Aboriginal Bushfood and Wildflower Trails

Visitor Centre Ancient Tracks, New Journeys Aboriginal Bushfood and Wildflower Trails take you beyond the beauty to discover the medicinal, nutritional and cultural significance of some of WA’s plants and wildflowers.

WA's wildflowers rank among the most spectacular flower displays in the world. Between July and October, many parts of the state become blankets of colour with everything from tiny crimson myrtles, dainty smokebush, fiery mountain bells and over 150 varieties of orchids coming into bloom. For the Aboriginal people, these flowers are also a traditional source of food and medicine – part of Western Australia's great big bush supermarket, full of highly nutritious foods which can be found throughout the land, the seas and the waterways. On an Aboriginal Bushfood Tour you will be treated to an interactive and delicious cultural encounter as your Aboriginal guides share an ancient cultural knowledge of what the land has to offer.

Pigface and Icecream Common in coastal sandy soils throughout the south west, the red-purple fruit of the Pigface flower has a flavour described as being like salty strawberry or kiwi fruit. The sap from the leaves was traditionally used to soothe stings or burns, or boiled to form an antibacterial tonic for gargling to soothe sore throats.

Ngalang Wongi Aboriginal Cultural Tours - Bunbury

Sandalwood Nut Mulla Mulla Bloodwood Apple Banksia With many medicinal properties, every part of The flowers of the Mulla Mulla were used by The insect induced gall of the bloodwood When ripe, the nectar rich flower was a sweet the Sandalwood tree was utilised. Aboriginal people as decoration in ceremonies. eucalypt is also known as the bush coconut. treat for both people and wildlife.

Gubinge or Kakadu Plum Bloodroot or Bush Chilli Birdflower Bush Banana or Bush Pear The fruit is the highest natural source of With a hot chilli taste, the bloodroot is eaten Central to a number of cultural stories, With a taste likened to fresh peas the bush pear Vitamin C and an important medicine plant. raw or used as a flavouring on cooked meats. the flower contains a sweet nectar. is eaten raw or roasted over coals. Aboriginal Kununurra Cape Leveque 17 2 28 Derby Warmun 7 Bushfood and 26 Broome 14 13 19 21 Fitzroy Halls Creek 29 Wildflower Tours Crossing 8

1. Bindi Bindi Dreaming PER Port Hedland 2. Bundys Cultural Tours KIM 27 24 Karratha 3. Bush Ghoodhu GF Onslow 4. Djirrily Dreaming PER 5. Dale Tilbrook Experiences PER Exmouth 6. Djurandi Dreaming PER 7. Echo Cultural Tours KIM WESTERN 8. Girloorloo Tours at Mimbi Caves KIM 9 Go Cultural Aboriginal Tours PER 10. Goldfields Honey Ant Tours GF AUSTRALIA 11. Goolamwiin PER Shark Bay 12. Kaarak Dreaming SW 32 13. Kimberley Cultural Adventures KIM 14. Kimberley Country Fitzroy Crossing KIM 15. Koomal Dreaming SW 16. Kurrah Mia SW Geraldton

17 .Luridgii Tours KIM 10 18 Maalinup Aboriginal Experiences PER 3 Kalgoorlie 19. Mabu Buru Tours KIM 25 20. Mandjoogoordap Dreaming PER 1 4 5 9 22 Perth 30 Norseman 21. Narlijia Experiences Broome KIM 11 18 26 6 Fremantle 22. Ngadju Culture Tours GF 31 20 12 23. Ngalang Wongi Aboriginal Tours SW 23 Bunbury Esperance 24. Ngurrangga Tours PIL 15 Yallingup 25. Njaki Njaki Aboriginal Tours WB 16 Albany 26. Nyungar Tours PER 27. Pilbara Tours PIL 28. Southern Cross at Lullumb KIM 29. Uptuyu Aboriginal Adventures KIM 30. Wave Rock Aboriginal Cultural Tours SW Wildflower and Bushfood Tour season by Region 31 Wuddi Cultural Tours WB 32. Wula Gura Nyinda CC REGION JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC

MAP LEGEND KIMBERLEY KIM = Kimberley WB = Wheatbelt PIL = Pilbara SW = South West MIDWEST/PILBARA CC = Coral Coast PER = Perth/Fremantle/Peel GF = Goldfields SOUTH WEST

Best time to see wildflowers Best time to experience bushfoods While bushfoods are available year round in many regions, tours are often conducted at times when bushfood is more abundant. 1. Bindi Bindi Dreaming 3. Bush Ghoodhu Wongutha Aboriginal Tours Bindi Bindi Dreaming showcases the unique Noogar culture in Perth. The Tucker Bush On an outback bushwalk see the spectacular Program assists groups in establishing their desert wildflower displays, forage for bushtucker own bush tucker gardens, enriching the and learn the Wongutha names and uses for learning environment with native edible plants. local plants and animals. Hear ancient Dreaming In-house cultural activities and on-country tours stories, learn about traditional tools and can be tailored to your requirements. experience the world’s oldest living culture. Call: 0417 031 707 Call: 0474 971 548 E: [email protected] E: [email protected] W: bindibindidreaming.com.au W: bushghoodhu.com.au

