Leslie Massey
The eating habits of Australian explorers were largely influenced by their British heritage and the resources available in the new land. The First Fleet brought supplies like flour, rice, salted meat, dried peas, sugar, alcohol, vinegar, seeds, and vine cuttings, as well as livestock for fresh meat. However, they struggled with unfamiliar terrain and climate, leading to early crop failures and reduced rations. The colonists' diet was supplemented by local food sources, including fish, oysters, and native plants, but scurvy was prevalent due to a lack of vitamin C. Some explorers, like Governor Arthur Phillip and Surgeon John White, experienced food poisoning from unfamiliar plants, while others, like the colonists on Norfolk Island, overhunted native bird species to the point of extinction.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Food brought by the First Fleet | Flour, rice, salted meat, dried peas, sugar, alcohol, vinegar, seeds, vine cuttings, and livestock |
| Food sources | Oysters, fish, wild plants and fruits (e.g., wild currants, native spinach, and beans), and local fruits and berries |
| Food habits | High consumption of alcohol, sugar, and meat, and low consumption of vegetables other than potatoes and peas |
| Challenges | Insufficient food supply, food rationing, and lack of knowledge about Australian native foods |
| Aboriginal food sources | Fish, whales, seals, worms, grubs, and plants |
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What You'll Learn
Food of the First Fleet
The First Fleet carried food supplies from England for the journey and for the settlement. Although there is no comprehensive list of everything they brought, we know that the fleet replenished its stores of water and food at Cape Town (now South Africa) before arriving at Botany Bay. They also purchased additional supplies for the settlement, including plants, grain, and farm animals.
The focus of the first two years of the colony was on food supply. Governor Arthur Phillip had requested enough food to last everyone for two years, and rations were carefully measured out to hopefully achieve this. Every colonist was entitled to receive a set quantity of rations each week, with men receiving the largest amount, women three-quarters, and children half the standard issue. Rations consisted of salted meat, preserved fruits, mutton, pork, ducks, fowls, fish, kangaroos, salads, pies, and more.
Fresh food was always welcomed but wasn't very practical. The soil at the settlement proved to be unsuitable for cereal crops, and the first crop of wheat did not germinate. The food ration for men was cut by one-third in November 1788. Rations were supplemented by any food the settlers could grow, and convicts were excused from work on Saturday afternoons to tend to their gardens.
Despite these efforts, within two months of arriving in Port Jackson, it became clear that the food supply was not sufficient, and rations had to be reduced. Storehouses for food were built but were infested with rats and weevils and prone to weather damage and damp.
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Food of early explorers
The food of early explorers in Australia was often scarce and inadequate. The First Fleet of British ships arrived in Botany Bay in January 1788 to establish a penal colony. Within two months, it was clear that their food supply, intended to last two years, was insufficient, and rations were cut by a third in November 1788. The soil also proved to be unsuitable for cereal crops, and storehouses for food were infested with rats and weevils.
Explorers and colonists had to supplement their rations with local food sources, such as fish and oysters, and by growing their own crops. They also consumed traditional Aboriginal foods, such as worms and grubs from the dwarf gum tree, and "wild orange" fruits. Some of these foods were rejected by the colonists due to their unfamiliarity, while others, like the Mount Pitt bird, were consumed to the point of extinction.
Interacting with Aboriginal people also led to the poisoning of some explorers. Governor Arthur Phillip and Surgeon John White, for example, were poisoned after consuming Beach Beans (Canavalia rosea) during an exploratory trip. They had gathered and probably eaten the beans raw before boiling them, resulting in violent vomiting.
Explorers' interactions with Aboriginal people and their food sources had varying impacts. While some explorers were reluctant to try Aboriginal foods, others, like a servant mentioned in John White's journal, willingly participated in the local diet. Additionally, the presence of colonists led to the depletion of certain food sources, causing frustration and anger among the Aboriginal people.
Explorers' success in finding and accessing food varied greatly. Some, like Burke and Wills, lacked bushcraft skills and were unwilling to learn from the Aboriginal people, ultimately leading to their demise. Others, like George Bass, Matthew Flinders, and the Aboriginal explorer Bungaree, successfully circumnavigated Tasmania and Australia, with Bungaree becoming the first person born on the Australian continent to do so.
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Food habits of Aboriginal people
For thousands of years, Aboriginal Australians have survived on "bush tucker" and foods provided by the outback. They were hunters and gatherers, hunting wildlife to provide meat and gathering fruits, seeds, and insects for their daily meals. Each season, weather conditions, and geographic location would impact the types of food available, making their diet varied and well-balanced.
In central Australia, water was scarce, so to survive, the Aboriginal tribes would find water in tree hollows and roots, soakages, and permanent water holes, which were quite rare. The Aborigines were not a seafaring people, so they did not actively hunt whales and seals, but they depended on them coming ashore or being washed into the shallow waters. Sharks, stingrays, and maiden-rays were sometimes caught, but it seems that this was done primarily for sport as they were not eaten. The larger fish were cut up before being cooked on the fire, while the smaller ones were either roasted whole on ashes or wrapped in soft bark and covered with hot ashes. The only by-product obtained from fish was the oil from the mullet, which the Aborigines used for greasing their heads and bodies.
