Dragonflies in Victoria: Messengers of Water, Spirit, and Transformation
Dragonflies (order Odonata) are among the oldest insect lineages on Earth, with ancestors dating back more than 300 million years. In Victoria, dragonflies are common around rivers, wetlands, and lakes, where they act as both predators and indicators of water health. Their shimmering wings and agile flight have long captured human imagination.
For Aboriginal peoples, including the Wadawurrung and other Victorian Nations, dragonflies were not merely insects but messengers, linked with water, seasonal change, and spiritual renewal. Globally, dragonflies have symbolised transformation, vision, and the thin veil between life and death. Colonisation, however, disrupted both the wetlands they depend on and the cultural practices that honoured them.
Today, dragonflies remain vital both ecologically and culturally — indicators of clean water and symbols of resilience on Country.
Dragonflies Before Colonisation
Ecological Role
Dragonflies are apex insect predators in freshwater systems.
Their aquatic larvae (nymphs) prey on mosquito larvae, tadpoles, and small fish, helping regulate populations (Olsen 1995).
Adults consume flies, moths, and mosquitoes, keeping insect populations balanced.
They are bioindicators, with their presence showing that waterways are healthy and unpolluted (CSIRO 2021).
Cultural Role
For the Wadawurrung, dragonflies were associated with water Country. Their sudden appearance in numbers was read as a sign of seasonal change, signalling times for fishing or the ripening of plants.
Their hovering movements were likened to messenger beings, carrying news between spirit worlds and the living.
In some Aboriginal traditions across southeastern Australia, dragonflies symbolised the spirits of the recently departed, resting near water before continuing their journey (Flood 1983).
Wadawurrung Stories and Oral History
On Wadawurrung Country, dragonflies were part of the living law of wetlands, rivers, and lakes such as Lake Connewarre and the Barwon River.
Seasonal indicators: When dragonflies swarmed in the summer, Wadawurrung families knew that eel migrations would soon occur — a key time for fishing and ceremony (Clark 1990).
Messengers of water health: Elders describe dragonflies as “watchers” of water Country. If they vanished, it was a sign the water was sick.
Spiritual symbolism: In oral traditions, dragonflies were linked with swift transformation, teaching people about change, adaptability, and the fleeting nature of life.
Children’s stories: Dragonflies were sometimes described as playful spirit beings, teaching children about respecting wetlands and not disturbing breeding grounds.
Stories from Across Australia
Yolŋu (Arnhem Land): Dragonflies are linked with the seasonal calendar, appearing during the hot dry season to mark ecological shifts.
Noongar (Western Australia): Dragonflies symbolised the coming of summer and changes in water levels.
Murray River peoples: Dragonflies were seen as guides for spirits, resting briefly near rivers before continuing to the afterlife.
Global Stories and Symbolism
Japan: Dragonflies are symbols of courage, strength, and victory. Samurai warriors painted them on armour.
Native American nations: Dragonflies symbolise illusion and change, reminding people of the impermanence of hardship.
Celtic traditions: Dragonflies were associated with fae or spirit beings, linking water and transformation.
Nordic cultures: They were connected to Freyja, the goddess of love and fertility.
Across cultures, dragonflies have represented transformation, adaptability, and the thin line between physical and spiritual worlds.
Impacts of Colonisation
Ecological Impacts
Wetland destruction: The drainage of wetlands for farming in Victoria’s Western District and Bellarine Peninsula reduced dragonfly habitats (DELWP 2021).
Pollution: Agricultural runoff, industrial waste, and urbanisation polluted rivers and lakes, causing dragonfly declines.
Loss of biodiversity: The decline of native plants and aquatic vegetation limited breeding sites.
Cultural Impacts
Disruption of seasonal calendars: Aboriginal ecological knowledge that relied on dragonflies as seasonal indicators was undermined as wetlands were destroyed (Clark 1990).
Colonial dismissal: Settlers often saw dragonflies as curiosities or pests, ignoring their ecological and cultural significance.
Erosion of story: Suppression of ceremony and oral traditions weakened the passing down of dragonfly knowledge.
The Science of Dragonflies
Vision: Dragonflies have nearly 360-degree vision, with compound eyes containing up to 30,000 facets.
Flight: They can hover, fly backward, and reach speeds of up to 55 km/h.
Life cycle: They spend most of their lives (up to 5 years) as aquatic nymphs before emerging as adults for only a few months.
Diversity in Victoria: Over 70 species of dragonflies and damselflies are recorded across the state (CSIRO 2021).
Symbolism and Meaning
Aboriginal Communities
Dragonflies embody messages from water Country.
They are seasonal teachers, guiding people to act at the right times.
Spiritually, they represent transformation, adaptability, and connection with ancestors.
Globally
Transformation and rebirth.
Courage and adaptability.
Connection between life and afterlife.
Today
Dragonflies remain indicators of healthy wetlands in Victoria. Watching them hover over rivers is not only an ecological sign of balance but also a cultural reminder of ancient messages carried on fragile wings.
Conclusion
Dragonflies in Victoria are more than shimmering insects — they are guardians of water, messengers of change, and symbols of transformation. For the Wadawurrung and other Aboriginal peoples, they held roles as seasonal indicators, spiritual messengers, and teachers about adaptability and balance. Colonisation disrupted their habitats and cultural meanings, but dragonflies endure as both ecological indicators and cultural beings.
Their story shows how even the smallest of creatures carry the greatest of messages: that balance between land, water, and people must be maintained if life is to thrive.
References
Clark, ID 1990, Aboriginal Languages and Clans: An Historical Atlas of Western and Central Victoria, 1800–1900, Monash University, Melbourne.
CSIRO 2021, Australian Dragonflies and Damselflies: Field Guide, CSIRO Publishing, Canberra.
Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning (DELWP) 2021, Waterwatch Victoria: Indicators of Water Health, Victorian Government.
Flood, J 1983, Archaeology of the Dreamtime, Collins, Sydney.
Olsen, P 1995, Australian Birds of Prey: The Biology and Ecology of Raptors, UNSW Press, Sydney.
Written, Researched and Directed by James Vegter 16/09/2025
Magic Lands Alliance
Sharing the truth of Indigenous and colonial history through film, education, land and community.
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Magic Lands Alliance acknowledge the Traditional Owners, Custodians, and First Nations communities across Australia and internationally. We honour their enduring connection to the sky, land, waters, language, and culture. We pay our respects to Elders past, present, and emerging, and to all First Peoples communities and language groups. This article draws only on publicly available information; many cultural practices remain the intellectual property of communities.