Aboriginal people are responsible for many amazing inventions and innovations in all areas of science, technology and engineering.

Often the knowledge and achievements of Aboriginal civilisation are not recognised but there is so much for us to be proud of and learn about. We hope that more Koorie kids will become our deadly scientists of the future. Environmental Science Our Mob have lived in what is now called Australia since time immemorial and have a deep scientific understanding of Country. This knowledge allowed us to care for Country and ensure our societies were sustainable. While much damage has been done since colonisation, our Mob’s scientific knowledge and understanding holds many of the answers to problems we now face in our environment such as drought, bushfires and degradation. The sections below provide an overview of some key areas of Koorie science and knowledge: Seasons Most people know of the four European seasons of Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter but did you know that Aboriginal people have our own seasonal calendars, often with over 6 different seasons? Each Mob has seasons that reflect their unique environment and climate of their Country. Knowledge held by Aboriginal people about the seasons includes information about:

• When plants and animals are available to eat

• When animals are breeding

• The movements of stars

• Weather patterns, including heat, cold, wind and rain.

The flowering of Wattle lets the Wurundjeri people know that the Petyan season has started. Gariwerd Seasons Jardwadjali and Djab Wurrung people have 6 seasons for their Country in Gariwerd (the Grampians) in Western Victoria. These are: Kooyang (Late Summer) – Season of eels and parched landscape

Gwangal Moronn (Autumn) – Season of honey bees, sunrises and flocking birds

Chinnup (Winter) – Season of cockatoos, cool climate and early wildflowers

Larneuk (Early Spring) – Season of nesting birds and changeable weather

Petyan (Late Spring) – Season of wildlife and wildflowers

Ballambar (Early Summer) – Season of butterflies, warm weather and wetland plants.

Image Source: Bureau of Meteorology, Gariwerd calendar. Astronomy Aboriginal people are the world’s oldest astronomers, holding knowledge about stars, planets, comets and galaxies since time immemorial. Aboriginal astronomy contains important information about the universe and its relationship to the Earth’s ecosystems and allows for navigation across land and waters. The stars also represent important stories about Lore and spirituality. Emu in the Sky For some Mobs, an important astronomical figure is the Emu in the sky. The dark space between stars in the Milky Way constellation forms the shape of an emu whose position changes as the Earth orbits and rotates. The position of the emu in the sky tells people when emu eggs will be available to collect.



Image Source: The Nature Conservancy Australia. Firestick Farming For many people, fire is seen as dangerous and scary, but did you know that for Aboriginal people it is an important tool to manage Country? Before colonisation, our ancestors deliberately burned off sections of bush, scrub and grassland. Our Mob had strong knowledge of seasons and weather conditions, so would carefully choose which times and areas were best for burning. This method of rotating burns meant that fires wouldn’t get out of control, the growing seasons of certain plants were avoided and animals were able to easily flee to safety. This practice is called ‘firestick farming.’ Firestick farming has many benefits, including: Clearing areas for farming

Adding nutrients to the soil so plants and crops grow better

Creating clear areas of young growth where animals such as kangaroos would come to feed – this made it easier to hunt these animals

Preventing wildfires As Australia faces many challenges in our environment such as bushfires and land degradation, Aboriginal knowledge about firestick farming might hold many solutions. Knowledge of Climate Aboriginal people are holders of important scientific information about natural events and the climate which go back tens of thousands of years. This includes knowledge about how the lands and waters were formed and changed, including volcanoes, floods, sea levels and more. Formation of the Bay Narrm Narrm or Nairm is the Bay at the centre of Boon Wurrung, Wurundjeri and Wathaurung Country (known as Port Phillip Bay). These Mobs each have stories about a great flood that caused Narrm to form very quickly. Before this flood occurred, the area where the Bay is now was a dry, grassy plain that was a good hunting ground for emu and kangaroo. The Birrarung (Yarra River) flowed across this plain to the sea. Recently, Western science has caught up with Aboriginal knowledge about the formation of the Bay, with a 2011 study finding that the Bay was filled very quickly as is told in the stories. Read more about the formation of the Bay in the Deadly Story history timeline. Engineering Engineering is the area of science and technology focused on the design, construction and use of engines, machines and structures. Aboriginal Communities across Australia have achieved many amazing engineering feats, designing and building different structures such as watercraft, farming and agricultural systems, houses and more. This included many permanent structures, many of which continue to be used and admired today. Some of these innovations are described below. Aquaculture Aquaculture is the farming and breeding of water creatures including fish, eels, shellfish and plants for food and other human use. Aboriginal people are pioneers of aquaculture and there are examples across the Country of sophisticated fish trapping systems that are thousands of years old. Famous examples are Budj Bim on Gunditjmara Country and the Brewarrina Fish Traps on Ngemba Country in NSW. Budj Bim – Gunditjmara Eel trap system Budj Bim is a dormant volcano on Gunditjmara Country in South Western Victoria. Budj Bim erupted over 30,000 years ago and the lava flow created a system of channels that Gunditjmara people developed into weirs, dams and traps for fish and eels. This area around Budj Bim is one of the oldest aquaculture systems in the world and was recognised as a World Heritage Site in 2019. Gunditjmara people managed the water flow from Lake Condah, creating dams and blockages to ensure the water flowed through the weirs and channels as they needed it. This aquaculture system supplied enough food to sustain their Community all year-round and also allowed Gunditjmara people to trade with other Nations. Read more about Budj Bim in the Deadly Story history timeline.

A Gunditjmara village A colonists' sketch of a Gunditjmara village, found in south western Victoria, drawn around 1840.