Australian Food Plants Study Group

Welcome to the Australian Food Plants Study Group

The Australian Food Plants Study Group is one of a number of Study Groups within the Australian Native Plants Society (Australia). The Study Group has been in operation for over 20 years and aims to expand knowledge of the use of Australian plants as food sources. As in all study groups, the members’ work is carried out in their own homes and gardens and in their own spare time.

Indigenous people have been using native species as food for centuries but, with a few exception (such as Macadamia) few in the wider Australian community have been aware of the culinary potential of Australian plants. Lack of availability has been a major problem but this is gradually changing and the Study Group hopes to play a role in expanding this availability.

Since the inception of the group numerous newsletters have been issued documenting the reports from members into cultivation issues in various climatic zones, propagation methods and natural occurrences of different species. Past issues of the newsletters can be downloaded from this site (see the link below).

If you are interested in the cultivation, propagation, conservation and appreciation of Australia’s native flora, especially Australian food plants, why not consider joining and helping to promote these plants more widely.

(Photo: Macadamia nuts and kernels; Brian Walters)
Study group image

Join the Australian Food Plants Study Group

Membership is free to members of regional plant societies. Click to find out more.

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Newsletters and Reports

Regular newsletters are emailed several times per year to record activities and experiences of Group members into cultivation issues in various climatic zones, propagation methods, natural occurrences of different species and information on Group meetings and excursions. The newsletters often include recipes using Australian food plants.

The Group has also produced reports documenting potentially useful Australian food plants.

The Group’s newsletters and reports are provided here as an archive (Note: These are in pdf format and will require a PDF Reader to view them. Free readers include Foxit Reader and Adobe Acrobat Reader).

No newsletters were produced between 2012 and 2015 while the Study Group was in recess.

****Click here to access the Australian Food Plants Study Group Newsletters and Reports*****


Introductory Brochure

This 2-page brochure includes a list of plants to help in the creation of a great ‘Bush Tucker Garden’.

The list of plants has been compiled from the collective experience of Study Group members to help in the selection of some bushfood that will grow well in most soil types.

Although compiled from experiences of growing conditions in Queensland, the list should also be useful in other tropical and sub-tropical areas.

Click here to view the brochure (pdf)


Food Plant Resources

These are a few internet and other resources on Australian food plants that might prove useful.

Books:

  • Cherikoff, V and Isaacs, J (1997), The Bush Food Handbook, Ti Tree Press, Australia
  • Isaacs, J (1989), Bush Food: Aboriginal Food and Herbal Medicine, New Holland Publishing Australia Pty Ltd
  • Kulek, George (2016): Kimberley Bush Food – Comprehensive guide to edible plants in the Kimberley Region of Western Australia, Blurb Books
  • Low, T (1991), Wild Food Plants of Australia, Harper Collins Publishers (Australia) Pty Ltd
  • Low, T (1992), Bush Tucker: Australia’s Wild Food Harvest, Angus & Robertson, Sydney
  • Smith, K and Smith, I (1999), Grow Your Own Bushfoods, New Holland Publishing Australia Pty Ltd