Tae Rak Lake Condah Cultural Tour: Gunditjmara Knowledge

Ancient Aquaculture, Living Knowledge: Stone Channels, Eel Traps, Creation Story

A 2-hour guided tour of Tae Rak (Lake Condah) in Victoria's Budj Bin Cultural Landscape, led by a Gunditjmara guide who walks you through the ancient aquaculture systems, eel traps and marine life that sustained the Gunditjmara for over 39,000 years. The tour starts at the Tae Rak Aquaculture Centre, moves along the western edge of the lake to the weir, and covers the stone country and kooyang (eel) traps on the eastern side. Air-conditioned vehicle transport is included. The site is fully wheelchair accessible.

Step-by-step itinerary

Guided cultural tour of Lake Condah

• Meet at Tae Rak Aquaculture Centre
• Overview of kooyang holding tank and processing
• Learn Gunditjmara creation story
• Observe marine and bird-life at the lake
• Walk to the weir along western lake edge
• Explore ancient stone aquaculture sites and fish traps
• Learn about culturally significant flora and fauna
• Introduction to traditional kooyang harvesting and processing
• See stone country and kooyang traps on eastern lake side
• Understand aquaculture systems for food and trade

The experience

If you have a free afternoon and want to understand how a culture engineered a landscape to feed itself, this tour anchors you in a place most visitors never reach. You meet your Gunditjmara guide at the Tae Rak Aquaculture Centre, where the day opens with the kooyang holding tank, the processing facility and an overview of the Gunditjmara creation story. The guide points out the marine and birdlife of the lake as you move along the western edge toward the weir. A stretch that shows you the scale of what was built here: extensive stone aquaculture sites and fish traps that still shape the landscape.

The second half takes you to the eastern side of the lake to see the kooyang traps and the network of channels that connected them. Your guide explains the culturally significant flora and fauna, how traditional eel harvesting and processing worked, and what the stone country itself tells you about design and survival. This is not a museum tour. You are standing in front of the actual systems, reading the land the way the Gunditjmara did. The air-conditioned vehicle moves you between stops, and restrooms are on site at the centre.

What’s included

• Air-conditioned vehicle transport between stops.
• Gunditjmara guide in English.
• access to the Tae Rak Aquaculture Centre including the kooyang holding tank and processing facility.
• on-site restrooms.

Before you book

Days and timesWednesday to SundayDepartures at 10:00 and 14:00

Book up to1d before

AgesAdult (14 to 64 years) · Child (3 to 13 years) · Infant (under 3): free

GroupUp to 30

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather or if the minimum number of travelers isn't reached. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated yesterday

Good to know

Low physical effortWheelchair accessibleStroller-friendlyPets welcome

Operated by Budj Bim Cultural Landscape Tourism

Is this one for you?Two hours leaves room for a morning or afternoon elsewhere in the region, but not for a second major stop. Book this when Tae Rak is your focus for the day, not when you are fitting it between other attractions. The guide is Gunditjmara, which means the knowledge comes from the people whose ancestors built what you are standing in front of, not from an external interpreter.

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (3 to 13 years); Infant (under 3): free.

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

What is the Gunditjmara aquaculture system and why does it matter?

The Gunditjmara built an extensive network of stone channels, weirs and eel traps across Tae Rak over thousands of years, engineering the landscape to trap and harvest kooyang (eels) for food and trade. The system is still visible and functional, and it is part of the World Heritage Listed Budj Bin Cultural Landscape because it shows how a culture sustained itself through knowledge passed down for more than 39,000 years.

How long is the tour and what does it include?

The tour runs 2 hours. It includes an air-conditioned vehicle, a Gunditjmara guide in English, and access to the Tae Rak Aquaculture Centre and the lake landscape. Restrooms are available on site.

Do I need to be fit or able-bodied to do this tour?

The tour is suitable for all physical fitness levels. All areas and surfaces are wheelchair accessible, and infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller. Service animals are allowed.

What will I actually see and do on the western edge and eastern side of the lake?

On the western edge, you walk to the weir to see the ancient stone aquaculture sites and fish traps. On the eastern side, you see the kooyang traps and the network of channels that connected them. Your guide explains how each part of the system worked and what the landscape tells you about Gunditjmara engineering and survival.

Is this tour about the creation story or the aquaculture system?

Both. Your guide gives you an overview of the Gunditjmara creation story at the centre, then walks you through the physical evidence of the aquaculture systems on the land itself. The two are connected, and the tour weaves them together.