Exploring the Budj Bim Cultural Landscape

Take a diversion away from the Great Ocean Road to the World Heritage Site of Budj Bim Cultural Landscape, where the Gunditjmara community is sharing its remarkable story of ancient enterprise with the world.

With eyes closed and face directed to the barely fathomable beyond, there comes a tremendous awareness of the firm stone beneath my feet. This rock has been relentlessly pummelled by saltwater for millennia. Yet, even after all those thousands of years colliding with ocean and wind, it remains steadfast.

The brisk coastal wind makes landfall from its journey beyond the horizon, whipping windcheaters into sails and tussling untethered hairs with the same stoicism. And the ocean itself, bridled by lunar whims, carries on with its undeviating rhythm, in and out, in and out.

It’s a cathartic reminder of just how insignificant our impression here is. None of us will outlive this stone, but some of us do leave a scarce but meaningful trace within it. Eyes open now, my brain plunges into overdrive as it processes the beauty funnelled from retina to optic nerve.

Tracing the ancient aboriginal site Moyjil

The information returns as sapphire-blue waters, clear and contrasted by rich, gold sands. A gently rippled, lagoon-like river patiently ebbs to embrace the Bass Strait, sidestepping the craggy yet dignified rock formations.

This is Moyjil, located in Victoria’s south-west, which you may have heard of by its European moniker, Point Ritchie. But if anyone has naming rights at this incredible junction of river and sea, it’s the Gunditjmara people. They have been here for around 60,000, possibly even 80,000, years.

The scientific evidence gathered from their scarce trace of shell middens embedded in that steadfast rock, and other indicators of human activity, is still percolating on that larger figure. However, some of Australia’s top geologists are quietly confident Moyjil could be the country’s oldest site of Aboriginal occupation.

an aerial shot of the Point Richie lookout and beautiful rocks at dusk

Dusk paints the sky at Moyjil, or Point Ritchie, a popular lookout at Warrnambool in south-west Victoria.

Preserving the cultural heritage of the Gunditjmara people

As such, this bracingly beautiful point is of gargantuan importance to the Gunditjmara people and, indeed, all people. It’s a visitable window to their ancestors and a reminder of how they lived in a mutually beneficial accord with nature.

A promise of protection in return for the gift of sustenance. This sustainable way of life is both fundamental and non-negotiable to Indigenous Australians and it’s through this looking glass I have clamoured to discover this incredible region.

Moyjil is a punctuation mark on the Great Ocean Road, but by touring south-western Victoria through Gunditjmara Country, I’m leaving the ogling of the 12 Apostles and craggy coastline to others. Instead, I’m straining to learn more about the ancestral guardianship of Country here. In fact, it’s National Sorry Day as I stand in reverie at Moyjil as an Indigenous woman and travel companion Ash Bartley invites our small group to remember and question the Stolen Generation.

a Gunditjmara guide leading the Budj Bim family tour

Visitors can join a variety of tours led by Gunditjmara guides.

Listening to the wind and sea, you can almost sense the presence of ancient humans gathering on the rocks below to share a degustation of shellfish. It’s staggering to realise that six millennia of cultural practice was virtually obliterated in the space of a hundred years, and this sun-drenched holiday idyll that once sustained generations of families, now provides quick photo ops and toilet stops for busloads of tourists.

the view of Aquaculture Centre from the lake

Visit Tae Rak Aquaculture Centre to see traditional methods used to trap kooyang (eels).

Indeed, we surely could have skipped a lot of unnecessary environmental and emotional scarring if we could bend time onto itself, folding up centuries of heartache and destruction to arrive at a place of deep appreciation for our First Peoples and their connection to Country. But the good news is that a generation of Gunditjmara people guided by Elders here in south-west Victoria are leading a restoration of the continuity of connection to Country and embarking on a sharing and teaching of long-held wisdom.

