Some experiences stay with you long after the trip ends. Visiting Budj Bim Cultural Landscape is one of them.
It’s the living homeland of the Gunditjmara people, part of the world’s oldest surviving continuous culture, with an unbroken connection to Country stretching back over 65,000 years. What you encounter here is one of the oldest and most sophisticated aquaculture systems ever created, built over 6,600 years ago.
We visited with teenagers and came away knowing so much more about Aboriginal culture. Here’s what you need to know before you go.
What Is Budj Bim Cultural Landscape?
Budj Bim Cultural Landscape is located on Gunditjmara Country in Victoria’s south-west, about 15 minutes from Heywood and around an hour and a half from Warrnambool.
It was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2019 — the first Australian site to be listed solely for its Aboriginal cultural values.
The landscape comprises three components spread across the region. The Gunditjmara people used the natural lava flows of this ancient volcanic landscape to build an extraordinary network of stone channels, weirs and traps to harvest kooyang (short-finned eels) — not just for food, but for trade and as the foundation of a permanent, settled society. The channel system stretches for kilometres and is still visible today.
Everything starts at the Tae Rak Aquaculture Centre on the shores of Tae Rak (Lake Condah) — the purpose-built visitor centre, café and tour hub run by Gunditjmara people.
Do the Tour. Don’t Try to Self-Guide.
You can visit the Tae Rak Aquaculture Centre without booking — it’s free to enter and the café is open to everyone. And there is some interpretive signage around the lake.
But here’s our honest advice: without a guide, you will not truly understand what you’re looking at.
The fish traps, the stone channels, the ancient house foundations look, to an untrained eye, like mere rocks and water. What transforms them into something extraordinary is the storytelling.
Our Gunditjmara guide brings the landscape to life, sharing the creation story, the engineering ingenuity, showing us how trees were used as ovens for smoking and channels as refrigeration.
Also worth knowing: the fish traps and Aboriginal stone houses at Kurtonitj Indigenous Protected Area are only accessible on a guided tour. You cannot see them independently.
Book your Budj Bim cultural tour here
Which Tour Is Right for Families?
There are three tour options. Here’s the breakdown for families:
Tae Rak Guided Cultural Walk — 2 Hours
From $89 per adult | From $69 per child
This is the tour we did and it’s our recommendation for families with kids. Two hours is the right amount of time — enough to go deep into the story without losing your kids’ attention or energy.
The tour runs in two parts. The first hour takes you through the Aquaculture Centre, past the kooyang (eel) holding tank, and out along the boardwalk over Tae Rak. Your guide introduces the Gunditjmara creation story, the eel lifecycle and the aquaculture system. This section is fully accessible for prams and wheelchairs.
The second hour a mini bus drives you to the Kurtonitj Indigenous Protected Area — the central component of the landscape and only accessible via a guided tour. Here you walk on raised walkways to see the ancient stone fish traps, eel channels, ancient eel smoking trees, remnants of stone houses up close. There’s very little distance walked but you’ll be on your feet throughout. Bench seating is available along the route.
Tours run Wednesday to Sunday at 10am and 2pm.
Tungatt Mirring — Stone Country Half Day
From $159 per adult | From $119 per child
The Tungatt Mirring — or Stone Country — Half Day Tour runs Wednesday to Sunday from 9:30am and covers two significant sites by minibus.
The tour begins at Kurtonitj Indigenous Protected Area (Kurtonitj means ‘crossing place’) — the central component of the cultural landscape. From Kurtonitj the tour moves to Budj Bim National Park — Tungatt Mirring, the Stone Country — for morning tea and a cultural walk through the volcano’s crater, lava tunnels, caves and surrounding forest, including an extensive koala population. The tour returns to Tae Rak Aquaculture Centre around 1pm. Lunch is not included.
Note: you can add on the 2pm Tae Rak Guided Cultural Walk for an additional cost, making it effectively a full day.
Kooyang Yana — Full Day
Combines the Stone Country Half Day in the morning with the 2 Hour Tour in the afternoon, including lunch at the café. A full and extraordinary day — but a long one. Our honest view is that sustaining kids’ energy and focus across a full day is challenging. The 2-hour tour covers the essential story well.
What We Loved
The Storytelling
The highlight of our visit, without question, was the guide’s storytelling. The Gunditjmara have lived on and cared for this Country for over 30,000 years. What you’re standing in is not a relic — it’s a living culture. The guides carry that with them and share it in a way that’s warm, generous and deeply engaging. Our teenagers were completely absorbed.
