Water Systems, Aquaculture & Environmental Knowledge
Introduction
For the First Peoples of Victoria, water was life—essential not only for survival but also for ceremony, travel, and ecological balance. Indigenous peoples developed sophisticated ways to locate, access, and store water across diverse environments, from volcanic plains to coastal estuaries. Using wells, soaks, and natural springs, along with ingenious carrying vessels, they sustained communities over thousands of years. Water was both a physical necessity and a spiritual force, tied to ancestral beings, Songlines, and lore.
Across Wadawurrung and broader Kulin Nation Country, waterways such as the Barwon River (Barwon), Birrarung (Yarra River), and Dhungala (Murray River) are understood as living systems—often described as ancestors rather than resources (Clark 1990; VEWH 2022).
Water Sources in Victoria
Indigenous peoples of Victoria had deep knowledge of the land’s hydrology, understanding how to find water in different environments:
Soaks and Springs: Natural seeps were carefully maintained and protected.
Rock Wells: Natural stone depressions were cleaned to hold rainwater.
Groundwater Wells: Shallow wells were dug along travel routes across volcanic plains (Howitt 1904).
Wetlands and Rivers: Major systems such as Dhungala and the Gippsland wetlands supported abundant life.
These systems formed part of a broader ecological knowledge system, ensuring water access even during dry periods (Gammage 2011).
Water Wells
In drier regions, particularly across Wadawurrung Country and western Victoria, Indigenous people constructed wells:
Construction: Using digging sticks, stone tools, and shaped wood implements
Design: Typically shallow (1–2 metres), reinforced with bark or stone
Maintenance: Covered with branches or plant material to preserve water quality
While specific Wadawurrung words for “well” are not widely recorded in published sources, these features were understood as part of living water places, integrated into cultural knowledge systems and travel routes (Clark 1990).
Water-Carrying and Storage
Indigenous peoples developed advanced water transport systems:
Kelp Carriers: Used along coastal regions (Gunditjmara and Gunaikurnai), crafted from bull kelp (Jones 1992)
Animal Skins: Used as sealed carriers for water transport
Wooden and Bark Vessels: Temporary containers shaped from Country
Women commonly carried water using bark dishes, often referred to broadly as coolamons (note: this is a widely used term across Australia, not Wadawurrung-specific).
In Kulin contexts, canoes and watercraft—often called “wilam” structures for living places and bark-based technologies—were also used to navigate waterways, though language for vessels varies across clans and is not always consistently recorded (Clark 1990).
Water in Ceremony and Culture
Water holds deep cultural and spiritual meaning:
Songlines and Creation Beings: Waterways are part of ancestral tracks across Country (Barwick 2000)
Spiritual Presence: Waterholes may be associated with beings often described as the Bunyip, reinforcing respect and caution (Howitt 1904)
Totemic Systems: Species such as kooyang (eel) hold cultural significance and responsibility
Water is governed through lore, which defines how it is accessed, shared, and protected across generations.
The Wadawurrung Context
For the Wadawurrung people—whose Country spans Djilang (Geelong), Ballarat, the Bellarine Peninsula, and the Werribee Plains—water systems are central to life and identity:
Barwon River and Lake Connewarre: Key freshwater and estuarine systems supporting fish, birdlife, and plant resources
Kooyang (eel): A vital food source and cultural species connected to seasonal cycles
Basalt Plains Wells: Enabled movement across dry volcanic landscapes
Corio Bay (coastal waters): Supported shellfish gathering and marine food systems
Waterways are embedded in Wadawurrung story and cultural practice, forming part of a broader system of Country, kinship, and lore.
Impact of Colonisation
Colonisation significantly disrupted Indigenous water systems:
Dispossession restricted access to rivers, wetlands, and wells
Environmental change altered natural flows through damming and agriculture
Destruction of water sites damaged traditional wells and storage areas
Cultural suppression disrupted knowledge transmission and ceremony (AIATSIS 2000)
These impacts fractured both ecological systems and cultural relationships to water.
Revival and Continuity
Today, Indigenous communities are restoring water knowledge and connections:
Cultural mapping identifies ancient wells and water sites
On-Country management integrates traditional ecological knowledge
Education programs pass knowledge through Elders and community
This revival reinforces water as a living cultural system, not just a resource.
Conclusion
For the First Peoples of Victoria, water wells, soaks, and natural basins were both practical innovations and culturally significant places. Technologies such as bark vessels and kelp carriers demonstrate adaptability and deep environmental knowledge. For Wadawurrung people and broader Kulin Nations, water systems—from Birrarung to Dhungala—are living ancestors connected through story, ceremony, and lore.
Although colonisation disrupted these systems, they continue to endure through cultural revival and ongoing care for Country.
References
AIATSIS 2000, Settlement: A History of Australian Indigenous Housing and Culture, Canberra.
Barwick, L 2000, ‘Song, Chants and Indigenous Musical Heritage in Victoria’, Aboriginal History, 24(1), pp. 173–194.
Clark, ID 1990, Indigenous Languages and Clans: An Historical Atlas of Western and Central Victoria, Monash University.
Gammage, B 2011, The Biggest Estate on Earth, Allen & Unwin, Sydney.
Howitt, AW 1904, The Native Tribes of South-East Australia, Macmillan, London.
Jones, P 1992, Australia’s First Peoples, HarperCollins, Sydney.
VEWH 2022, Traditional Owner Water Entitlements in Victoria, Melbourne.
Written, Researched and Directed by James Vegter 16/09/2025
MLA
Sharing the truth of Indigenous and colonial history through film, education, land and community.
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.