“We never say knowledge is lost," says Ash, “we say it’s dormant." Moving inland from Moyjil, a crystalised example of this can be experienced at the World Heritage Site of Budj Bim Cultural Landscape, which comprises three main components: Budj Bim National Park (north), which includes the long-extinct volcano formerly known as Mt Eccles; Kurtonitj (central), which means ‘crossing place’; and the ceremonial wetlands of Tyrendarra (south), all of which show extensive evidence of the largest and oldest-known aquaculture system in the world.

an aerial view of the woodlands and wetlands of Budj Bim

The woodlands and wetlands of Budj Bim are sacred to the Gunditjmara people.

How the Budj Bim story is tied to Mt Eccles

The Budj Bim lava flows are the spindly fingers that connect these components. It’s here, in the 5470-hectare area, the Gunditjmara created channels, dams and weirs in the pursuit of the kooyang (eel). For at least 6600 years, those slippery little fish sustained enterprising humans who coaxed and engineered the natural topography to ensnare them.

Lake Condah is home to a large variety of water birds such as black swans. (Image: Visit Victoria/Michael Turtle)

Proof of the antiquity of this aquaculture system and the knowledge carried with it has firmly sealed the landscape’s World Heritage criteria and, with it, the preservation of an endlessly important cultural archive. It’s been a decades-long journey to find a way to bring history back from the brink.

“For the past 40 years, the Gunditjmara community has worked on how best to share the Budj Bim story with the world," explains Budj Bim managing director Damein Bell. “Through that time, particularly the past 20 years, it’s been a process of deciding how we best share the story to protect the story."

The flora and fauna are part of this cultural landscape. (Image: Visit Victoria/Michael Turtle)

Tyrendarra Indigenous Protected Area

Part of that sharing is taking shape southwards, at the volcanic landscape of Tyrendarra, which came into existence following a guttural hiccup from Budj Bim some 27,000 years ago. When I visit, morning has only just peeped out from behind the cold dawn and my breath is as visible as a car’s exhaust.

The beauty such coolness wreaks on these wetlands is exquisite. Heavy mist veils the sun’s radiance turning the atmosphere opaque, as if the world ceases to exist beyond its thick cloak.

In places where its weakened beams penetrate, intricate spider webs are bejewelled with crystal droplets, so elegant they look like adornments for fairy queens.

scenic wetlands and stony rises at Tae Rak Aquaculture Centre

Stony rises from ancient lava flows surround Tae Rak Aquaculture Centre.

Dreaming trails and cultural sites

Slender reeds dance under the rippling channels and birdsong drifts on the breeze, harmonising with the soft shushing of grasses.

As beautiful as this scene is, it’s not what it once was. Years of farming has desecrated the area, repurposing rocks once used to make stone-based huts into low walls to corral livestock who nonchalantly trampled history under hoof.

Still, enough of the evidence remains to cement these wetlands as integral to the aquaculture complex and it continues, as it has for millennia, to be an important cultural site and part of Dreaming trails for the Gunditjmara people.

Soon, visitors will be able to observe the fascinating enterprise of the interconnected channels and strategically placed dams designed to store eels “like a fridge," says guide coordinator Braydon Saunders. The site will also include re-creations of traditional huts that sheltered families as they settled into this eel-farming and trading community.

New raised walkways at Tyrendarra within the Budj Bim Cultural Landscape show off the sophisticated fish traps at the cultural site. (Image: Visit Victoria)

Pathways and boardwalks for visitors

Tyrendarra is co-owned by Parks Victoria and the Gunditj Mirring Traditional Owners Aboriginal Corporation, which have worked to prepare the site for visitors. Braydon says Covid enabled the corporation time to involve the community on how best to present Tyrendarra and, once open, you’ll be able to follow interpretation pathways and boardwalks to truly immerse in what Tyrendarra was and remains to be for the Gunditjmara people.

Another of Budj Bim’s northern components, Tae Rak (Lake Condah) is welcoming all with the aroma of gently smoked eel at the new lakeside Aquaculture Centre and Cafe. Designed by Cooper Scaife Architects, the ultra-sleek building blends smoothly into the environment and houses a bush tucker cafe where you can enjoy coffee and cake, sample a kooyang tasting plate, or tuck into dishes such as gnocchi with native mint pesto.

