Tourism Australia has launched a dedicated First Nations Graduate Program, offering Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander graduates a 12-month, full-time paid pathway into the national tourism industry – with applications open until 30 April 2026.
Successful graduates will complete at least two rotational placements across departments including Marketing and Events, Communications and Public Relations, and Business and Strategy, gaining direct exposure to industry stakeholders and real ownership over meaningful work.
The program forms part of Tourism Australia’s broader Reconciliation Action Plan, which commits the agency to moving beyond symbolic gestures toward tangible First Nations economic outcomes. Australia’s tourism brand is built significantly on the world’s oldest living cultures, and the program signals a shift in who shapes that narrative.
Molly Cicak – a Wiradjuri woman from Central New South Wales studying at UNSW – described completing a 10-week internship with Tourism Australia as a pivotal experience, highlighting her involvement in developing the agency’s new Reconciliation Action Plan and attending Senate estimates as standout moments.
The program joins a wider set of 2026 initiatives supporting First Nations economic participation in tourism. Indigenous Business Australia and Tourism and Events NT are also running the Northern Territory Aboriginal Tourism Accelerator Program, a five-month intensive for Aboriginal business owners wanting to build or grow tourism ventures in the Territory.
Applications for Tourism Australia’s graduate program close 30 April 2026. Candidates must submit a CV and cover letter via the Tourism Australia website.
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