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Australia's Indigenous people have eaten native animal and plant foods for an estimated 60,000 years. The traditional methods used to process these foods evolved over time, with the toxicity of these ingredients playing a pivotal role in how they were prepared and consumed. As hunter-gatherers, they would seek energy-dense foods that provided necessary protein, fat and sugar for survival in harsh conditions. This included meat, offal, insects, grubs, honey, nectar, fruit, seeds and vegetables. Here is a list of some of the animals for food that were indigenous to Australia.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Food type | Animal, plant, insect, seed, meat |
| Animal food examples | Kangaroo, emu, witchetty grubs, crocodile, possums, snakes, lizards, turtles, anteaters, wild turkey, rock wallaby |
| Plant food examples | Quandong, kutjera, lemon myrtle, warrigal greens, native yams, wild orange, wild passionfruit, wild fig, bush tomato, conkerberry, mistletoe, bush banana, bush coconut, mulga apple, bush plums, sultanas, macadamia nuts, pepperberries, bunya nuts |
| Insect food examples | Witchetty grubs, cicadas, caterpillars, honey ants |
| Preparation methods | Cooking on open fires, boiling in bark containers, pounding vegetables and seeds, baking in ground ovens wrapped in paperbark, hanging bags in running water |
| Nutritional composition | High protein, dietary fibre, potassium, phosphorus, magnesium, folate |
| Medicinal use | Yes |
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What You'll Learn
- Insects, including witchetty grubs, cicadas and caterpillars
- Meat, including kangaroo, emu, wild turkey, rock wallaby, possums, snakes and lizards
- Fish and seafood, including shellfish, sharks, turtles, fish and sea cucumber
- Fruit, including wild orange, wild passionfruit, wild fig, bush tomato and bush banana
- Seeds, including mulga seeds, wattle seeds and the Moreton Bay chestnut
Insects, including witchetty grubs, cicadas and caterpillars
Indigenous Australians have been eating native plants and animal foods for an estimated 60,000 years. Insects were a key part of this diet, providing a good source of protein and fat.
The witchetty grub, also spelled witchety or witjuti, is the most important insect food of the desert and has been a staple in the diets of Aboriginal Australians. The term refers to the larvae of the cossid moth *Endoxyla leucomochla*, which feeds on the roots of the witchetty bush, as well as the larvae of other cossid moths, ghost moths, and longhorn beetles. The raw witchetty grub tastes similar to almonds, but when cooked, the skin becomes crisp like roast chicken, while the inside turns light yellow and has been described as tasting like scrambled eggs, chicken, or a "prawn with peanut sauce".
Cicadas are another insect commonly consumed by Indigenous Australians. One of the most familiar insects in Australia is the *Cyclochila australasiae*, also known as the Great Green Cicada. It is distributed through the coastal regions of southeastern Australia and is commonly seen and heard around Sydney and Melbourne.
Caterpillars are also eaten in Australia, although there is limited information on their specific role in Indigenous Australian diets. However, it is worth noting that insects, in general, are being increasingly recognized as a sustainable alternative protein source with nutritional benefits. They are high in protein, other nutrients such as amino acids, vitamins, minerals, and unsaturated fatty acids, and low in fat.
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Meat, including kangaroo, emu, wild turkey, rock wallaby, possums, snakes and lizards
Kangaroo meat is a lean meat that is low in saturated fats and full of iron. It has been eaten by Aboriginal Australians for an estimated 60,000 years, and early European settlers also ate kangaroo. In the 1930s, kangaroo recipes appeared regularly in cookbooks, but the meat fell out of favour as living standards rose. In 1993, kangaroo meat was legalised for human consumption in Australia, and it is now consumed in over 55 countries worldwide. However, most Australians still refuse to eat kangaroo meat, as they consider it their national emblem.
Emu meat is also considered a novelty meat in Australia, similar to kangaroo.
The Australian brushturkey, or bush turkey, is a large bird with black feathers and a red head. It is commonly found in eastern Australia and was a staple food for Aboriginal Australians.
Rock wallabies are grazers of grasses, herbs, and low shrubs. The yellow-footed rock wallaby is the largest rock-wallaby species in Australia, growing up to a height of 80 cm.
Possums are small marsupials that are found across Australia. They live in trees and occasionally come down to the ground to look for food. The most commonly seen possum in backyards and urban areas is the Common Brushtail Possum. Possums eat leaves, flowers, fruits, and occasionally meat and small invertebrates.
Snakes are a great source of lean protein, and most people say that snake meat tastes like chicken or fish. Some popular snake dishes include Chinese snake soup, breaded snake strips, snake gourd with glass noodles, and stir-fried snake.
Lizards are not typically mentioned as a food source in Australia.
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Fish and seafood, including shellfish, sharks, turtles, fish and sea cucumber
Fish and seafood have long been a part of the Indigenous Australian diet, with archaeological evidence pointing to a variety of seafood being consumed by Indigenous Australians. The general name for fish in the Sydney region was "maugro".
Fish
Snapper and bream are the most commonly identified fish remains in coastal middens, indicating their popularity as a food source. Other commonly found fish remains include mullet, flathead, groper, morwong, Tarwhine, and leatherjacket. Less common varieties include Yellowtail Kingfish, Australian Salmon, Trevally, Luderick, Wrasse/Parrot fish, Whiting, Flounder, Catfish, Mulloway, Wirrah, and Rock Cod.
