Murnong (Yam Daisy: Microseris lanceolata) This was a staple part of Koori diet and was widely distributed throughout Victoria until intensive grazing by heavy, sharp-hoofed animals restricted its range to roadside verges and other ‘wild’ plains.
Drawings by early squatters and notes in their diaries show that Wathaurong women cultivated murnong plots of 2-5 acres and the tools they used allowed not only for the collection of the tubers, but also the aeration of the soil and cultivation to produce a fine tilth. Sometimes it is eaten raw as a radish, but more usually it is cooked in baskets in earth ovens. The cooking produces a delicious dark juice called minne and the root itself, when cooked, is called taloom. Cooked roots were often carried about for food when travelling.

Potato (Milkmaids: Burchardia umbellata)  This is still a very common plant in the Geelong area, its roots were cooked in similar fashion to murnong.  

As with murnong potato, tarook (Blushing bindweed) and puewon (Bulbine lily) were tilled regularly, and in such a way as to leave sufficient parent roots to bring on next season’s growth. The sharp sticks (karni) used for the collection of roots, separated bulbs and aerated the soil. There are perhaps 50 or 60 plants which were harvested in this way, including many species of orchid which have a bulb-like growth on the roots which is very nutritious.

 Karawun (Spiny Headed Mat Rush: Lomandra longifolia) The basal stems of these plants are pure white and taste like celery or water chestnuts. The stems can be cooked, but in spring the raw shoots are delicious as a fresh salad. The leaves of this plant are excellent for basket weaving.

Boyungkaal (Watercress) There are at least two varieties of cress. The refreshing salad leaves have a slight peppery taste and are consumed fresh and also enhance the flavour of fish when stuffed into the body cavity.

Barring-gootch (Small-leaved Bramble, Native Raspberry: Rubus parvifolius) A small raspberry but very delicious and common in summer.

Warrigal Cabbage (New Zealand Spinach, Captain Cook’s Lettuce: Terragonia tetragoniodes) This plant is found over a wide area of the eastern coastal area and was used widely by sailors including Cook to prevent scurvy. It is very refreshing as a fresh salad vegetable but it is also very good, slightly steamed on hot rocks. 

This is only a tiny sample of the many plants from this area which comprises the Wathaurong diet.

Bruce Pascoe
Wathaurong Co-operative