Ancient Aboriginal site a step closer to UNESCO World Heritage status

An ancient Aboriginal settlement and aquaculture site in south-west Victoria is a step closer to being named a UNESCO World Heritage site.

The Federal Government has submitted a nomination for the Budj Bim Cultural Landscape at Lake Condah to be included on Australia's World Heritage Tentative List.

If the nomination is successful, Budj Bim would be the Australia's 20th World Heritage site and the only place listed solely for its Indigenous cultural value.

It marks a significant turning point for the Gunditjmara traditional owners who have worked tirelessly for several years to see Budj Bim gain a tentative World Heritage nomination.

Denis Rose, project manager for Gunditj Mirring Traditional Owners Aboriginal Corporation, said there was a sigh of relief when the group was informed of the tentative nomination.

Key points:
•The site is 6,600 years old, older than Stonehenge and the Pyramids
•For Budj Bim to be on the World Heritage list, it must stay on the tentative list for at least 12 months
•The United Nations' World Heritage Committee meets once a year to determine which nominations to accept


More at source
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-01-20/budj-bim-ancient-aboriginal-site-closer-to-world-heritage-status/8197204

The Gunditj Mirring Traditional Owners Aboriginal Corporation also protects a number of sites where the remains of stone huts once stood, evidence that Aboriginal people lived permanently in the area, farming and harvesting eels and fish for food and trade.