Bush Tucker

Bush Tucker

The colloquial term for 'Australian bush foods'.

Indigenous Australians have survived solely off natural resources for over 65,000+ years. Traditional bush tucker methods have evolved over time. Knowledge has been passed down for over 800 generations. Learn more about traditional Bush Tucker by clicking here.

The traditional methods used to process these foods have evolved over time. Toxicity of the natural ingredients play a pivotal role in how bush tucker was/is prepared and consumed. As hunter-gatherers, Indigenous Australian People(s) seek energy-dense foods that would provide necessary protein, fat, and sugar for survival in the harsh conditions of the bush. Often, these would include animal meat and offal, insects and grubs, and honey and fruit.

Most plant foods are eaten raw and meats are often cooked over hot campfire coals or wrapped in paperbark and baked in ground ovens. Overall, the bush tucker diet is one that provides high nutrition, offering good levels of protein, micronutrients, and fibre.

Certain animal foods like witchetty grubs provide high-fat sources, but the majority of native land animals, including the kangaroo, provided very lean meat compared to many domesticated animals eaten today.

The colonisation of Australia in 1788 greatly affected the traditional use of bush foods as native ingredients were deemed “less superior”. The introduction of non-native foods, coupled with the loss of Traditional Land and destruction of native habitats, resulted in limited access to native foods and resources.

Recognition of Australia’s native bush foods grew in the 1970s. The 1980s brought kangaroo meat into the spotlight after it was made legal for consumption in South Australia. Native food crops like the highly-prized macadamias saw commercial levels of cultivation. Fast forward to today and previously-overlooked native foods are now being celebrated for their nutritional benefits and gourmet value across the country in award-winning restaurants and home kitchens.

Wish to try native Australian bush tucker? See my restaurant and tour recommendations.