Traverse the scenic path across the verdant terrain. (Image: Visit Victoria/Michael Turtle)

Swampy depressions with eel traps

Visitors can also view aquaculture tanks where those life-sustaining short-fin eels dart about, unaware of their future as an arancini ball at the cafe. The centre has been open for less than a year, but Damein is impressed with how both visitors to the area and the local community have embraced it.

“For the amount of time it has taken to get ready, it has been generational," he says. “So it’s wonderful to see our Elders sitting on the verandah here enjoying a coffee." The 1700 hectares of wetlands and stony rises surrounding Tae Rak were formed an estimated 8000 years ago and have since been in service to local wildlife as a utopian sanctuary.

Follow the walkway to the lake’s edge where black swans glide with stealth and watch the sun hover just above the surface. Or better yet, join a guided tour, as Damein says, “to yarkeen Gunditjmara" (‘to see Country’) and learn of the stories held within the stones here and about the restoration of Tae Rak.

Find eel-holding tanks at Tae Rak Aquaculture Centre. (Image: Visit Victoria/Michael Turtle)

A relaxing spot to reflect and unwind

The lake provides a serene spot to pause in reverie, marvelling at how human memory extends back thousands of years through the oral traditions of the Gunditjmara. Ancient narrations from those who witnessed Budj Bim’s explosion and its subsequent significance have been carefully tended, wrapped in ceremony, and presented to each new generation.

They are as real as the imprint embedded in rock at Moyjil and the altered landscape of Budj Bim. And finally, under the custodianship of modern-day Gunditjmara, who have drawn the world’s attention to this place with their desire to nourish a continual connection to Country, the buds of this ancestral knowledge are once again opening towards the sun. “We wanted the world to know what we’ve got here," says Damein, “so they can help protect it."

an aerial photo of Point Ritchie Lookout at sunset

Witness spectacular sunset views.

Getting there

Budj Bim Cultural Landscape is a four-hour drive west (326 kilometres) of Melbourne via Geelong, two hours (167 kilometres) from the 12 Apostles along the Great Ocean Road via Warrnambool and less than an hour’s drive (68 kilometres) north-west of Port Fairy.

Eating there

Noodledoof Brewing and Distilling Co

Not far from the beguiling Tower Hill is the town of Koroit, where you can replenish energy with a fortifying drink and meal at Noodledoof. Try a tipple that makes excellent use of native ingredients informed by local Indigenous social enterprise Worn Gundidj.

Wickens at Royal Mail Hotel

With diners’ eyes transfixed on Wurgarri (Mt Sturgeon), chef Robin Wickens has his work cut out for him diverting their attention to the plate. But he does so with an impeccable degustation in the elegant, timber-hued dining room. For a more casual experience, head to the hotel’s Parker Street Project.

Wickens fits into the landscape with ease. (Image: Visit Victoria)

Staying there

Oak and Anchor

This boutique accommodation is housed in an elegant, refurbished heritage hotel in Port Fairy. The lodging is the perfect base for day trips to Tae Rak, Kurtonitj and, eventually, Tyrendarra.

Bed down at The Oak and Anchor Hotel, Port Fairy. (Image: Visit Victoria)

Alkina Lodge

With lawns populated by kangaroos, these four-bedroom architecturally designed luxe lodges are a serene expression of minimalism, allowing complete immersion in the stunning landscape beyond.

Things to do there

Narana Aboriginal Cultural Centre

There’s no better way to embark on an excursion of cultural learning than with a visit to Narana (meaning a ‘place of deep understanding’ in language). Meet native animals, explore the art gallery and enjoy a coffee in the cafe.

Sample smoked eel at Narana Aboriginal Cultural Centre. (Image: Visit Victoria)

Worn Gundidj at Tower Hill

The site of Victoria’s largest dormant volcano, Tower Hill is a must-stop on any south-western Victorian itinerary. Layer its beauty and geological significance with its importance to First Peoples on an Indigenous culture tour.

a couple looking out at the stunning landscape from the Tower Hill

Catch stunning views from the Tower Hill. (Image: Visit Victoria)

Wildlife Wonders

Not far from Apollo Bay, this convergence of forest and sea is also home to an Australian wildlife sanctuary where you can glimpse a hot list of native fauna, such as wallabies, bandicoots and koalas.

Meet the locals at Wildlife Wonders. (Image: Visit Victoria)

Tae Rak Guided Culture Walk

Learn about local lore, eel harvesting and the far-reaching history of the lake and surrounding wetlands on a two-hour tour with a Gunditjmara guide.

The Great Ocean Road is a Victorian icon. But there’s more to this stretch of coast than its famous rock formations, from volcanoes to hot springs and paddling with fur seals.

Wind tugs my hair horizontal atop the crater rim. It’s a commanding outlook 240 metres above the volcanic plains that peers into a 90-metre-deep basin. Jagged nubs of reddish-brown scoria protruding through the grass are unyielding beneath my runners and not one tree marks the landscape, an expansive emptiness overhung by a vast blue sky.

For a few fleeting moments, Mt Elephant in Western Victoria brings to mind the windblown Mongolian Steppe. But this hour-long walk is the first of many unexpected moments I’ll experience while exploring the Great Ocean Road with a friend over the next four days.

I should probably know this place – I only live 90 minutes away – but, like many who visit the region, I’ve been distracted by the spotlight shining on its most famous drawcards, such as the iconic 12 Apostles. The Great Ocean Road is a state treasure, tackled by many as a day-long scenic drive punctuated with pauses at myriad lookouts, striking rock formations and idyllic beaches. But its lesser-known features can be unearthed when extending a visit over multiple days. Mt Elephant being a case in point.

It was returned First World War servicemen who built the Great Ocean Road (largely by pick and shovel), creating simultaneously the world’s largest war memorial and a gloriously scenic drive that stretches 240 kilometres between the surf mecca of Torquay and Warrnambool.

From craft breweries to hot springs

the Noodledoof brewery and distillery, Great Ocean Road itinerary

Noodledoof is based in Koroit and is both a brewery and distillery.

We fast-track inland to Noodledoof, a craft brewery and distillery that makes for a convenient pit stop in Koroit. After devouring a pulled pork ‘sando’ with smoky apple rub and slaw, we head towards our next discovery. Victoria’s Western Volcanic Plains is the world’s third largest volcanic plain and the origins of Tower Hill Wildlife Reserve are abundantly clear from first sight. The small island of conical hills sits adrift within the crater lake of a larger volcanic rim, connected by a narrow isthmus and creating an almost isolated reserve for native Australian wildlife.

two kangaroos are standing in the grass near the ocean at Tower Hill Wildlife Reserve

Tower Hill Wildlife Reserve is home to many native Australian animals. (Image: Ben Savage)

We’re barely parked before noticing a dozen people with their heads tilted towards the treetops and the koalas scattered there. One koala clings to a thin branch, unhurriedly plucking fresh gum leaves while its perch swings wildly in the 60-kilometre-per-hour gusts. Others are wedged in more solid forks, limbs dangling lazily. On the ground, a pair of emus pace slowly, feathered skirts lofting like flouncy tutus.

the volcanic crater at Tower Hill Wildlife Reserve

The sanctuary sits in a large volcanic crater near the Great Ocean Road.. (Image: Ben Savage)

Four walks here range from 30 minutes to an hour, tracing across remnant lava flow and around wetlands, lakes and craters. Echidnas, kangaroos, turtles and bird sightings are common.

From up high, the distant big blue of the ocean beckons, leading us to Warrnambool and the Deep Blue Hotel & Hot Springs. There’s an immediate sense of calm to be found in the hotel’s seafront location, moments from coastal paths, boardwalks and the sheltered Stingray Bay.

food and drinks on the table at Tides Cafe, Bar & Restaurant, Great Ocean Road itinerary

Drift into Tides Cafe, Bar & Restaurant to enjoy nourishing dishes inspired by local produce.

