While national parks and sacred places once had European monikers, their Aboriginal names are now commonly used in recognition of the people who have lived there for thousands of years, and Australian parks often have traditional custodians who act as guides and caretakers.
In the Northern Territory, you can visit Kata Tjuta, a site sacred to the local Anangu people, or visit Kakadu National Park to experience the rock art at Ubirr. While not technically a national park, Western Australia's Dampier Peninsula, known as Ardi, is a chance to wander through a region where red rocks meet white sand beaches and learn about the history and customs of the local Bardi people. The Purnululu National Park in South Australia, which the Jaru and Gidja people help manage, features the Bungle Bungle Range, a maze of towering, domed rock.
Choose any Australian state, and you can find a journey that marries history and striking wilderness.
1. Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park, Northern Territory
Kata Tjuta (The Olgas), Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park, Northern Territory.
2. Kakadu National Park, Northern Territory
Kakadu National Park, Northern Territory.
3. Gariwerd (Grampians National Park), Victoria
4. Flinder's Ranges National Park, South Australia.
5. Purnululu National Park, Western Australia
6. Ardi, Western Australia
7. Mutawintji National Park, New South Wales
