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Tae Rak (Lake Condah) 2-Hour Cultural Walk: Explore Ancient Budj Bim Cultural Landscape and Wildlife
4.9
143 Ratings
Breakaway Creek
Embark on a 2-hour cultural walk at Tae Rak (Lake Condah) to explore the ancient Budj Bim Cultural Landscape and encounter diverse wildlife. Learn about the Gunditjmara creation story and witness the remarkable aquaculture system and kooyang traps crafted by the indigenous community.
Duration:
2 hours
Cancellation:
1 day
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Highlights
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Lake Condah - Your Gunditjmara guide will meet you at the Tae Rak Aquaculture Centre for an overview of the centre, the kooyang (eel) holding tank, the processing facility and the cafe & retail space.
Your guide will give you an overview of the Gunditjmara creation story and point out the extensive marine and bird-life of the lake.
Continue along the western edge of lake to the weir, for a look at the ancient landscape and the extensive range of stone aquaculture sites and fish traps. Learn about:
- Culturally significant flora & fauna, and the Tae Rak landscape
- The Tae Rak Aquaculture Centre and the Gunditjmara people
- Introduction to traditional kooyang (eel) harvesting & processing
- Stone country and kooyang traps on the eastern side of the lake & the network of aquaculture systems designed to trap and harvest kooyang for food and trade.
What's Included
- On-site restroom facilities
What's Not Included
- Tea and coffee
- Snacks
Additional Information
A guided walk of Tae Rak (Lake Condah) gives visitors an overview of the ancient and unique World Heritage Listed Budj Bin Cultural Landscape.
Your guide will give you an overview of the Gunditjmara creation story and point out the extensive marine and bird-life of the lake.
See ancient aquaculture system of lava flows and life-filled waterways and kooyang (eel) traps designed by the Gunditjmara, who have thrived here for more than 39,000 years, sustained by the living knowledge of their ancestors.
Location
WRRG+Q2 Breakaway Creek
Tae Rak Aquaculture Centre - Vaughans Road, Breakaway Creek, Victoria, 3303.
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Customer Ratings
4.9
(143 Ratings)
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Lauxav
May 31, 2024
Go see - you will enjoy - This is a truly marvellous cultural tour. Reuben our guide was extremely knowledgeable explaining the life cycle of the eels of Lake Conda. He also spoke with pride about his ancestral connection to the area with relevance to eel aquaculture, smoking eel and constructed homes where his elders lived. Lake Condah is absolutely pristine, we saw many water birds, even a pair of sea eagles. Well worth the visit.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Helensy4221wf
May 8, 2024
Kneel before the eel. - Rubin, our tour guide, warmly welcomed us. He explained the life cycle of the eel and the importance it played in his culture.
We were shown the way eels were trapped, kept cool and cured and how his mob practiced sustainability.
He shared his vision of the aquaculture centre.
I thoroughly enjoyed the tour and gained a deeper understanding of First Nations earlier life.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
485colinm
May 4, 2024
Incredible history of First Nations People and their farming practices and rare opportunity to be shown into IPA's. - Met at Tae Rak (Lake Condah) early in the morning. A little difficult to find the correct road. Profusion of birdlife on the lake. Impressive Centre with eel pond. Led by Luke, amicable and easy going who had extensive knowledge of the cultural practices, nature and history of the area. Learnt more about the history of the effects of colonization and the various missions that people were removed from. The overall volcanic terrain with 40 000 years of history in which habitation has been documented through dwelling and farming aquaculture eg eel traps. Privileged to be shown around Indigenous Protected Areas by Luke. The projects of restoration and of the wetlands and cultural practices of the area give us vital knowledge of the Indigenous people.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Merril_d
Apr 27, 2024
Fantastic - Knowledge of the guide, respect for culture. Sensitivity of infrastructure and main building design.
Review provided by Viator
Jefft908
Apr 25, 2024
A Most Rewarding Experience - Amazing talk - so informative re the First Nations history and culture.
We were taken to the eel traps and live eel storage ponds.
Learnt that the eels travel down the streams to the sea and spawn in the Coral Sea near Vanuatu. Then the elvers swim back to this area. Just incredible.
Opened our eyes as to how the First Nations people in this area worked with nature and nurtured it for many 1000's of years.
A most rewarding experience. Barb & Jeff
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Lesleyw784
Apr 15, 2024
Awesome experience - Luke was a brilliant guide… knowledgable and a great sense of humour. It’s an awesome place… took our breath away. So much to see and history I was oblivious to. Thanks so much. We’ll be back in spring. Lunch was lovely too!!!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Damonv785
Apr 9, 2024
World-class - An amazing world class experience in Victoria’s backyard. We recommend everyone visit! We had the 2hr tour with cultural guide then finished with a hot lunch. Was a rainy day but we walked through the sites and were amazed by the knowledge and care of this country.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
X5854xqtonyg
Apr 9, 2024
World heritage at our doorstep - An excellent experience, knowledgeable guide, fascinating information we were only vaguely aware of before. Fantastic to have our own world heritage site. A few redneck conservatives would benefit from an informed tour
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Simonm644
Apr 26, 2024
Great stuff but where is the conclusion and way forward? - The tour was informative and passionate. It featured some great storytelling. It would be even better if it explained the tour program from the outset, if it provided a conclusion, and if it avoided random stories about First Nations inventors that are filled with disdain from a lack of recognition it no suggested proactive way forward. Such great content deserves a better conclusion and suggested proactive response from us - what can we do to assist the local mob prosper.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Roving634160
Apr 14, 2024
Pricey for the experience - An informative tour, but at $89/head, very expensive for the experience. It was basically a 2hr verbal information session that became more like a lecture toward the end and was dragged out longer than necessary. I'm sure you could find all the info about eels on-line. The visual experience to back up the lecture was a let down. For the price we might have thought we may see a caught eel in the hand, an eel trap basket (other than the one in the cafe) and even be given a taste of smoked eel. I'm all for supporting UNESCO sites, but put a more realistic price on the tours and then encourage people to donate to the cause.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
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