By Lily Alice & Thomas O'Quinn

Australia's unique native ingredients boast nutritional and medicinal benefits that cannot be found anywhere else. From the Kakadu plum with its unmatched vitamin C content, to Bunya nuts that contain natural antibacterial properties, knowledge of these superfoods has been passed down in Aboriginal cultures for thousands of years. 

Written by Warndu’s Founders Damien Coulthand and Rebecca Sullivan, this gorgeous fully illustrated, informative and contemporary cookbook and compendium of native foods will show you how to create truly Australian food and drinks at home.

For perhaps fifty thousand years the Aboriginal people have lived, and lived well, in Australia. They have developed a unique knowledge of native plants and a deep understanding of the value of many animal products. Bush Food is an exploration of these traditional skills and a compendium of the kinds of foods eaten by Aborigines. It indicates how food is caught or gathered, hunted or picked, how it is prepared and cooked, and what nutritional value it has. It considers, too, the use of natural products in traditional Aboriginal herbal medicine.

Vegan/ Gluten Free / Dairy Free

No Added Sugar

100% Natural- no synthetic nutrients added

100% Australian Grown/ wild harvested, manufactured and owned

Kakadu Plum Flavour: Apple and pear with citrus tones, sour to sweet depending on how ripe the fruit is.

A rich source of ellagic acid– a powerful antioxidant that helps prevent an excess of free radicals

Kakadu Plums have the highest level of Vitamin C of any fruit in the world. Our Kakadu Plum Powder contains 15500 mg/100g so half a teaspoon (1g) is more than the adult daily requirement. Kakadu Plums are extremely high in antioxidant capacity and have both the hydrophilic and lipophilic types. Due to the this extremely high antioxidant capability, research is currently being undertaken to analyse the ability of Kakadu Plum in preventing and delaying oxidative stress diseases such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, cancer and other aging and degenerative diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis. Kakadu Plums are also a good source of Vitamin E, magnesium, lutein, folate and have a high K:Na (Potassium to Sodium) ratio. The Kakadu Plum also has antibacterial, antiviral and antifungal properties and is currently used in some food industries to extend food shelf life.

Provenance

• The Kakadu Plums for our freeze-dried Kakadu Plum powder come from Northern Territory Indigenous communities and First Nations growers/wild harvesters. When buying our Kakadu Plum powder, you are supporting families and employment in Indigenous communities.
• We freeze dry and process our own Kakadu Plum Powder and employ First Nations people in our processing plant.

The Kakadu Plums for this freeze-dried Kakadu Plum powder comes from Northern Territory Indigenous communities and Indigenous growers/wild harvesters. When buying our Kakadu Plum powder, you are supporting families and employment in Indigenous communities.

The Kakadu Plum in Marrithiel language is called Migoray. Kakadu Plums have the highest level of Vitamin C of any fruit in the world. They are extremely high in antioxidant capacity and have both the hydrophilic and lipophilic types. Due to the this extremely high antioxidant capability, research is currently being undertaken to analyse the ability of Kakadu Plum in preventing and delaying oxidative stress diseases such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, cancer and other aging and degenerative diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis.

Kakadu Plums are also a good source of Vitamin E, magnesium, lutein, folate and have a high K:Na (Potassium to Sodium) ratio. The Kakadu Plum also has antibacterial, antiviral and antifungal properties and is currently used in some food industries to extend food shelf life.

Kakadu Plum Flavour: Apple and pear with citrus tones, sour to sweet depending on how ripe the fruit is.

Jilungin Tea

Relaxation | Sleep | Traditional medicinal

Jilungin (Terminalia canescens) has been harvested and enjoyed as a tea by the Nyul Nyul people, on Nyul Nyul lands Western Australia for many thousands of years. Bruno, traditional Nyul Nyul elder says “It’s a healing medicine tea for our health. Our Mimis (grandmothers) gave it to us when we were little boys and it gives us a beautiful nights sleep.”

Our Jilungin tea has no fillers its pure Jilungin leaves and stems just the way it was traditionally consumed, but shredded for your convenience.

Ingredients:

100% Jilungin leaves sourced from First Nations Nyul Nyul people Western Australia,.

Brewing: Use ½ to 1 teaspoon (depending on strength of brew you want) and steep for 2-4 minutes.

Available in 7g tin

Vegan

Gluten Free / Dairy Free

100% Australian grown and made

Kulbanyi and Quandong Tea

Wellness | Healing | Anti-Aging

Kulbanyi (Melaleuca acacioides) is a paperbark tree that grows in Northern Australia. Traditionally, First Nations people used the tea as a cold, flu and sore throat treatment. Quandongs are high in antioxidants which fight free radicals to assist in the prevention of aging diseases. This tea pairing is fragrant, light and fruity and perfect to help maintain your wellness.

Ingredients:

100% Kulbanyi leaves wild harvested by First Nations owned Seven Emu Station, Quandong grown, harvested and dried by us.

Brewing: Use ½ to 1 teaspoon (depending on strength of brew you want) and steep for 2-4 minutes. Save some of the liquid to freshen your water with. Just mix about quarter of a cup of tea into your water bottle or large glass.

Available in 7g tin

Vegan

Gluten Free / Dairy Free

100% Australian grown and made

Provenance

• The Kulbanyi is wild harvested and air dried at Seven Emu Station near the Gulf of Carpentaria in the NT.
• We harvest our own quandongs and air dry them as well as buy from local growers in the Riverland South Australia. 
• We package the tea at our Strathalbyn processing facility.

Ingredients

Air dried Quandong

Air dried Kulbanyi Leaves

A zesty Mexican style hot sauce.

 Can be used with tacos or as a salad dressing

Ingredients:

• Green Tomatoes
• Bush Tomatoes
• Jalapeno Chillies
• Fresh Coriander
• Garlic
• Onion
• White Vinegar 
• Lime Juice

• Tomato Sauce - a classic all-rounded. Great with meat, savoury pastries and hot chips (organic tomatoes, bush tomato, powdered mustard, celery salt, garlic powder, onion powder, white vinegar, sugar, pepper, cayenne, salt).

The Torres Strait has a long history of trading with Asian and Polynesian peoples. As a result, you will often find soy sauce in our cooking. 

Use this marinade to make an outstanding fried chicken or barbecue pork

Ingredients:

• Dark Soy
• Ginger 
• Garlic

Salt Bush - Flakes

These 3m high grey-blue shrubs are found throughout Australia. Dried Native Saltbush flakes are a delightful complement to many a dish. They have a salty, herbal flavour, and are very versatile. Rich in protein, antioxidants and minerals.

Native to South Eastern Queensland and Northern N.S.W, Lemon Myrtle is by far the most popular of the Australian native herbs. First Nations people have used it for centuries as a bush medicine, but also to enhance the flavour of their food. It has an aroma of citrus and strong lemony flavour. Perfect in sweet and savoury dishes.

Growing wild along the southern coastline of Australia. This native herb was considered by early settlers as a survival food as they ate it to help prevent scurvy. These days you can use Sea Parsley in everyday cooking to flavour soups, meat or seafood dishes or as a garnish or in salads.