It gets harder and harder to lure international tourists to Australia, the lucky land of sun, beaches and relaxed life style. According to some experts, Australia has lost its mojo. For the first time in three decades the number of holidaymakers leaving Australia exceeds the number of arrivals. Tourism Australia hopes to turn the tide with eco-friendly and indigenous attractions and the Indigenous Sight Seeing Tour of Djeebahn (Port Hacking) is the newest Aboriginal excursion in Sydney, promising gourmet food and a smoking ceremony.

It's almost a perfect day as the custom built vessel of Cronulla Cruises leaves the harbour of Cronulla: sunny, light overcast, 26 degrees. On board are a group of German travel agents, some dignitaries of Tourism New South Wales and seven members of the Foreign Correspondents' Association (FCA).

The group is doing the four and a half hour tour on Port Hacking River, or as the Aborigines called it, Djeebahn. The visitors are guided and entertained by Aboriginal anthropologist Les Bursill and 'bushman' David Wright (Wonga).

"Wa Turrawal Mu Laa,” begins Bursill, in his Welcome to Country.

"My name is Les Bursill. I am a Turrawal man. I see you, friends, I see you, strangers. I see all of you. My people camped here at this place long time ago. Here, I see my country.”

There is proof that at least 8000 years ago the Dharawal-speaking people of Southern Sydney lived in the Port Hacking region. The shallow bay was an excellent place to catch seals, whales and fish. Orcas, the killer whales, chased other whales to these shallow waters, where they killed their prey. As soon as the Aborigines spotted the orcas and whales in the bay, the Aboriginal people came together to dance, to eat, to tell the stories and to make the laws. These gatherings, or “corroborees”, lasted for many weeks.

This sightseeing tour is fortunately not one of the many predictable cruises with annoying blah-blah-blah talk of a guide. Instead, anthropologist Les Bursill tells fascinating stories about the past and present. He points to the so-called 'middens' ashore: land, where the indigenous people buried their rubbish, like shelves and bones.

The European settlers used a lot of sandstone from the area to erect buildings in Sydney. Bursill: “When I see the lovely buildings in the city, I always think: my people, my culture paid for that.”

In the meantime, bushman David Wright teaches the visitors about the secrets of native plants. The people on board learn that one little berry of a certain plant contains more vitamin C than a big orange. And that some crushed leaves relieve all insect bites. Very useful. The visitors not only listen, they also feel, smell and taste. This is a real interactive excursion.

Half way, the ship moors on a lonely beach in the middle of the beautiful Royal National Park. Bushman David shows how to use a boomerang. His throw is too powerful and the wind is too strong, the boomerang disappears into the bush. “That's what happens if you are nearly sixty,” David jokes about the lost boomerang.

There is another surprise for the visitors: out of the forest walk slowly three colourful traditional Aboriginal men - two warriors and an elder. But there is no danger, of course. This is 'Uncle Max' from the Buddgeti Tribe, well-known by tourists, thanks to his didgeridoo performances at Circular Quay. He prepares a smoking ceremony for the guests. He uses the modern way of lighting a fire: matches instead of rubbing two little twigs. All visitors have to inhale the smoke to clear them from evil spirits and bugs. After this procedure they are allowed to enter the area. “You have the same,” David says. “You call it quarantine.”

After inhaling the smoke, it's time for the promised 'gourmet lunch': prime yearling rump, fresh barbecued prawns, salads, bread rolls and fresh fruits with Australian cheeses. Yes, this is indeed a perfect day on the Djeebahn. And a good reason for international tourists to visit this lucky land of the white men and the Aboriginal people.