2. Bundys Cultural Tours 4. Djirrily Dreaming A traditional owner, Bundy lives a Hear the yarns of the creation contemporary but traditional Bardi lifestyle. story, our language and learn who the Join Bundy on an bushtucker journeyof Noongar people are. Learn about bush foraging and fishing. Activities include: plants, medicines and their ancient healing Bushtucker Tour, Night Fishing Tour (own properties. Connect with our booja (land) 4WD required) and Spearmaking Tour. through, bushcraft, fire and dance activities. Call: 0424 525 356 Call: (08) 9192 4970 E: [email protected] E: [email protected] W: djirrilydreaming.com.au W: bundysculturaltours.com.au

The healing power of native plants Native Flower Power

The smoking ceremony is an ancient, Aboriginal custom where native leaves are burnt as part of a cleansing ritual to ward off bad spirits. Discover the healing properties of Djirrily Dreaming Noongar Aboriginal Experiences - Perth native plants and flowers on a cultural tour with Djirrily Dreaming. Create your own beautiful smoking stick using plants native to Noongar Country.

5. Dale Tilbrook Experiences 7. Echo Cultural Tours Johnny Echo was taught to live off the land and Dale's experiences and activities around Bush walk the footsteps of his Kija ancestors from an Tucker, Aboriginal Culture and History and early age. Johnny is an excellent storyteller with Aboriginal Art are comprehensive, in depth, a kind and generous spirit. Tagalong with him engaging and always include some bush on a guided tour and immerse yourself in tucker snacks at the very least. Learn about spectacular country while listening to intriguing medicine plants and the amazing nutritional qualities of Australian native plants. tales about this ancient land and its people HALF AND FULL DAY TOURS depart daily from Call: 0411 112 450 Warmun Aboriginal Community. E: [email protected] W: daletilbrookexperiences.com.au DM/Call: 0474 020 079 E: warmunaboriginalcult u [email protected] W: warmunaboriginalculturalcentre.com.au 6. Djurandi Dreaming 8. Girloorloo Tours Nyungar man Justin Martin is a qualified tour at Mimbi Caves guide and Aboriginal artist. Tours and artworks A friendly welcome awaits you at Mimbi are based around history, facts and creation Caves Campground. Explore the caves and stories passed down through generations. learn of their significance to the Gooniandi Journey through my country and experience people. Walk between the Karst cliffs, the bush foods, wildlife, culture and language sample native foods and medicine plants, of the Nyngar people. enjoy damper and Billie Tea around the campfire. Call: 0458 692 455 E: [email protected] Call: (08) 9191 5355 or 0427 794 527 [email protected] W: djurandi.com.au mimbicaves.com.au

10. Goldfields 12. Kaarak Dreaming Honey Ant Tours Enjoy listening to the didgeridoo and Join our family on an authentic bushfood tapping sticks while Maitland talks in his foraging tour in the heart of Australia's Golden native language. Join him on a guided Outback. Discover nature’s bounty as we gather, bush walk and along an ancient dream prepare and taste the traditional bushfoods and trail. Learn about traditional bush medicine plants that have sustained the Tjupan medicines and native foods people for millennia. Call: 0472 678 144 Call: 0498 853 544 E: [email protected] E: [email protected] W: goldfieldshoneyanttours.com.au W: kaarakdreaming.com.au

9. Go Cultural 11. Goolamwiin Aboriginal Tours & Experiences Offering a range of structured Cultural Join your Noongar guide on a journey into programs aimed at connecting people with Perth's cultural past. Hear the Noongar story, Nyungar culture. Drawing on cultural the first story of the people. Learn protocols we teach respect for and share how this country sustained our people for Cultural knowledge of the Nyungar Country millennia on a cultural exploration of Perth’s on which we walk and live CBD and Kings Park Botanical Gardens. Call: 0411 097 949 Call: 08 9429 8875 E: [email protected] E: [email protected] W: gocultural.com.au W: goolamwiin.com.au

A new spin on an Ancient Bushfood Boab Ginger Beer & Iced Tea

Boab fruit is a highly nutritious superfood with a tangy citrus flavour. The fruit has six times more vitamin C than oranges, is rich in calcium, minerals, vitamins and dietary fibre. Aboriginal owned Bindam Mie have created a range of Boab Kimberley Cultural Adventures - Broome food and skincare products that you can sample on tour with Robert Dann from Kimberley Cultural Adventures.

