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These millennia-old Australian waterways are located within Budj Bim National Park in Victoria, Australia, and consist of canals, dikes, and dams constructed from volcanic rock. According to UNESCO, this is one of the world's largest and oldest aquaculture systems, built by the Gunditjmara people over 6,600 years ago, older than the Egyptian pyramids.
This aquatic ecosystem was known to archaeologists and added to the UNESCO World Heritage List last July. However, the devastating bushfires in Victoria last December exposed previously undiscovered parts of the system.
Denis Rose, project director of the non-profit Gunditj Mirring Traditional Owners Aboriginal Corporation, shared: "When we returned to the area, we found a hidden water channel in the grass and other vegetation. It was about 25 meters long, quite a significant size."
According to him, this aquaculture system is part of Budj Bim National Park, built by the indigenous people using volcanic rock from a now-inactive volcano in the area.
UNESCO stated that the people of Gunditjmara used this system to navigate and direct waterways in order to maximize aquaculture productivity. "The Budj Bim cultural landscape is a remarkable testament to the cultural traditions, knowledge, practices, and ingenuity of the people of Gunditjmara."
Rose said he felt relieved that the fires hadn't caused as much damage to Victoria as they did to other parts of Australia, and that this could be a good opportunity to explore more of the ancient aquaculture system. "In the next few weeks, we hope to conduct a comprehensive cultural heritage survey to examine previously undiscovered areas. This is crucial because it helps us understand the rich, sustainable way of life of ancient peoples, which is also an important part of our cultural life today."
