Aboriginal Dreamtime stories aren’t just myths—they’re ancient knowledge systems passed down for over 65,000 years. Recent scientific studies are revealing how these stories preserve real geological and environmental events.
For example, the Gunditjmara people describe “fire coming from the earth”—a reference to the Budj Bim volcano, which erupted over 37,000 years ago. Other coastal stories speak of lands now underwater, aligning with sea level rise after the last Ice Age. Some even recall meteorite impacts, matching the Henbury Crater in Central Australia.
Dreamtime stories show that Indigenous Australians have long been scientists, using oral tradition to record and pass on deep-time knowledge. It’s time we listen—not just with curiosity, but with respect.