50 kilometers southwest of Melbourne, there is an ancient stone monument, believed to be perhaps the world's first astronomical observatory.
Made by the indigenous people Aborigines of the region, the Wurdi Youang, as the attraction is called, consists of a series of stone columns, aligned with important phases of the solar cycle, that mark seasonal changes, such as sunrooms and the equinoxes.
There are over 100 stones, arranged in a circle with a diameter of approximately 50 meters.
Researchers estimate the observatory to be 10,000 years old, making it possibly the oldest surviving observatory in the world.
The observatory appears to have been constructed by the indigenous people of Australia. Wathaurong, which has been inhabited since 25,000 BC.
The tribe's culture collapsed in the 18th century, mainly due to the settlement of Europeans in the area, and its last members passed away a century later.
Scientists are working to accurately determine the age of the observatory, believing that it may be considerably older than a similar one. Egyptian monument, the stone circle of Nabta Playa, which dates back to 5,000 BC.
This location is important because, among other things, it debunks the myths that Australia's first inhabitants were simple hunters and gatherers, demonstrating the deep and sophisticated understanding of nature and complex systems that they ultimately possessed.
Despite the lack of historical data on the reasons for the construction of this particular site, studies to date show that The placement of the rocks at points corresponding to the solstices and equinoxes could only have been done deliberately.
