Exploring the rich botanical heritage of Australia's indigenous cultures and their profound connection to native plant medicine.
Exploring Australia's rich botanical heritage
Founded in 2010, our organization is dedicated to documenting, preserving, and promoting the traditional plant knowledge of Australia's First Nations. For over 60,000 years, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples have developed sophisticated understandings of Australia's unique flora, using plants for medicine, food, tools, and spiritual practices.
Our team of botanists, ethnobotanists, and cultural consultants works directly with Indigenous knowledge holders across the continent to document this precious wisdom before it's lost. We believe that traditional plant knowledge offers solutions to modern challenges, from healthcare to conservation and sustainable resource management.
Through community partnerships, scientific research, and educational programs, we're creating a bridge between ancient wisdom and contemporary science, ensuring that traditional plant knowledge continues to benefit future generations.
Preserving Australia's botanical heritage for future generations
Our mission is to document, preserve, and promote the traditional plant knowledge of Australia's Indigenous peoples, creating sustainable pathways for this wisdom to benefit contemporary society while respecting cultural protocols and intellectual property rights.
We are committed to ensuring that the profound understanding of Australia's unique flora developed over tens of thousands of years is not lost but rather integrated respectfully into modern scientific frameworks. Through collaborative research, community-led conservation projects, and ethical commercialization, we aim to protect both the plants and the cultural knowledge associated with them.
By bridging traditional ecological knowledge with contemporary conservation science, we work to address pressing environmental challenges while creating economic opportunities for Indigenous communities. Our approach centers on reciprocity, respect, and recognition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the original botanists of this continent.
Documenting traditional knowledge through collaborative research with Indigenous knowledge holders to ensure cultural practices are preserved for future generations.
Creating educational resources that share the depth of Australia's botanical heritage with schools, universities, and the broader community.
Working with Indigenous rangers and conservation scientists to protect threatened plant species and their habitats across Australia.
Discover Australia's remarkable native medicinal plants
Terminalia ferdinandiana
The world's highest natural source of Vitamin C, Kakadu Plum has been used by Aboriginal people for thousands of years as both food and medicine. Traditional uses include treating colds, infections, and as an antiseptic.
Backhousia citriodora
With the highest concentration of citral of any plant in the world, Lemon Myrtle has powerful antimicrobial properties. Traditional Aboriginal uses include treating skin conditions, respiratory infections, and gastrointestinal issues.
Melaleuca alternifolia
Used for millennia by the Bundjalung people of eastern Australia, tea tree leaves were crushed and inhaled to treat coughs and colds, or applied directly to wounds as an antiseptic. The essential oil has proven antibacterial, antifungal, and antiviral properties.
Solanum centrale
Also known as Desert Raisin or Kutjera, this plant has been a staple food source for Central Australian Aboriginal peoples. Rich in nutrients and antioxidants, it was also used medicinally to treat minor ailments and as a topical ointment for skin conditions.
Acacia pycnantha
Australia's national floral emblem has significant cultural importance to many Aboriginal nations. The bark was used to make medicine for treating coughs and indigestion, while the gum was used as an important food source and to treat burns and wounds.
Pittosporum angustifolium
Known as the "medicine tree" by various Aboriginal groups, Gumbi Gumbi has been used to treat a wide range of conditions including eczema, internal pains, and coughs. Modern research suggests it may have anti-cancer properties and is currently being investigated by several research institutions.
How we document and preserve traditional plant knowledge
We begin with respectful engagement with Indigenous communities, establishing research agreements that recognize cultural protocols and intellectual property rights. No documentation occurs without explicit permission and guidance from knowledge holders.
Working alongside Indigenous knowledge holders, we document plant species, their traditional uses, preparation methods, and cultural significance. This process often involves recording seasonal information, habitat details, and harvesting practices.
Samples collected with permission undergo laboratory analysis to identify bioactive compounds and therapeutic properties. We use both traditional analytical methods and cutting-edge technologies to validate traditional knowledge through scientific frameworks.
We create comprehensive databases that bridge traditional and scientific knowledge systems, always maintaining cultural context and attribution. Communities retain control over how their knowledge is presented and shared.
Based on our findings, we develop conservation programs to protect threatened medicinal plants and their habitats. These initiatives often incorporate traditional land management practices like cultural burning to maintain ecosystem health.
Explore scientific studies on traditional Australian plants
Traditional Indian and Australian medicinal plant extracts were investigated to determine their therapeutic potential to inhibit key enzymes in carbohydrate...
Read full studyThis project will establish a model for a new agribusiness in northern Australia based on native medicinal plants. It will combine science and...
Learn moreJul 25, 2019 ... Terminalia ferdinandiana is a traditional medicinal plant, endemic to Australia and is a rich source of many bioactive phytochemicals such as ellagic acid (EA)...
Read full studyFifty-six ethanolic extracts of various parts of 39 plants used in traditional Australian Aboriginal medicine were investigated for their antibacterial...
Read full studyIdeal native plants for the balcony botanist · Kangaroo paw (Anigozanthos) · Native bluebell (Wahlenbergia stricta) · Everlasting daisy (Xerochrysum).
Read moreSome of our Australian animals are very well known like kangaroos, dingos, wallabies and wombats and of course the koala, platypus and echidna.
Discover moreStories and insights from the field
Our team recently returned from a three-week expedition working with Nyikina elders to document traditional plant medicines in Western Australia's Kimberley region. This collaborative project revealed several previously undocumented uses for local species.
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Our laboratory team has identified three previously unknown compounds in Lemon Myrtle with significant anti-inflammatory properties. This discovery validates traditional knowledge that has persisted for thousands of years in Queensland's Aboriginal communities.
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Working with the Tjapukai community near Cairns, we've established a new conservation area specifically designed to protect three endangered medicinal plant species. This initiative combines traditional ecological knowledge with modern conservation techniques.
Read MoreThe people and stories that drive our research
Our field researchers spend months at a time in remote parts of Australia, working closely with Indigenous communities to document traditional plant knowledge. These expeditions often involve challenging conditions—extreme heat, limited access to resources, and difficult terrain—but they're essential for capturing authentic knowledge in its cultural context.
Each expedition begins with an extended period of relationship-building and cultural orientation. Our researchers learn local protocols, language basics, and community expectations before any formal documentation begins. This approach ensures that our work respects cultural sensitivities and builds genuine trust.
Many of our most significant discoveries have come from unexpected moments: informal conversations while gathering plants, stories shared around campfires, or observations of plants being used in everyday contexts. These insights highlight the importance of immersive, long-term engagement rather than brief "scientific" visits.
"The knowledge I share wasn't learned from books. It was passed to me by my grandmothers and their grandmothers before them. Each plant has its own story and its own spirit. You have to understand both to use the medicine properly."- Aunty Margaret, Yolngu Elder and Knowledge Holder
Get in touch with our research team
If you're interested in our research, want to collaborate on a project, or have knowledge to share about traditional Australian plants, we'd love to hear from you.
+61 2 8765 4321
123 Botanical Way, Sydney, NSW 2000, Australia