The Eel Lifecycle
While the eel tank was closed during our visit, the tour covers the eel lifecycle in detail. We had no idea how fascinating eels are before this visit! Kooyang spawn in the Coral Sea and travel thousands of kilometres to return to Tae Rak. The Gunditjmara worked with their lifecycle as part of their aquaculture system.
The Ingenuity of the Aquaculture System
The channel networks, the weirs, the stone traps — the engineering involved is impressive when you understand what you’re looking at. The Gunditjmara used the volcanic lava landscape to build a system that directed water and controlled eel movement across kilometres. They used trees as smoking ovens and channels as cool storage to preserve food.
Lunch at the Tae Rak Café
Don’t leave Budj Bim without trying the smoked eel on the kooyang tasting plate. The café is run by Gunditjmara people and the menu features modern dishes using regional produce and local bush herbs and spices. The café has indoor and outdoor dining overlooking the lake, and there’s space for kids to stretch their legs between the tour and lunch.
Practical Info for Families
Address: Vaughans Road, Breakaway Creek, Gunditjmara Country VIC 3303
Phone: +61 499 942 760
Email: info@budjbim.com.au
Opening hours: Wednesday to Sunday, 9am–4pm. Closed Monday and Tuesday.
Café: Open Wednesday to Sunday, meals 10am–2pm, coffee and cake all day until 4pm.
Getting here: There is no public transport to Tae Rak Aquaculture Centre. You’ll need a car. The nearest town with accommodation is Heywood, about 15 minutes away. Nearby Portland (45 minutes), Port Fairy (45 minutes), Warrnambool (1 hour 10 minutes), Hamilton, Dunkeld and Casterton all have accommodation options within reasonable driving distance.
Cashless business: Budj Bim is cashless — bring a credit or debit card for the café, gift shop and tours.
Arrive early: Tour check-in is 15 minutes before your tour start time. They cannot wait for latecomers as it affects other participants.
Book ahead: Tours book out, especially in peak periods. Book online before you visit.
What to Wear and Bring
This is important — if you are not wearing the right footwear they will not be allowed on tour.
Footwear: Enclosed shoes only. Sneakers, joggers or hiking boots are perfect. No sandals, thongs or open-back shoes. No exceptions.
Also bring:
Sunscreen and hat in summer
Warm layers in winter — south-west Victoria can be cold and windy
Rain jacket — tours run in almost all weather
Water bottle
Camera
Is Budj Bim Suitable for Young Kids?
The Budj Bim website says if your child can walk unaided for half an hour, or if you can carry your infant for that time, they’ll be fine on the tours. The first hour of the 2-hour tour is pram and wheelchair accessible. The second hour involves easy walking on even ground and raised walkways.
Our honest view: the 2-hour tour is an engaging experience for older kids and teenagers who can follow a narrative and appreciate the significance of what they’re seeing.
For younger children, while the walking is manageable, the storytelling is dense and there are no interactive elements. Come prepared to help younger kids engage with questions and prompts along the way.
FAQs: Budj Bim Cultural Landscape with Kids
Do I need to book in advance?
Yes — tours book out and there are a limited number each day. Book online at budjbim.com.au before you visit.
Can I visit without doing a tour?
You can visit the Tae Rak Aquaculture Centre, café and retail space without a tour — free entry. But you cannot see the fish traps or stone houses without a guided tour, and the experience is significantly richer with a guide.
What age is Budj Bim suitable for?
All ages are welcome. If your child can walk unaided for 30 minutes or you can carry them, they’ll manage the 2 hour tour. However, we think the experience is most meaningful for older children and teenagers who can engage with the storytelling.
Do I need to bring cash?
No — Budj Bim is a cashless business. Bring a credit or debit card.
How far is Budj Bim from Warrnambool?
About 1 hour 20 minutes by car. It’s also around 45 minutes from Port Fairy and 15 minutes from Heywood.
What should we wear?
Enclosed shoes are mandatory for the tour — sneakers or hiking boots. No thongs, sandals or open-back shoes. People not wearing enclosed shoes cannot participate in the tour.
Our Verdict
Budj Bim Cultural Landscape is not a typical tourist attraction — it’s a chance to stand on living Country and listen to a story that stretches back 30,000 years, told by the people who have kept it alive.
For families with older kids and teenagers, it’s the kind of experience that stays with you. Do the tour, ask lots of questions, and don’t leave without trying the smoked eel.
Book your Budj Bim cultural tour here
This article was produced in partnership with Great Ocean Road Regional Tourism. All opinions are our own.
