This award-winning 23-year-old Ngarrindjeri leader is calling for Australians to move beyond token gestures this Reconciliation Week – and she’s got practical advice to help you start.
For Taylah Lochert, reconciliation isn’t just an annual calendar event.
As Australia marks National Reconcilation Week (NRW) from 27 May – 3 June this year, the award-winning tourism advocate invites Australians to think about creating genuine cultural understanding that drives change long after the official week ends.
“Ideally, I want people to be leaving my tours thinking about what they can do in their own lives to contribute to reconciliation,” says Taylah.
Beyond the tourism brochure
NRW highlights the importance of learning and celebrating Aboriginal culture – something Taylah does year-round through her role as a Cultural Tourism and Admin Officer at Southern Cultural Immersion, established in 2019.
This 100% Kaurna-owned tourism and education company offers cultural tours, educational programs, workshops, and community events across South Australia to locals, visitors, and students.
With experiences ranging from city-based historical tours to hands-on cultural activities like basket weaving and bush walks, the team provides authentic insights into Aboriginal history, spirituality, and connection to Country.
Recently graduated from Flinders University with a Bachelor of Tourism and Events, Taylah’s efforts as a young Aboriginal leader were recognised when she won the Young Achiever Award at the 2024 South Australian Tourism Awards.
“It was a complete honour – I put a lot into my studies and getting my career started in Aboriginal cultural tourism, so it felt really special,” Taylah says.
Southern Cultural Immersion has also won the Private Sector Award at the 2023 Governor’s Multicultural Awards, highlighting the company’s dedication to authentic cultural education.
The rise and rise of Aboriginal tourism
After overcoming a rocky start thanks to COVID disruptions, Taylah’s team has seen a boom in demand for Aboriginal tourism, as non-Indigenous people seek to educate themselves about Country and culture.
“People are now wanting to travel to more unique places – people aren’t as interested in the big tourist attractions anymore,” she says. “They want to delve deeper, learning about those unique areas and the stories associated with them.”
“Aboriginal culture aligns perfectly with sustainable and regenerative tourism,” she adds.
“People feel more connected to nature and their spiritual needs now, feeling closer to Country and each other.”
Aboriginal knowledge leads the way
Visitors on Taylah’s tours often discover how modern science validates Aboriginal knowledge held for millennia – like understanding ecosystems deeply and maintaining healthy landscapes.
“We’ve known for a long time through our Dreaming stories that trees communicate through their root systems underground,” Taylah explains. “People were always hesitant to believe it, but now scientific journal articles prove exactly that.”
She points out that Aboriginal people have been “scientists for thousands of years – creating tools, practising astronomy and engineering.”
Recognising Aboriginal Australians as the original custodians of such knowledge is a crucial step towards genuine reconciliation.
What is National Reconciliation Week?
National Reconciliation Week commemorates the 1967 referendum, which saw discriminatory clauses removed from Australia’s Constitution – finally allowing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples to be counted in the Census – and the historic 1992 Mabo decision, which recognised native title.
NRW is dedicated to strengthening relationships, respect, and understanding between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and the broader Australian community.
This year’s theme, ‘Bridging Now to Next’, urges Australians to “be a more united and respectful nation,” Taylah says. “With us, we are just trying to bring the community together.”
One week isn’t enough
While NRW offers valuable focus and a great start, Taylah says it shouldn’t stop there.
“It’s an awesome week to celebrate, but you can educate yourself any time.”
For South Australians wanting to make reconciliation a meaningful part of daily life, Taylah’s advice is to “engage, listen, and keep learning – every day.”
Tangible ways to support reconciliation
Taylah says NRW is the perfect time to start putting allyship into action.
Her practical advice makes reconciliation ongoing and tangible:
- Connect with your local Aboriginal community – young people, elders – and genuinely listen to understand what changes your community needs.
- Learn words from your local Aboriginal language and incorporate those words into daily life.
- Support cultural practices such as cultural burning and tool-making from gum trees.
- Replace lawns with native plants – they’re drought-resistant, beneficial for wildlife, and connect you with Country.
Classrooms catching up
Education also plays a vital role. Taylah says South Australian schools have made real progress by embedding Aboriginal culture into the curriculum.
“Schools are doing better now, though it’s a relatively new inclusion,” Taylah says.
Southern Cultural Immersion connects kids to culture through school excursions at the Living Kaurna Cultural Centre, offering hands-on cultural experiences such as bush walks, basket weaving, and Aboriginal art.
Building bridges to the future
Actively choosing Aboriginal-led experiences isn’t just ethical – it directly supports reconciliation by empowering Aboriginal communities and preserving cultural heritage.
Taylah says that engaging with Aboriginal-led experiences is the “most ethical and authentic way” to learn.
“We share personal stories passed down over 40,000 years,” she explains. “In Australia, there are over 250 unique Aboriginal nations, each with distinct languages and traditions.”
Supporting Aboriginal-led tourism enriches visitors and provides critical economic and social opportunities for communities, ensuring their stories and traditions continue to thrive.
Southern Cultural Immersion is co-hosting a free community event during NRW – Reconciliation at Warriparinga – offering a range of cultural experiences to deepen understanding and foster connection.
Find more local National Reconciliation Week events here.
