South-west Victoria
Gunditjmara
"Peeneeyt meerreeng" — /pee-neet meer-reeng/
About this Country
Gunditjmara Country stretches from the volcanic plains of Budj Bim to the Southern Ocean. This is the land of the world's oldest engineered landscape.
Budj Bim, the volcano, is the head of an ancestral being who reveals himself in eruption. His teeth are the stones the Gunditjmara used to shape the eel channels 6,600 years ago.
Cultural protocols
Travelling with respect
Budj Bim is a UNESCO World Heritage cultural landscape. Stay on marked trails; the stone kanya (eel traps) are 6,600 years old and remain in ceremonial use.
Please
Book a Gunditjmara guide
The full story of Budj Bim is only shared on-site by Gunditjmara Cultural Tours.
Consider
Slow travel here
Allow a full day. Budj Bim rewards silence and repeat visits across seasons.
Please don't
Do not move stone
The tungatt (stones) are still ceremonial infrastructure. Leave every stone as you found it.
Language
Words to carry with you
Tap a card to hear the pronunciation.
Trails through this Country
Collection
Poles on this Country
Listen
Stories from this Country
elder
Six Thousand Years of Kooyang
This is the oldest aquaculture on Earth. The kanya still catch. The people still eat.
song
Whales on the Shipwreck Coast
In warrn (winter) the southern rights come close, following a road older than the cliffs. Logan's Beach at Warrnambool is their nursery.
Book with Country
Indigenous-run experiences
Makers
Artists of this Country
Acknowledgement
We acknowledge the Gunditjmara people as the Traditional Owners of South-west Victoria, and pay respects to Elders Uncle Denis Rose, Aunty Eileen Alberts.