Shellfish and Crustaceans
Aboriginal people of coastal Sydney collected and consumed a variety of shellfish and crustaceans. Oysters, mussels, cockles, and limpets were commonly consumed, with men and women both participating in the collection process. Other shellfish consumed include Cellana tramoserica, Black Nerita Nerita atramentosa, Cartrut Dicathais orbita, Turbo torquata, Turbo undulata, and Spengler's Triton Cabestana spengleri. Additionally, teredinid or Teredo, commonly known as shipworms, were consumed along the upper brackish parts of the Georges and Hawkesbury Rivers.
While crab and crayfish remains have been found in archaeological excavations, their fragile exoskeletons may account for their limited presence in the archaeological record. Barnacles have also been found in middens, but they may have been incidental to the consumption of other shellfish.
Sharks
Shark meat, known as "flake", has been consumed in Australia, particularly in the form of gummy shark. Shark meat became popular due to its mild flavour, soft yet well-defined texture, and absence of bones. Flake rapidly became the most common type of fish served in Australian fish and chip shops.
Turtles
Indigenous Australians also consumed freshwater turtles, which provided oily meat with a strong chicken-like flavour. Women would wade into swamps, lagoons, and billabongs to catch the turtles, which were then cooked upside down on hot coals.
Sea Cucumbers
Sea cucumbers have been a part of Indigenous Australian cuisine, particularly in the Asia-Pacific region, where they are a valuable marine export.
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Fruit, including wild orange, wild passionfruit, wild fig, bush tomato and bush banana
Indigenous Australians have enjoyed a diverse range of edible plants for thousands of years. These include fruits such as wild orange, wild passionfruit, wild fig, bush tomato, and bush banana.
Wild orange (Capparis mitchellii) is a thorny tree that grows up to 8 meters high and 6 meters wide. It bears round, green fruit that turns purplish or dull orange when ripe. The yellow to orange flesh has a sweet fragrance and can be eaten raw or cooked. The seeds are peppery and should be discarded, while the skin is bitter and inedible.
Wild passionfruit (Capparis spinosa var. nummularia) is a medium-sized shrub native to Central Australia and the tropical north of Australia. The fruit is best picked green and allowed to ripen off the bush. When ripe, the skin turns orange and splits open to reveal black seeds. The yellow pulp is consumed and has a taste similar to passionfruit, while the seeds are bitter and spicy when crushed.
Bush tomatoes, scientifically known as Solanum chippendalei, Solanum diversiflorum, and Solanum phlomoides, were consumed by Aboriginal people in various ways. The fruit of S. chippendalei is split open, and the centre is scraped out to eat the outer flesh, as the seeds and surrounding placenta are bitter. S. diversiflorum is roasted or dried before consumption, while S. phlomoides appears to be edible after removing the seeds and roasting or sun-drying.
Bush banana, or Leichhardtia australis, is native to Central Australia and Western Australia. It is a significant bush food for Aboriginal people and is often depicted in their art. The small fruits, known as amwerterrpe, can be cooked in hot earth beside a fire or eaten raw when young, with a flavour likened to fresh peas or zucchini. The flowers and roots can also be eaten raw or cooked.
Australia is home to over 40 native species of figs (Ficus), many of which bear edible fruit. These include the Moreton Bay fig (F. macrophylla), Port Jackson fig (F. rubiginosa), strangler fig (F. watkinsiana), white fig or banyan (F. virens), and cluster fig (F. racemosa). Figs are typically found near permanent water sources, such as oceans, lakes, rivers, or underground springs.
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Seeds, including mulga seeds, wattle seeds and the Moreton Bay chestnut
Aboriginal Australians have a long history of consuming native plant and animal foods, with evidence suggesting this practice dates back around 60,000 years. The traditional methods used to prepare these foods have evolved over time, with the toxicity of the ingredients dictating how they were prepared and consumed. For example, most plant foods were eaten raw, while meats were often cooked over hot campfire coals or baked in ground ovens.
Seeds, including mulga seeds, wattle seeds, and the Moreton Bay chestnut, were a significant part of the Indigenous Australian diet. The mulga tree, with its striking evergreen appearance and pyramidal shape, can grow to a height of 15-20 feet. After flowering, it produces flat, oblong pods that contain seeds. Wattle seeds come from the Acacia tree, which can grow up to 4 metres tall and 5 metres across. Several species of Acacia are recognised for their tannin content and have been cultivated as crops. The Moreton Bay chestnut, or Castanospermum, is a large evergreen tree native to the rainforests of eastern Australia. It can grow up to 40 metres tall and produces a fruit pod containing one to five cells, each holding a large chestnut-like seed.
These seeds provided a valuable source of nutrition for Indigenous Australians, who relied on energy-dense foods to survive in the harsh conditions of the Australian bush. The colonisation of Australia in 1788 significantly impacted the consumption of native ingredients, as they were deemed inferior to introduced non-native foods. However, in recent decades, there has been a renewed appreciation for Australia's native bush foods, with people recognising their nutritional benefits and gourmet value.
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Frequently asked questions
Some animals indigenous to Australia that are used for food include kangaroos, emus, crocodiles, yabbies, eels, rock wallabies, possums, snakes, lizards, and anteaters.
Australian "bush tucker" also includes plant foods such as wild orange, wild passionfruit, wild figs, bush tomatoes, and bush bananas.
Bush tucker can be cooked on open fires, boiled in bark containers, baked in hot campfire coals or ground ovens, or steamed in pits.