Even more calming is the outdoor bathing sanctuary, filled with geothermal mineral water pumped from 850 metres underground. We’re booked for a twilight bathing session, so a quick bite at the hotel’s Tides Cafe, Bar & Restaurant seems a good idea, but we soon lament not having more time (and belly room) to savour our whipped ricotta with charred sourdough, soba noodles and wakame salad, and chorizo and manchego arancini (or “balls of heaven” as our waiter calls them).

a woman soaking in an outdoor hotspring at Deep Blue Hotel

Soak in the outdoor hot springs while staying at the Deep Blue Hotel. (Image: Caitlyn Leggett/The Wanderlust Times)

Really, we’re just swapping one delight for another though. Amid the landscaped maze of steaming pools and caves is a waterfall raining drops so heavy they make my scalp tingle, sending shivers down my entire body. In another pool I’m cradled, weightless and warm. As time passes, the chatter quietens as bathers slip into peaceful meditation.

Seeing the 12 Apostles anew

the iconic 12 Apostles, Great Ocean Road itinerary

The iconic 12 Apostles (of which seven remain) stand like sentinels in the wild Southern Ocean. (Image: Kirk Richards)

Between the Bay of Islands and the 12 Apostles is where the majority of scenic lookouts are. And though stopping for every one of them requires pulling over what seems like every 10 minutes, all are eminently worthy.

No matter how many times I see The Razorback, a sheer limestone wall rising from pounding seas, I’m in awe. Then there’s London Bridge, The Grotto, The Arch, Loch Ard Gorge (where the only two survivors of the Loch Ard shipwreck crawled ashore in 1878) and many more.

the Loch Ard Gorge, Great Ocean Road itinerary

Loch Ard Gorge is on Victoria’s Shipwreck Coast. (Image: Mark Watson)

I must have visited the 12 Apostles a dozen times, but this visit is different. Most witness the string of 45-metre-high water-bound limestone towers from an enormous cantilevered viewing platform – sunsets are especially captivating – but 12 Apostles Helicopters show me another vantage point, broaching the sheer fringe of the cliffs and out over the Southern Ocean.

Seven of the original 12 Apostles are still standing. (Image: Adeline & Lumiere)

Through a bubble front window, wrapping head to toe, the coastline is revealed in unfettered glory, its endless deep coves and rock formations nibbled by the eroding power of waves. In winter, whales might be spotted. “See that hole?” our pilot points to a sea-bound rock arch. “This chopper would fit through it, rotors and all.”

Only by getting closer can we understand the scale of the place. A walk down the Gibson Steps leads us to a wild surf beach beneath 70-metre cliffs so sheer it’s as though they have been cut with a knife. For a while I sit on the sand and take it all in, the frothing surf and fragrant ocean mist; Gog and Magog, two rock stacks standing as offshore sentinels.

To sailors in the 1800s and 1900s, this was an inhospitable coastline that wrecked hundreds of ships. But Port Campbell, set in a deep cove, feels like the haven it’s been for centuries. Now, its sheltered beach is accompanied by one main street and the scenic Port Campbell Discovery Walk, which eases over a suspension bridge and around the clifftops.

The town is entirely walkable, allowing us to down car keys and surrender ourselves to the hospitality of Waves Port Campbell and its spacious spa suites (there are cliff views from my bed), a buzzing restaurant and bar. A minute’s walk away, the characterful Port Campbell Hotel entices for a cosy after-dinner vino and chat with the locals.

The hidden side of the Great Ocean Road

the exterior of Timboon Railway Shed Distillery

Enjoy a tipple at Timboon Railway Shed Distillery. (Image: Tourism Australia/Cameron Murray)

While this region of Victoria is synonymous with scenic drives, two-wheeled forays show another side. Stretching 20 kilometres between Port Campbell and quaint Timboon is the 12 Apostles Trail, an easy ride (especially with e-bikes from Ride With Us) through dairy farmland and scented forest, with Schulz Organic Creamery & Cafe lingering midway. Organic winery Babche, Timboon Railway Shed Distillery and the legendary Timboon Fine Ice Cream await at the finish.

three people riding bikes from Ride With Us on a trail in the woods, Great Ocean Road Itinerary

Hire a bike from Ride With Us to tackle the trail from Timboon to Port Campbell. (Image: Belinda Van Zanen)

When we later explore some of the roughly 70 kilometres of mountain bike trails scribbled across Forrest in the Otway Ranges, with Michelle Davidson from Forrest MTB Hire, I’m expecting – somewhat presumptuously – another e-bike, but full leg power is required. Fortunately, the gears are so good and the trails so forgiving (plenty of switchbacks) that I’m soon grinning my way over gentle roller coasters between the tree ferns and grass trees.