Since European settlement, traditional Aboriginal foods and eating rituals have gradually become less common. The current poor nutritional health of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people is in marked contrast to the situation before European settlement in Australia, when they were generally healthy and enjoyed a varied traditional diet low in energy density and rich in nutrients.
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Food sources of early colonists
The early colonists in Australia faced challenges in accessing food sources, as they had limited knowledge of the local terrain and edible native plants. The focus during the first two years was on securing a stable food supply. The colonists brought livestock and provisions such as flour, rice, salted meat, dried peas, sugar, alcohol, vinegar, seeds, and vine cuttings on the First Fleet voyage. However, the expectation to live off the land using English farming techniques proved unsuccessful, as the soil was unsuitable for cereal crops, and the rations were depleted within two years.
The colonists attempted to cultivate crops such as corn, wheat, and barley, but their lack of understanding of the Australian climate and terrain led to early crop failures. They supplemented their diet with local fruits and vegetables, fish, and wild plants, but also faced challenges in identifying edible and safe food sources. Some colonists were reluctant to adopt the dietary habits of the Aboriginal people, and incidents of poisoning from unknown plants occurred.
The Aboriginal people had a profound understanding of the land and its seasonal changes, which allowed them to thrive. They consumed a variety of food sources, including fish, whales, seals, birds, and insects. They also gathered and cooked local plants, such as beans, and used mullet fish oil for greasing their bodies.
The early colonists' dietary habits were heavily influenced by their English heritage. Meat, sugar, and sweet foods were popular, and these preferences have persisted in Australian cuisine. However, the colonists also had to adapt to the availability of local resources and the challenges of cultivating new crops. This period of exploration and experimentation laid the foundation for the development of Australian culinary traditions.
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Impact of British colonisation on Aboriginal food sources
Before British colonisation, Aboriginal people lived an ecological lifestyle, with high levels of physical activity and advanced agricultural and aquacultural practices. Their diets were seasonal, low in energy density, and high in nutrients, protein, complex carbohydrates, micronutrients, and polyunsaturated fats, while low in sugars and saturated fat. There is little evidence of major health issues such as diabetes or cardiovascular disease before colonisation.
The British colonisation of Australia had a profound impact on the Aboriginal people's food sources and practices. The colonisers' focus during the first two years was on food supply, but within two months of arriving in Port Jackson, it became clear that the food supply intended to last two years was insufficient, and food rations had to be reduced. The introduction of foreign species and forced ration-based diets disrupted the Aboriginal people's traditional food systems and knowledge. The clearing of traditional lands for large-scale Western agricultural production further disrupted their food sources.
The Aboriginal people's self-sufficient lifestyle and strong cultural groups were also affected by the competition for land and resources that British colonisation brought. This resulted in violence, massacres, and the displacement of Indigenous Australians. The introduction of epidemic diseases such as smallpox, measles, and influenza, which spread ahead of the colonists' settlement, devastated many Indigenous communities. The sexual abuse and exploitation of Indigenous women and girls also caused widespread venereal disease.
The removal of Indigenous children during colonisation broke vital spiritual, familial, and cultural ties, further disrupting the transmission of traditional food knowledge and practices. The loss of knowledge holders through frontier violence and the policies of segregation and assimilation designed to destroy ontological relationships with the land and kin also impacted their food systems.
Today, Aboriginal people continue to demonstrate resilience by incorporating traditional food practices into their lives, supplementing Western-based diets with their knowledge of food sources. However, the ongoing manifestations of colonialism continue to affect their food systems and knowledge, leading to severe health inequities and disproportionate rates of nutrition-related health conditions.
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Frequently asked questions
Early explorers in Australia, both Indigenous and non-Indigenous, ate a variety of foods. The Indigenous Australians' diet included local fruits and berries, fish, and wild plants and fruits such as wild currants and native spinach. They also ate insects, worms, and grubs. The non-Indigenous explorers brought flour, rice, salted meat, dried peas, sugar, alcohol, vinegar, seeds, and vine cuttings. They also brought livestock for fresh meat.
The food supply of the First Fleet was meant to last for two years but was consumed within that duration. The new settlers knew little about the Australian land and climate, and their crops failed early on. The rations they ate were high in fat, protein, and refined carbohydrates and low in dietary fiber, leading to a constant problem of scurvy due to a lack of vitamin C.
There is some evidence of sharing and exchange of food between the two groups. For example, the Indigenous people shared beans with Governor Arthur Phillip and Surgeon John White, although these beans ended up poisoning them. The colonists also fished the harbor and collected oysters, depleting yet another food source for the Indigenous Australians.
