Australia Advances New Indigenous Tourism Through Ancient Budj Bim Trails

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Budj Bim in south-western Victoria, Australia, is planning an indigenous tourism venture in a cultural landscape listed as a UNESCO World Heritage sites in which Gunditjmara ingenuity, wetlands, volcanic formations, and traditional knowledge have always been intertwined. Walks and guided tours, as well as other visitor facilities, are making it possible for tourists to get up close and personal with the ancient aquaculture system in the Tae Rak area, Lake Condah and the Budj Bim National Park. One of the largest and most ancient aquaculture systems is found at the Budj Bim Cultural Landscape site. As UNESCO observes, the Gunditjmara created an elaborate network of channels, weirs, dams and ponds on the lava flows of Budj Bim in order to regulate water and fish short-finned eels or Kooyang, for around 6,600 years.
Parks Victoria — Budj Bim National Park

Ancient Aquaculture Forms the Core Visitor Experience

The cultural landscape extends across three principal components: Budj Bim, Tyrendarra and Kurtonitj. Together they demonstrate how Gunditjmara communities modified local waterways and wetlands to support eel harvesting and long-term settlement.

The aquaculture system is inseparable from the volcanic geology. Lava flows created channels and wetlands that the Gunditjmara adapted through stone construction, redirecting water into ponds and trapping areas. The result is a landscape where geological formations, hydrology, food production and cultural traditions remain physically connected.

For visitors, this means a cultural experience based on the landscape itself. Guided walks can introduce the relationship between the volcanic terrain and aquaculture infrastructure while explaining the continuing significance of kooyang and the wetlands.

At Tae Rak, the aquaculture landscape includes extensive wetlands and stone structures associated with traditional eel management. Contemporary tourism activities provide access through Gunditjmara-led interpretation rather than presenting the archaeological features as isolated monuments.

Gunditjmara Guides Lead Cultural Experiences

Indigenous ownership, management and interpretation are central to tourism at Budj Bim. The World Heritage property is Aboriginal-owned and/or managed, with Gunditjmara Traditional Owners applying customary knowledge alongside scientific approaches within its management framework.

Current visitor programmes include guided cultural walks around Tae Rak, while longer experiences extend to Kurtonitj Indigenous Protected Area and Budj Bim National Park. Tourism listings for 2026 show Gunditjmara-guided experiences operating through the cultural landscape, including walks, transport and access to significant sites.

This structure places Indigenous interpretation at the centre of the visitor journey. Rather than simply viewing ancient channels and stone structures, travellers can learn about the cultural knowledge associated with the landscape, the seasonal movement of eels and the continuing relationship between Gunditjmara people and Country.

Lake Condah Creates a Wetland Tourism Corridor

Tae Rak, also known as Lake Condah, forms an important destination within the wider Budj Bim tourism network. The wetland environment provides a setting for understanding the relationship between water management, eel harvesting and Gunditjmara settlement.

The landscape also demonstrates the restoration of traditional water flows. UNESCO records that a cultural weir constructed in 2010 reinstated traditional water movement into Tae Rak after decades of altered hydrology. The restored water system has strengthened the visibility and functioning of the broader aquaculture landscape.

Visitors can experience this environment through guided interpretation, walking and landscape observation. The wetland setting also supports ecological tourism, with waterways, vegetation and wildlife forming part of the broader experience.

Budj Bim National Park Adds Walking and Nature Travel

Budj Bim National Park provides another access point into the cultural landscape. Its volcanic environment includes crater features, lava canals, caves, bushland and walking routes.

Parks Victoria currently lists the Lava Canal Circuit, Lake Surprise and other walking opportunities within the park. The park also provides camping and picnic facilities, allowing visitors to spend longer periods within the landscape.

The park is also subject to active management measures. As of September 7, 2026, Parks Victoria has announced a temporary closure of most of the park from September 7 to September 8 for an aerial deer-control programme, while the campground, picnic area, Lake Surprise and Lava Canal Circuit remain open. Visitors therefore need to check current access conditions before travelling.

The combination of cultural heritage and outdoor recreation gives Budj Bim a tourism profile extending beyond conventional heritage sightseeing.

The Landscape Connects Heritage With Food

Kooyang remains central to the cultural identity of the landscape. The ancient aquaculture system was designed around the seasonal movement and management of short-finned eels, creating an economic and social foundation for Gunditjmara communities over millennia.

Modern tourism experiences can connect visitors with this history through interpretation and culinary elements. Current visitor programmes include kooyang tasting experiences, linking food with the broader story of aquaculture and Gunditjmara cultural practice.

This provides a direct connection between landscape, traditional food systems and contemporary cultural tourism.

World Heritage Status Strengthens the Destination

Budj Bim’s World Heritage status provides an international framework for recognising its cultural and environmental significance. UNESCO identifies the landscape as an exceptional example of long-term human interaction with the environment, with Gunditjmara knowledge, practices and engineering continuing through generations.

The designation also distinguishes Budj Bim within Australia’s tourism landscape because the World Heritage listing is based on Aboriginal cultural values. Tourism can therefore focus on Indigenous heritage rather than treating cultural interpretation as an additional feature of a broader nature destination.

For travellers moving through south-west Victoria, Budj Bim also provides an alternative to itineraries focused solely on the Great Ocean Road. The cultural landscape introduces wetlands, volcanic geology, Indigenous history and guided experiences into the regional travel circuit.

Australia Builds a Deeper Indigenous Tourism Route

Today, Budj Bim emerges as a place of tourist attraction where there is a confluence of ancient aquaculture, indigenous culture, volcanics, and tourism. While on the one hand, the cultural tours by the Gunditjmara help tourists get connected with the cultural landscape, on the other hand, the walkways and the facilities within the national park allow them to get connected with the environment. The ancient aquaculture system continues to be the most important attraction in this area. The channels, weirs, dams and wetlands in this area present the engineering skills of the people that go back 6,600 years. In addition to this, the link of the Gunditjmara people ensures that its cultural value is not diminished to mere archaeology. Through various types of tours, including cultural tours, wetlands tours, nature trails and camping, Budj Bim provides exceptional entry into the history of Aborigines in South West Victoria.