Budj Bim Tours
Budj Bim Tours
4.5
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About
For thousands of years, Gunditjmara people engineered and constructed an extensive aquaculture system along the Mt Eccles/Tyrendarra Lava flow and wetlands. The aquaculture system and permanent lifestyle of the Gunditjmara people are widely recognised and valued as being unique in the world's human history of settlement and society.
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4.5
25 reviews
Excellent
20
Very good
2
Average
0
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2
Terrible
1
Anne M
Fremantle, Western Australia, Australia3 contributions
Jan. 2023
We did the shortest tour. It was amazing, the only negative...we should have done the whole day tour.! So much to learn. Our guide was well informed.
The tasting platter was an additional bonus. The smoked eel was tasty
The tasting platter was an additional bonus. The smoked eel was tasty
Written 25 January 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Henrietta R
8 contributions
May 2022
A great short 2 hr walking tour with a very knowledgeable and engaging guide. A good mixture of information, walking, talking and experiencing examples of how the land was farmed, harvested and managed. Guides were passionate and warm, and great to spend time with
Written 19 May 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Andrea S
Melbourne, Australia10 contributions
Feb. 2022 • Couples
We were travelling the Great Ocean Road and are interested in indigenous Australian culture and history, so found this tour. It's well worth it. Our guide Colleen and daughter Nicky gave us a lot of really good information about the lifestyle of the local indigenous people, harvesting eels and native plants etc.
They also generously shared their families stories with us, and parts of their culture like totems, indigenous names of animals and areas, etc.
This is the type of tour that Australians need, to learn more about Australian history, indigenous culture and also better understand the natural environment that Indigenous Australians understood and managed so effectively. After doing this tour then driving past endless dry, dusty sheep paddocks, it really highlighted to us how damaged and desolate the landscape has become through European farming practices the last 200+ years.
They also generously shared their families stories with us, and parts of their culture like totems, indigenous names of animals and areas, etc.
This is the type of tour that Australians need, to learn more about Australian history, indigenous culture and also better understand the natural environment that Indigenous Australians understood and managed so effectively. After doing this tour then driving past endless dry, dusty sheep paddocks, it really highlighted to us how damaged and desolate the landscape has become through European farming practices the last 200+ years.
Written 20 February 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Karen R
Melbourne, Australia47 contributions
Aug. 2021
My Mum and I paid $140 to do a 2.5 hour tour of the Budj Bim hut circles and eel traps. I am so happy that this area has been made a UNESCO site and was glad to finally book a guide. Unfortunately, whilst our guide was very pleasant, she basically read off signs and gave us little information about the Indigenous history and culture of Budj Bim. We were given no idea of the age of the site, the Budj Bim volcano, or about how the inhabitants lived. If we hadn’t asked questions to try and find out about the site, we probably would have just
Stood around whilst our guide took photos of birds for the Facebook page.
When we asked about the spiritual significance of Lake Condah we were told that
It was basically just a big food source. Our guide could also tell us nothing about totem animals for different tribes or any of the mythology/culture of the area, or what changed with the coming of the Europeans. Sadly I got more information from tourism websites about the area than on the tour itself, which was disappointing after having had the tour on my “bucket list” for several years.
Stood around whilst our guide took photos of birds for the Facebook page.
When we asked about the spiritual significance of Lake Condah we were told that
It was basically just a big food source. Our guide could also tell us nothing about totem animals for different tribes or any of the mythology/culture of the area, or what changed with the coming of the Europeans. Sadly I got more information from tourism websites about the area than on the tour itself, which was disappointing after having had the tour on my “bucket list” for several years.
Written 17 August 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Julee H
1 contribution
Apr. 2021
The tour was a focal point of our visit to the area and it was so worth it. The tour was conducted by Ben who explained the way of life for the Gunditjmara people and their use of eel traps and construction of houses using the natural materials on site. What I loved the most was the opportunity to see, feel and achieve a greater understanding of the over 40 000 years of indigenous culture that is evident around the area.
