'Some of them cry': tourists find healing at this Badu woman's exclusive island getaway

Local-driven tourism provides a culturally and ecologically safe industry that can boost the region's economy.

Nancy Nona has a deep connection with her island beach at Badu, also home to her tourist business Alup Healing.

Crystal clear water of green and blue hues laps on the white sand at a beach on Badu Island in the Torres Strait.

The lands and waters here have been cared for by locals over thousands of years, and in turn, the Country has offered care and healing.

Nestled amongst the pristine waters and white sands of Badu is Alup Healing, a unique tourist destination which landed in Forbes' 2023 Top 50 places in the world to visit list.

Owner and operator Arganilayg Nancy Nona says it’s a significant cultural site.

“That name – Alup Healing – was because Alup is on ancestral grounds,” she said.

“It's a culture site surrounded by culture sites and when I do have clientele, I always respect the ground that we walk on.”

Nancy Nona catches fresh produce from the sea (the farm as she calls it) to serve guests.

Ms Nona said she tries to keep bookings to an absolute minimum – usually one per month.

Seafood is on the menu, sourced from the surrounding pristine waters – straight from ‘the farm’ as Ms Nona jokes.

There’s minimal infrastructure on the Traditional tribal land – one small, open air shack to sleep under, and another to cook and gather beneath.

Visitors are encouraged to sleep on the beach or beside the fire.

“I just let them feel, and connect to the earth,” she said.

“I share my knowledge of culture, cooking island cuisines, weaving, gathering food catching crayfish or pipi shells.

“For my clientele to see that we do have a rich culture.”

Ms Nona cooks food over the fire on site for her guests.

Ms Nona said the site is booked out a year in advance by high-end clients from across the globe.

She said they are drawn by the site's healing qualities.

“They sit around the fire and just listen to the ocean sound and connect and share their thoughts,” she said.

“Some of them cry and I know why they cry, because sometimes I do that too.

“You just got to be here to feel it.”

Opening places of lore and culture to tourists

Infrastructure is kept simple and low impact on the cultural site.

The international recognition comes as Traditional Owners are considering how tourism could benefit their communities.

The already high cost of living continues to rise and the remote islands of the Torres Strait can pay up to double the mainland prices for essential goods.

Job opportunities in the region are scarce, but there’s hope tourism could turn that around.

Traditional Owner Gerald Bowie said that’s why he invited Queensland’s Tourism Minister Michael Healy to talk to his community.

“[He] will now understand what Badu is about, especially the environment and the waters, so he’s got knowledge of how we live on Badu,” he said.

He said he believed the community had everything within it to offer an incredible cultural tourism experience.

“For example, we've got a dancing group, we've got a weaving group, we've got a cleaning business, we’ve got an administration group,” he said.

“Every fee for service, they'll have an opportunity to get a wage.”

He hopes it will also financially support communities to better care for Country.

“Now people get paid to look after water and look after the land,” he said.

Mr Healy agreed there is huge potential for tourism in the Torres Strait.

“I'm of the belief, like many others, that once the communities up here start to increase their ability to get more tourists into their region, to beautiful sites like [Alup Healing], it will be able to create wealth for not just those individuals, but for their families and for their broader communities,” he said.

At a community meeting, Mr Healy saod he’d heard that some types of tourism would not be welcome, but there was a lot of interest in ‘small, high impact, low volume’ tourism.

Ageing infrastructure in the region is also a concern, and potential liability, if tourism continues to grow in the region.

“To build an industry which is economically viable, that can contribute to the coffers of local government, having that infrastructure in place is vitally important,” he said.

“I will be advocating to the appropriate ministers to ensure that we put the appropriate infrastructure in place, while we continue to discuss and look at where we can grow and build the tourism industry up here.”

Minister Healy said he recognised the importance of bringing the different levels of government together in remote regions, which suffer the tyranny of distance.

The community has been asked to form a tourism strategy.

“I have suggested that at the completion of that, that we bring some key players [to the Torres Strait],” he said.

“I'll make a commitment, as we did in our community meeting, that I'd love to come back.

“I'd love to bring more people with me as soon as we've got some ideas on what is expected and what the communities want.”