Aboriginal people of the Barossa Region

Opening Hours: To the north and west of Nuriootpa and Angaston is country. To the south and west, are the plains Garden: 7 days a week from sunrise to sunset of the people, while Peramangk country extends south from Angaston. Community Nursery and NRC: One meaning of Nuriootpa is ‘meeting place’ as Aboriginal Monday by appointment groups gathered here for trade and ceremony. Tuesday 9am - 4.30pm The Register of 1 May 1852 also records ‘Nooriutpa’, ‘Ngu- raitpa’ or ‘neck country’, a Peramangk word that refers to Wednesday 9am - 12.30pm the neck of the giant being Nganno whose body became the Ranges. Thursday 9am - 4.30pm Friday by appointment Traditional Uses Peppermint Box Eucalyptus odorata 653 Research Rd. Nuriootpa, 5355 SA Trail

Peppermint Box has significant cultural importance to Tel.: (08) 8563 8330 Aboriginal people in the and Mount Lofty Follow this Self-Guided Trail to learn [email protected] Ranges. The Ngadjuri have also been called the Peppermint about plants used by First Nations people of Box people, as they used this tree for many different things. Follow us online for information to the Barossa region. The gum blossom nectar is sweet and used to sweeten water. White waxy bumps, that are actually the housing upcoming events and workshops of lerps, which are small insects that live on the leaves, are The Barossa Bushgardens is beside the North scraped off and also added to make sweet drinks. Facebook: www.facebook.com/barossabushgardens Para River, where Ngadjuri, Peramangk and Kaurna people often met. The wood is strong and used for bowls, shields and spears. Web: www.barossabushgardens.com.au Leaves have medicinal properties. Traditional Use includes food, tools, shelter, Peppermint Box Grassy Woodland is a critically endangered plant community, listed under Federal Legislation due to medicine and ceremony. land clearance. Plant List Plant List Plant List

1. Clematis microphylla 5. Dianella revoluta 10. Dodonaea viscosa Old Mans Beard Warmed leaves a Flax Lily Roots boiled for cold remedy. Sticky Hopbush Smoke from burning poultice for rheumatism and inhaled Leaves split down the middle, rolled on leaf/twig for pain relief. Leaf chewed to relieve head-ache. Cooked roots thigh into twine and woven. to relieve toothache (juice not swal- edible. Stalks for body adornments lowed). Leaf poultice to heal inflamma- and to bind stone tools. tion and antibacterial.

2. Carpobrotus modestus 6. Eucalyptus leucoxylon ssp pruinosa 11. Themeda triandra Pigface Edible leaves. Crush leaves Blue Gum Young wood for spears. Steam Kangaroo Grass Seeds ground by to relieve burns and bites. Leaf juice from boiled leaves relieves many illnesses. stone to produce flour mixed with wa- for upset stomach; and gargle for Possum habitat. ter to make damper. sore throat. Fruit a laxative.

12. Bursaria spinosa Christmas Bush Fragrant cream flow- 7. Hardenbergia violacea ers encourage butterflies and many Native Lilac Leaves boiled into a fauna that are harvested to eat. sweet drink. Flowers used as dec oration or soaked in water to make purple dye. 13. Kunzea pomifera Muntries Berries eaten raw or pound- ed into paste and dried for trade. Stems/bark have wax that nourishes skin.

14. Enchylaena tomentosa 8. Acacia pycnantha Ruby Saltbush Eat fruit fresh or dry. Golden Wattle Green seeds eaten Soak flowers for a tea. Red dye from raw, mature seeds roasted and berries used as a body paint. ground into flour. Resin eaten or used as glue. Flowers worn in the hair for ceremonies by young 15. Lomandra sp. 3. Xanthorrhoea semiplana women. Iron Grass Seeds ground to flour for Yacca Leaves dried/rolled for string. damper. Leaves softened in water, wo- Chew leaf base for water. Gum binds ven into mats, baskets, adornments. tools/weapons and thrown into fire, 9. Banksia marginata Leaf base chewable. inhaled to treat colds. Seeds ground Silver Banksia Flowers have sweet nec- into flour. Flower stem used as a tar and soaked overnight to flavour wa- 16. Eucalyptus camuldulensis spear shaft. ter. Dried flowers used to strain water for River Red Gum Bark for coolamons drinking. and shields. Bruised/smoked leaves 4. Senna artemesiodes inhaled for colds; boiled to extract oil Silver Cassia Seeds, gum/resin edi- for sprains. Grubs in trunk harvested ble, laxative and used as a glue. by men; in roots by everyone. Hollows used for storage.