The smoking ceremony to start the walking tour with the explanation of the types of plants used and what the ceremony symbolised was such a wonderful start to the tour.
The smoking ceremony to start the walking tour with the explanation of the types of plants used and what the ceremony symbolised was such a wonderful start to the tour.
Written 4 May 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Ingawarra
Mount Gambier26 contributions
Feb. 2020
Lived in the region for years and it wasn't until 2020 I took the time to visit this magic site. Excellent walking tracks, highlighting sites of significance, the fish traps, early housing and other sites of Indigenous importance. We visited in Summer, didn't see any snakes, but there were inquisitive kangaroos looking on. We plan to go back in Winter and Spring when Budj Bim takes on a new appearance after winter rains.
Written 20 August 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Brenda P
Colac, Australia24 contributions
Nov. 2019 • Friends
I tried to ring the tour group phone number approximately 10 times, leaving messages on at least 3 occasions. I wanted to arrange a group booking. Eventually speaking to someone after calling the local council who went down to see if there was a problem there. I did receive a call from a very pleasant woman and arranged a tour. When I rang several days prior to the tour , once again no answer. Was able to at last contact on line only to learn that when I was told they had a wheel chair and there was wheel chair access that this was incorrect. I was then told " Perhaps you had better choose another tour"
Pity because I have since visited without a tour guide and found the facility to be beautiful and with the help a signs, quite informative. This is a great tourist attraction going begging because of the lack of any organisation or any customer service.
Pity because I have since visited without a tour guide and found the facility to be beautiful and with the help a signs, quite informative. This is a great tourist attraction going begging because of the lack of any organisation or any customer service.
Written 6 December 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
ian56oreilly
Darwin, Australia3 contributions
Oct. 2019 • Friends
A great way to learn about the Indigenous history of the region. Our young guide was pretty knowledgeable and very warm, sharing personal stories. The ancient eel and fish trap remains are fascinating and now they have been awarded world heritage status the services and signage should continue to improve.
Written 7 October 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Julie H
3 contributions
Sep. 2019
We took the 6 hour tour out of Heywood and it was incredible. Our young Aboriginal guide was so passionate, well-informed and eloquent. Being a Gunditjmara man, he belongs here and has a deep understanding of the landscape, the life cycle of the eels, and the way the channels were used to direct the eels into and between the confines of the favourable waterholes or ‘fridges’ (as he referred to them). He spoke with great emotion and honesty about how his ancestors’ lives were uprooted when they were sent to the mission nearby, and when he took us to this place later in the tour, it was very a moving and emotional experience. I recommend taking this tour and opening your eyes to the amazing skills of the Aboriginal peoples on whose land we walk. The recent World Heritage listing is testament to the area’s cultural value.
Written 4 October 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Dean B
58 contributions
Sep. 2019
Seeing the 6,500 year old eel traps and aquaculture guided by a highly informative young Budj Bim Ranger gives a sense of how profoundly Indigenous people shaped the environment creatively, sustainably and in harmony. Visiting the Lake Condah mission as part of the 6 hour tour gave a very personal and moving account of genocide, colonisation, survival and recovery. This tour is an opportunity to experience a sense of the ongoing living stewardship on Indigenous land.
Highly recommended,
Highly recommended,
Written 26 September 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Carmel
4 contributions
Hi there,
Can iBook for two adults for a tour, 14,15 or 16th of July?
Carmel Mcinneny.
BudjBimTours
Heywood, Australia
Hi Carmel, please go to budjbimtours . net for more info
The address to email request for tour triip
Dean B
58 contributions
See the bottom of their web page and a phone number at the top of the page and email address to make contact.
Google the tour name for their website.
Brittgow
Warrnambool, Australia43 contributions
Hi Budj Bim tours,
Will you be operating over the school holidays and what do you charge for yours please?
Thank you, Britt Gow
JulietETilson
Nambucca Heads, Australia11 contributions
Is there a website that works, so we can find out about the tours, please.