16. Kurrah Mia 14. Kimberley Country Culturally Noongar Fitzroy Tours Spend 6 days with the traditional owners, the Explore how the landscape of Albany people, on an adventure unlike (Kinjarling) sustained the economic, spiritual anything you’ve ever experienced. Travel by and cultural needs of the Menang people for foot and in 4WD through some of the most over 40 000 years. Learn how they used ochre, authentic and remote parts of Australia. plants, stone, animals and fire for hunting, medicine, gathering, tools and food. Call: 0418 325 629 Call: 0419 320 533 E: [email protected] E: [email protected] W: kimberleycountry.com W: kurrahmia.com.au

13. Kimberley 15. Koomal Dreaming Cultural Adventures Come on a native food journey and discover Join Robert Dann, in the place where he was culture, country, and environment through born, for an amazing morning or afternoon 3 interactive and hands on learning experiences. hour cultural experience. He will share with you Learn about the bush medicine and Dreaming a small slice of 40,000 years of Broome and spirits that have enriched the lives of Wadandi Kimberley culture as well as his unique home people since time began. brewed Boab Ginger Beer and Iced Tea. Call: 0434 537 639 Call: 0412 415 355 E: [email protected] E: [email protected] W: kimberleyculturaladventures.com.au W: koomaldreaming.com.au 18. Maalinup Aboriginal 20. Mandjoogoordap Experiences Dreaming Bushtucker is a specialty and we carry a range Learn how to make bush twine, identify of Australian native foods as well gifts, souvenirs medicine plants and forage for bushfood. and authentic artworks. Guests can wander our Discover hidden cultural locations and the bushfood garden, commune with the emus and ancient Dreaming stories that are connected even purchase a plant for their own garden. to them. Call: 9296 0711 Call: 0408 952 740 E:[email protected] E: [email protected] W: maalinup.com.au W: mandurahdreaming.com.au

17. Luridgii Tours 19. Mabu Buru Tours Drive your own 4WD vehicle through The coastline is a place of high spectacular scenery, personally guided by the cultural and ecological significance. An area Miriuwung guides. Hear dreaming stories, abundant in plants traditionally used for swim in outback gorges and learn about medicine, food and making tools, you could bush tucker., explore the ancient caves and say that Yawuru Country is our own ancient thermal springs of Rugged Ranges. supermarket, hardware store and pharmacy. Call: (08) 9168 2704 Call: 0400 386 667 E: [email protected] E: [email protected] W: luridgiitours.com.au W: mabuburu.com.au

Survival Snacks Wichetty Grubs & Honey Ants

Perhaps the best known of all the bushfoods, the wichetty grub is the ultimate survival snack. Rich in protein, fat, energy (~1170 kilojoules per 100 grams), they are also a valuable source of vitamin B1 and the essential minerals potassium, magnesium and zinc. Packed with protein for energy and rich in iron and calcium, honey ants provided much needed source of energy for desert dwellers. Goldfields Honey Ant Tours - Kalgoorlie You can forage for these bush delicacies on tour with Goldfield Honey Ant Tours.

22 Ngadju Culture Tours 24. Ngurrangga Tours Ngadju Cultural Tours are Aboriginal Tours of Explore the spectacular wildflowers and plants special and historic sites with a local Ngajdu unique to the Pilbara with your guide. Listen to Dreamtime stories and legends guide. Hear the stories of the stones, the of how the land was created. Discover ancient petroglyphs that date back more than traditional Aboriginal hunting and gathering 40,000 years and their connection to the practices and experience dance performances. Yaburrara people. Specialising in cross cultural ‘on country’ group activities. Call: 0431 625 507 Call: (08) 6373 1440 E: [email protected] E: [email protected] W: ngadjuculturaltours.com W: ngurrangga.com.au

21. Narlijia Experiences 23. Ngalang Wongi Broome Aboriginal Cultural Tours Drawing on knowledge gained from living a A cultural journey that reveals a very different saltwater lifestyle as well as professional side of Bunbury through Dreaming stories and training as a curator, Bart’s tours offer a unique whimsical yarns about the traditional life. Learn perspective and the opportunity to experience about bushtucker, local wildlife and traditional the rich pickings in the mangroves. ochre making. Call: (08) 9195 0232 Call: 0457 360 517 E: [email protected] E: [email protected] W: narlijiatours.com.au W: ngalangwongi.com.au 25. Njaki Njaki 27. Pilbara Tours Aboriginal Tours Our guided tours highlight the unique aspects Specially tailored Noongar cultural of the region and focus on sharing our immersion packages. Selected activities can knowledge of local flora, fauna and industry involve local Aboriginal elders and children. including our Salt Eco Tour showcasing how salt Learn about the rich Aboriginal history via is made, the amazing natural environment of walk trails and hands on cultural activities. the Pilbara Coast and Aboriginal Culture. Call: 0407 984 470 Call: 0408 933 108 E: [email protected] E: [email protected] W: njakinjaki.com.au W: pilbaratours.com.au