Tight turns have always been my nemesis, but Michelle’s an expert coach and advises to look beyond the apex of the bend and “lead with my belly button”. It’s an instant success. “Anyone can ride here,” she says. “The trails are wider and shorter. I’ve had women in their sixties learn here.”

a lush tree canopy at Otway Fly Treetop Adventures

Trek through the trees at Otway Fly Treetop Adventures. (Image: Mark Chew/Visit Victoria)

Mountain biking aside, the Otways are also renowned for lush rainforest, waterfalls and walks. But nothing compares to the perspectives from Otway Fly Treetop Adventures, where a 600-metre elevated walkway enables a slow contemplation of rarely seen views.

We come face to face with epiphytes and the mighty trunks of myrtle beech and blackwood, and peer over the circular crowns of tree ferns 30 metres below on the forest floor. Somewhere, a creek rushes; birds sing. It’s hard to tell whether the tree trunks are swaying or we are. I don’t want to come down.

southern rock lobster on a plate at Apollo Bay Fishermen’s Co-Op

Tuck into southern rock lobster at Apollo Bay Fishermen’s Co-Op. (Image: Adeline & Lumiere)

Eventually we do, returning to the blue at the laid-back fishing port (read: seafood heaven) of Apollo Bay and its glorious three-kilometre beach. Our cabin at Marengo Family Caravan Park is a stone’s throw from coastal platforms and pools just begging to be explored. Offshore, roughly 200 Australian fur seals gather, which we encounter twirling beneath our boats the next morning on a paddle with Apollo Bay Surf & Kayak.

the exterior of Apollo Bay Fishermen’s Co-Op, Great Ocean Road itinerary

The co-op supplies some of Australia’s best restaurants. (Image: Adeline & Lumiere)

I’ve gone from visiting the region in one day to exploring it over four, yet still wish I had more time. Not just to see more but to do less; all those beaches deserving of a solid linger. Next time…

an Australian fur seal swimming in the ocean

Spot Australian fur seals on a paddle with Apollo Bay Surf & Kayak. (Image: Tourism Australia/Cameron Murray)

A traveller’s checklist

Getting there

A 90-minute drive west from Melbourne/Naarm leads to Torquay and the start of the Great Ocean Road.

Playing there

There are dozens of walks, beaches and coastal lookouts to explore. Aerial views with Otway Fly Treetop Adventures and 12 Apostles Helicopters offer a different perspective. The Forrest MTB Hire team are the experts on Forrest’s 70 kilometres of mountain bike trails. Apollo Bay Surf & Kayak enable close encounters with seals.

Staying there

the Deep Blue Hotel & Hot Springs near Warrnambool’s foreshore

Deep Blue Hotel & Hot Springs is a stone’s throw from Warrnambool’s foreshore. (Image: Caitlyn Leggett/The Wanderlust Times)

Hot springs are on tap at Deep Blue Hotel & Hot Springs. Waves Port Campbell has spacious suites (most with spa baths) and one of the town’s best eateries. For absolute waterfront, the campsites and cabins at Marengo Family Caravan Park in Apollo Bay can’t be beaten.

Eating there

a spread of food on the table at The Perch Lavers Hill, Great Ocean Road itinerary

The Perch Lavers Hill adheres to an ‘eat well, feel well’ philosophy. (Image: Taryn Elder)

Good food is plentiful, with notable options including The Perch Lavers Hill, beachfront Pavilion Cafe & Bar in Warrnambool, Port Campbell’s Grassroots Deli Cafe and Apollo Bay Fishermen’s Co-op.

Experience the remarkable Budj Bim Cultural Landscape

Take a diversion away from the Great Ocean Road to the World Heritage Site of Budj Bim Cultural Landscape, where the Gunditjmara community is sharing its remarkable story of ancient enterprise with the world.

Tracing the ancient aboriginal site Moyjil

Preserving the cultural heritage of the Gunditjmara people

How the Budj Bim story is tied to Mt Eccles