heart and soul into delivering exceptional experiences every day. Of special mention is the bronze and silver winners in our category, Yura Tours and Cape York Peninsula Lodge, respectively.
MEDIA CONTACT:
Kerryn Collins
Head of Marketing & Business Management
E: kerryn@greataustralianexperiences.com
Ph: (07) 3801 8198
ABOUT SPIRITS OF THE RED SAND
Spirits of the Red Sand shares 60,000 years of Aboriginal culture. Located in South-east Queensland, halfway between Brisbane and Gold Coast, this is a multi-award-winning world-first in authentic Aboriginal storytelling experiences for FIT, groups, cruise, incentives and education.
By Night:
Meaningful and mesmerising, the Aboriginal live ‘roving theatre’ and dinner experience takes you beyond Dreamtime to 1800s Australia when the British and Aboriginal ways of life collide. Told through an immersive historical re-enactment including a 3-course dinner.
By Day:
Groups are welcomed with interactive experiences that connect you with our traditional Aboriginal life. With cultural education programs for schools and corporate groups, cultural awareness workshops, cruise-ship shore excursions, team building challenges, a unique functions space, fully-licenced open-air Queenslander café and a cultural events calendar plus our offsite cultural performances for cruise and conferences.