28. Southern Cross at Lullumb 26. Nyungar Tours Bolo’s Coastal Walks Authentic Aboriginal cultural tours in and Discover breathtaking, contrasted landscapes and around Perth. Share traditional stories of meet and interact with local people and learn Whadjuk Country and the history of the about Bardi Jawi traditional ecological Nyungar People in Perth. Explore the knowledge and modern ways to live off the tranquil scented gardens and learn about bush and the ocean as you walk through bushfoods and medicine plants. mangroves, salted mudflats, and beautiful creeks. Call: 0477 442 515 Call: 0477 510 198 E: [email protected] E: [email protected] W: nyungartours.com.au W: lullumbtours.com.au

The Quandong Festive Quandong & Bushfruit Cake Wild Peach or Desert Peach The distinctive bright, crimson fruits have been a staple for Aboriginal people for over 50,000 years. The flesh is highly nutritious containing twice the vitamin C of an orange. A vegan source of iron and zinc it was an important substitute for meat during lean times. The leaves, bark and nut were used for ceremonial and medicinal purposes. The nut oil has anti- inflammatory properties and was traditionally used for medicinal purposes. When in season, you can sample quandong fruit on tour with Wave Rock Aboriginal Cultural Tours. Bushfood Recipes Festive Quandong Cake, Lemon Myrtle Cake, Smoked Ngari... You can download these recipes and more. Scan the QR code and visit our Bushfood Recipes page.

29. Uptuyu Aboriginal 31.Wuddi Aboriginal Adventures Cultural Tours Uptuyu provides private 4WD charter tours for Visit significant cultural sites and connect school groups. Design your safari camp and through traditional artefacts, storytelling and experience the real Aboriginal Kimberley. cultural heritage of the area and its first Travelling respectfully through traditional people. Visit locations of rare wildflowers and country learning and reflecting on what the learn of their cultural significance. people and the country have to share with us. Call: 0476 788 139 Call: 0400 878 898 E: [email protected] E: [email protected] W: wudditours.com.au W: uptuyu.com.au

30.Wave Rock Aboriginal 32. Wula Gura Nyinda Cultural Tours Eco Cultural Adventures Explore the cultural heritage of the Shark Bay Learn about the ancient lifestyle, hunting, World Heritage area. Learn about the area’s fauna and flora such as the Casuarina trees rich and diverse ecology through a range of (Sheoaks) which were often used for making foraging, fishing, bushwalking, kayaking and wooden shields and utensils and the local On Country Eco Cultural Adventures. Quandong, an important food source. Call: 0432 029 436 Call: 0429 805 052 E: [email protected] E: [email protected] W:waverock.com.au W: wulagura.com.au Aboriginal 6 Seasons Aboriginal people have always practised sustainable hunting and gathering methods. There are certain seasons to collect and times of the year to avoid collecting some species. In contrast to the 'classic' four seasons, many Aboriginal cultural groups celebrate six calendar seasons which are not strictly anchored to dates, but are determined by nature and environmental changes like a change in weather, a plant flowering or the hibernation of reptiles. The Noongar 6 Seasons ( South West) DEC JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV BIRAK BUNURU DJERAN MAKURU DJILBA KAMBARANG Hot and dry Warm easterly wind Cool and pleasant Cold and wet Cold, lessening rain Warming, rains finishing

The Bardi 6 Seasons (Kimberley) DEC JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV MANGAL NGALADAN IRALBU BARGANA DJALALAYI LALIN Green tree frog brings Cyclone season brings Hot period South easterly winds blow West winds return Hot and humid first big rains storms from the ocean after the wet Cool season Warming up season Turtle mating season

WET SEASON DRY SEASON

Harnessing the Power of Plants Many of WA’s native plants were an important resource for Aboriginal people, not just for food and medicine, but for making hunting weapons and tools, as indicators of Making fire with changing seasons or as adornments in celebrations. Wildflowers

Traditional firemaking is a good example of understanding the natural resources of country. The spent banksia cones were used as fuel, while the oil rich stem of the Balga (Grass Tree) flower provided the means to create the hot ember and dried Balga fronds the kindling. Fire was an Koomal Dreaming - Dunsborough & Yallingup important tool for the first Australians and was used for hunting, toolmaking and land management.

Find out where the wildflowers are blooming with our up to date Aboriginal Bushfood Over 100 and Wildflower Trail Wildflower Tracker Aboriginal Scan to visit the WA Tours and Experiences Scan the Visitor Centre code to Wildflower Pick up a copy of our FREE Touring Map of take a video Tracker WA at visitor centres or visit our website tour to order yours online. www.waitoc.com