Anniversary of Budj Bim’s World Heritage Inscription

6 July 2019

On 6 July 2019, the Budj Bim Cultural Landscape was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List. The anniversary celebrates international recognition of Gunditjmara cultural knowledge, engineering and continuing connection to Country.

Gunditjmara Country and knowledge

The Australian Government records 6 July as the inscription date. UNESCO describes the landscape’s extensive aquaculture systems, including channels, weirs and dams used to trap, store and harvest kooyang, or short-finned eel. The place is a cultural landscape with continuing meaning, rather than simply a collection of old structures.

Recognising a living cultural landscape

The listing is different from the Gunditjmara native title determinations of 2007. Heritage inscription, legal recognition and land management arrangements each have their own dates and consequences. Keeping them distinct honours the work involved in each achievement.

Learning about Budj Bim can challenge narrow assumptions about Aboriginal economies and technologies. It also requires attention to the people who hold knowledge and care for the landscape today. International recognition did not create Gunditjmara connection or replace Gunditjmara authority.

The anniversary offers a positive opportunity to connect history with science, design, food systems and environmental learning. Follow publicly shared Gunditjmara material and authorised visitor guidance. A heritage listing does not make all cultural knowledge available for copying or every place open for unrestricted access.

Reflecting and learning

Explore how water, engineering, food and community are connected in the publicly documented aquaculture system. Credit Gunditjmara knowledge and distinguish explanation from permission to reproduce it.

Start with the sources below and distinguish the original event from later interpretations and commemorations. When using this date in a classroom or workplace, allow time for questions and further reading. First Nations peoples have diverse histories and perspectives; this brief introduction does not speak for every community.

Sources and further reading

• World Heritage Places: Budj Bim Cultural Landscape — Australian Government
• Budj Bim Cultural Landscape — UNESCO World Heritage Centre

Our related products and resources

We do not currently offer products or learning resources specifically for this date. The reading links above are provided for background and further learning. Suitable items from our range will be added here as they become available.