Hamilton-based firm Cooper Scaife Architects has been part of the team designing the improved visitor facilities at the historic site, which is aiming for UNESCO World Heritage listing. 

The designs include an aquaculture centre featuring a cafe specialising in eel dishes, as well as a jetty, pontoon and walking trails at Lake Condah, and a boardwalk circuit at Kurtonitj.

A lot of the structures will be pre-fabricated off-site using materials that blend into the surrounding landscape.

Cooper Scaife Architects’ Bianca Scaife said there had been extensive consultation with the Gunditjmara community. 

“Unlike many other ancient sites, the delicate remnants at Budj Bim can easily be overlooked, so the challenge is to reveal the sites to tourists without overwhelming or damaging them,” she said.