Bert Van Manen (Forde, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It's with great pleasure that I stand here today to announce that Spirits of the Red Sand, an immersive cultural experience in my electorate of Forde, has taken home gold for the best Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander tourism experience at the 2021 Queensland Tourism Awards. Spirits of the Red Sand is still a relatively new addition to the Queensland tourism offerings. Launched at the Beenleigh Historical Village in 2017, it's a first-of-its-kind experience that provides a cultural awakening that aims to open our eyes to the history, beauty and vibrancy of the Aboriginal people. Over this short period, they have had some incredible success. In 2019 they won bronze at the Queensland Tourism Awards. In 2020 they were awarded Travellers' Choice by Tripadvisor and were voted the No. 1 must-do Queensland experience by RACQ.

Since their win, plans are already underway for upgraded and enhanced sound and lighting facilities and a recording studio to create music tracks as part of the new retail gift gallery, featuring 100 per cent authentic Indigenous arts and crafts. Additionally, new signage and new experiences are also underway, with a focus on creating new food tours that incorporate their extensive bush tucker garden. I commend Spirits of the Red Sand for their ongoing efforts in sharing Indigenous culture with the wider community.