NAIDOC Week is a wonderful opportunity to celebrate and learn from the world’s oldest living culture, and one of the easiest ways to do that is through Australia’s remarkable native foods.
Every Friday at Mullumbimby Farmers Market, local bush food educator Bec from Playing With Fire shares her passion for native ingredients, helping visitors discover their unique flavours, nutritional benefits and deep cultural significance. Her stall is a treasure trove of bush tucker products, including teas, spice blends, syrups, cordials, vinegars, fruit powders and native edible plants for the home garden.
For anyone keen to grow their own bush foods, Bec recommends easy-care coastal varieties such as warrigal greens, pigface and karkalla, while native thyme and native basil thrive in shadier gardens and bring distinctly Australian flavours to everyday meals.
One of her most popular products is her handmade wattleseed biscuits, showcasing the rich, roasted flavour of one of Australia’s most versatile native ingredients. She also offers powders made from Kakadu plum, Davidson plum and rosella, perfect for adding to smoothies, yoghurt or breakfast bowls.
Many native foods have also been valued by First Nations peoples for thousands of years for their medicinal properties. Kakadu plum is famous for its exceptionally high vitamin C content, while many native herbs and fruits have traditionally been used to support health and wellbeing. Modern research continues to confirm the remarkable nutritional value of these ancient foods.
There’s also something new on the horizon, with Bec soon introducing native popcorn to her range – a delicious new way to experience Australian bush flavours.
NAIDOC Week also provides an opportunity for the community to come together and celebrate the enduring culture, knowledge and traditions of the Bundjalung people. Everyone is warmly invited to attend an Acknowledgement of Country at New Brighton Farmers Market on Tuesday, 6 July at 8.30am, and again at Mullumbimby Farmers Market on Friday, 9July at 8.30am.
Mullumbimby Farmers Market is open every Friday, both from 7am to 11am. Visit Bec at Playing With Fire and discover the incredible flavours, stories and traditions behind Australia’s remarkable native foods.
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