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Our aim is to foster strong collaboration, engagement, and benefit sharing with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, communities, and First Nations organisations following established guidelines. Of all the sciences, astronomy and mathematics in particular claim an unbroken chain of descent from ancient knowledge systems, and this is as true throughout Australia as it is for the rest of the world. We offer an opportunity to maintain and draw upon that continuity to elevate Australian Indigenous astronomical and mathematical knowledge in partnership with Indigenous communities and organisations. Our primary activities include
training Indigenous researchers,
developing research collaborations with Indigenous community organisations and researchers, and
integrating Indigenous scientific and mathematical knowledge into research activities across all fields.
Our two key research programs comprise:
Astronomical Transients in Cultural Traditions
Kabari Banjeeri Kelunji (Companions of the Numbers)
Astronomy is living knowledge for all peoples: In a natural stone alcove of the Gariwerd cultural landscape of Western Victoria is the only known depiction of Bunjil the Eagle, the creator-being recognised by the Gunditjmara, Jardwadjali, and Djab Warrung nations. In this ancient artwork painted in ochres, Bunjil in human form is shown seated with symbolic designs on his chest and arms and accompanied by his two dingos, one of which has endearingly placed its paws on his knee. After his work of designing landscapes, signposts, and routes on Earth was completed in the Dreaming, Bunjil ascended into the sky and became an important reference star. Astronomy is always present in the people's daily lives, as the star (now identified as Jupiter) with its relative celestial motions encodes the names and maps of all the places that they need to know. This knowledge is held and taught adaptively by the Elders of each generation.
Credit: Photo and text by Prof Rowena Ball, 04/08/2025
Now read on: In 2019, after a long campaign initiated and led by the Gunditjmara people, the entire extended cultural landscape of Budj Bim was granted UNESCO World Heritage status. Bunjil's work, passed down through astronomical knowledge, is now recognised, valued and protected as 'having exceptional cultural significance and universal importance to all humanity'.
The photo, left, shows some remains of ancient Gunditjmara circular, stone walled, thatched roofed cottages at the ancient Gunditjmara township of Tyrendarra, western Victoria. The Gunditjmara people settled here and built villages some time after lava flows from volcanic eruptions 37,000 years ago sculpted the watery landscape that enabled them to establish and operate complex aquaculture systems and infrastructure consisting of stone canals, water races, weirs, and holding ponds, some of which (at nearby Tae Rak) have been scientifically dated at 6,600 years old. Many of the cottages, now mostly only stone and earth outlines, were multi-room interconnected dwellings. The major industry by which people made their living was the farming, harvesting, smoking and trading of kooyang, short-finned eels.
Credit: Photo and text by Prof Rowena Ball, 02/08/2025.
Reference: The People of Budj Bim, by the Gunditjmara with Gib Wettenhall. Second edition, em Press Publishing 2010, Heywood, Vic
Core researchers
A/Prof Duane Hamacher (University of Melbourne) - Cultural Astronomy
Prof Rowena Ball (Australian National University) - Indigenous Mathematics and Sciences
Prof Gavin Rowell (University of Adelaide) - high energy astrophysics
A/Prof Bradley Tucker (Australian National University) - Cosmology, dark energy, supernovae, outreach
Prof Jeff Cooke (Swinburne University of Technology) - high redshift astrophysics
Prof Linqing Wen (University of Western Australia) - Gravitational wave astrophysics and multi-messenger astronomy
Prof Lilia Ferrario (Australian National University) - Theoretical astrophysics
Dr Karelle Siellez (University of Tasmania) - Multi-messenger astrophysics
Partner researchers
Prof Sarah Pearce (SKA Observatory)- Telescope Director for the SKA Observatory in Australia
Associate researchers
Prof Joane Leach (Australian National University) - Cultural astronomy
Collaborators
Dr Elizabeth Marrkilyi Ellis (Ngaanyatjarra Country, WA, and Bandalang Centre Fellow at ANU) - Linguist and Educator
Dr James Nichols (Australian National University) - data scientist
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