Quick answer (featured‑snippet friendly)
What is bush tucker?
Bush tucker is the traditional food and related knowledge of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples — native plants, fruits, seeds, nuts, roots and animal foods used for nutrition, medicine and ceremony.
Top 12 bush tucker ingredients (short list):- Lemon myrtle — aromatic leaf used in teas and flavouring
- Kakadu plum (Gubinge) — vitamin C rich fruit
- Wattleseed — roasted seed used as flour or coffee‑style flavour
- Finger lime — citrus ‘caviar’ garnish
- Quandong — tart fruit for jams and desserts
- Macadamia — native nut for eating and oil
- Pepperberry — spicy berry for sauces
- Muntries — sweet berries for preserves
- Bush tomato — sun‑dried savoury fruit
- Yam daisy (Murnong) — starchy tuber
- Bush coconut — pandanus ‘nut’ found in coastal areas
- Seaweeds — coastal harvest for seasoning and nutrition
Traditional knowledge & cultural respect
Traditional ecological knowledge (TEK) is held by individual nations and families. Respectful engagement means:
- Joining Indigenous‑led experiences whenever possible.
- Asking permission before photographing or recording.
- Buying native foods from Indigenous businesses to return economic benefit.
- Using and promoting local names when provided by communities.
- Recognising seasonal rules and custodianship of site knowledge.
Responsible foraging & sustainability
Foraging without permission can damage ecosystems and cultural practices. Best practice:
- Only harvest with permission and local guidance.
- Never take more than needed; follow seasonal windows.
- Support certified or traceable suppliers when buying native ingredients.
Seasonality & fire‑stick farming
Many nations use complex seasonal calendars (sometimes six seasons) to schedule harvests and land care. Cultural burning (fire‑stick farming) is a traditional land management practice that promotes new growth and food availability while reducing wildfire risk.