Ancient volcanic eruptions enabled one of the world's oldest and most complex aquaculture systems.

Countries & Cities · Published 30 September 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: The Gunditjmara people of Australia transformed a rugged volcanic landscape into a sophisticated, permanent agricultural society thousands of years ago. By engineering vast networks of stone channels and weirs to farm eels, they defied traditional hunter-gatherer narratives, creating a resilient, settled civilization that persists in their cultural heritage today.

The Budj Bim landscape in Victoria, Australia, was shaped by the eruption of the Budj Bim volcano more than 30,000 years ago. This geological event is central to Gunditjmara oral history, which describes Budj Bim as an ancestral creator-being. Recent research suggests these accounts may be among the oldest continuous oral traditions in existence, with volcanic activity at the site and nearby Tower Hill dated to approximately 36,900 years ago. The resulting lava flows fundamentally altered the region's drainage, creating extensive wetlands that the Gunditjmara clans utilized to develop a highly advanced system of aquaculture.

Beginning at least 6,600 years ago, the Gunditjmara engineered a complex network of dams, weirs, and channels to divert water from Darlot Creek. This allowed them to trap, hold, and harvest short-finned eels, or kooyang, on a massive scale. These eels were often smoked in the hollows of manna gum trees, providing a reliable, year-round food source that supported permanent stone dwellings. While early European observers like George Augustus Robinson initially mistook these structures for natural features or the work of 'civilized' settlers in 1841, archaeological surveys in the 1970s and beyond confirmed their true, ancient origins.

The significance of this site extends beyond its engineering. Following the arrival of Europeans in the 1830s, the Gunditjmara faced violent displacement during the Eumeralla Wars, and many were forced into missions like Lake Condah, established in 1867. Despite this history, the land has been reclaimed and is now managed by the Gunditj Mirring Traditional Owners Aboriginal Corporation. Today, the Budj Bim Cultural Landscape is recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, serving as a testament to the Gunditjmara's long-standing role as cultivators and farmers who mastered their environment long before colonial settlement.

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