Indigenous Weather Knowledge Website Project

Seasonal weather calendars, developed over thousands of years by Indigenous communities, are displayed on this new Bureau of Meteorology Indigenous Weather Knowledge website.

The site is in its early stages of development and will be progressively expanded to include information for additional areas, as well as other facets of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander interactions with, and knowledge of, weather and climate. Follow the sign posts on the iwk website to access the seasonal calendars.

The website is the result of a joint effort involving the Indigenous communities, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission (ATSIC), the Bureau of Meteorology, and Monash University’s Centre for Australian Indigenous Studies (CAIS) and School of Geography and Environmental Science.

Background to the website
The project recognises the knowledge of weather and climate developed over countless generations by Australia’s Indigenous communities, nicely complementing science and statistically based approaches. It provides an opportunity for communities to showcase their knowledge and for other Australians to learn more about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander life and culture.

The calendars recognise the complexity and diversity of weather over the Australian continent and are finely tuned to local conditions and natural events. Unlike the European spring, summer, autumn and winter, the Indigenous versions include often five, and sometimes seven, distinct seasons.

Please note the Copyright Notice relating to the use of the information on this site.
Users of these web pages are deemed to have read and accepted the conditions described in the Copyright Notice.