Adventurers can once again explore the beauty of Bishops Rock in the Discovery Bay Coastal Park, following the completion of an important project to protect Gunditjmara cultural heritage on Victoria’s south west coast.

The landscape attracts a diverse group of visitors including Great South West walkers, sightseers, rock fishers, surfers, as well as hang gliders and paragliders, who have long valued Bishops Rock for its ideal launch conditions.

Led by Parks Victoria, the project was completed in late August through collaborative partnership with the Gunditj Mirring Traditional Owners Aboriginal Corporation (GMTOAC), First Peoples – State Relations, the Victorian Hang Gliding and Paragliding Association and the Friends of the Great South West Walk.

Key works included the stabilisation of an Aboriginal midden site, by capping it with local crushed limestone to prevent further erosion and disturbance.

Middens are shell deposits that mark places where Gunditjmara people gathered and prepared food, particularly shellfish and molluscs. Often found near both fresh and saltwater sources, the shells—sometimes blackened by cooking fires—are a visible record of thousands of years of continuous occupation.

Aboriginal cultural heritage is a living connection to Country, traditions, and the knowledge passed down through generations. Protecting sites like the midden at Bishops Rock ensures this heritage is respected, preserved and understood.

The site is also part of the Great South West Walk. With the stabilisation works now complete, both the cultural and recreational values of this landscape have been safeguarded for future generations.