Indigenous fish traps and fish weirs on the Darling (Baaka) River, south‐eastern Australia, and their influence on the ecology and morphology of the river and floodplains

ABSTRACT Fish traps and fish weirs built by Indigenous people in the Barwon‐Darling River system of Murray Darling Basin (MDB), south‐eastern Australia, are an important component their traditional social, spiritual economic systems. The celebrated Brewarrina stone ( Ngunnhu ) on Barwon largest best documented Basin. However, there has been minimal research many other this system. This paper focusses in‐stream downstream along (Baaka) River, some still partly extant, remembered, or historical material. Wooden earthen bank weirs, while not as enduring archaeologically visible traps, were frequently used floodplain lakes, swamps billabongs. Archaeological evidence, cultural knowledge materials utilised to document complex social processes modification landscapes associated with weirs. By demonstrating that Barkandji active successful managers river its ecology prior colonisation, much is retained current generations, authors make a case for them renew custodianship decision‐making role water management.