Lake Condah: Restoring an Indigenous Living Landscape.

Lake Condah is a nationally significant place. Planning for the protection of its cultural heritage values since the 1970s has witnessed a remarkable transition from conflict to consensus. The traditional Aboriginal owners—Gunditjmara—have passionately advocated for their interests, values, and identities, moving from direct action and protest to becoming the initiators of consensus building activities. Part of the Budj Bim National Heritage Landscape, Lake Condah was placed on Australia’s National Heritage List in 2004 for its outstanding cultural and natural heritage values. When first recognized for the important heritage values associated with its extensive fish-trapping systems and stone structures, the interests of Gunditjmara were not considered. Times have changed, and Aboriginal people and their right to speak for their traditional country have now been embedded in national laws. The journey to regain the Lake Condah Mission and return water to Lake Condah represents long-held desires of the Gunditjmara community: both goals are about to reach fruition, achieving an important milestone in conserving the tangible and intangible values of this living landscape and creating opportunities for healing. These achievements demonstrate the many challenges of heritage management planning and recognize the potential benefits that consensus building techniques bring in enabling a clear understanding of interests, values, and identities.