Australian Food Plants Study Group

Welcome to the Australian Food Plants Study Group Website.

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.

Study group image

Membership is available to members of an ANPSA-affiliated Regional Society. If you are not a member of a Regional Society, please refer to the ANPSA Membership Page for further information on joining.

For more information or to join please send a request using the following form (please note that all fields are mandatory* – you may edit the ‘Message’ field if necessary).

Australian Food Plants Study Group Study Group Form

Signup form for the Australian Food Plants Study Group that sends a notification to the Study Group leader.

Newsletters and Reports

Regular newsletters are emailed several times per year to record activities and experiences of Group members in cultivating Australian food plants and reporting on field trips to various parts of Australia. The newsletters often include recipes using Australian food plants. The Group has also produced reports documenting potentially useful Australian food plants.

Introductory Brochure

This 2-page brochure includes a list of plants to help you to create a great ‘Bush Tucker Garden’.

Resources

A small compilation of Australian food plants links – including books, internet links and some commercial sources of Australian native food products

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

Internet:

ANPSA’s former online magazine ‘Australian Plants online’ included several articles on native food plants: