70
fertilise the soil before the rains of autumn starts. During this time the Stringybark, Moonah and
Banksia trees come into blossom, providing sweet nectar that attracts many insects and birds. The
saltbush on the coastal dunes provides fruits for mixing into meals. The Eel Season starts with the
migration of large quantities of the female Eels down the rivers to the sea, to take up their long
journey up the east coast of Australia to the South Pacific. Eel traps are set, and the Wadawurrung
clans set up camps along the rivers. The roots of water plants are part of a vegetable and fruit diet
that includes the berries from late summer fruits. As birds start to flock to migrate to the warmer
north, more frequent heavy rains start to signal the start of early winter.
• Autumn/Early Winter (April to May)
The soil is still warm after the rains, and the mushrooms sprout up in circles at Freshwater Creek.
10
Large groups of women, young and the Elders sit inside the circles and harvest the mushrooms,
while talking about their travels, confirming between them the Dreaming stories of the past and
future, endorsing the importance of caring for Country. The billabongs start to fill with water after
more frequent rains. Moths emerge; native bees swarm and move across country collecting nectar
from the Flax-lily grass and Cranberry Heath. The clans start to move inland, to higher grounds as
the rain of winter start to settle in.
10 The location of the mushroom circles is in the region of Freshwater Creek. During the visit in 2014 to this special site
by the Author and late Aboriginal Elder Tandop David Tournier, the importance of the formation of the circles and
centres were discussed, highlighting the structure of order in social engagement and the connection to nature’s forces.
When the elderly and young women sit in a circle, there are no levels of dominance, everyone is at an equal level, and
hierarchy is established by the respect for the Elders. The centre acts as a natural phenomenon of gravity and wholeness.
This also reflects the Wadawurrung peoples beliefs that the position of the Aboriginal person in nature is that of oneness
with Country.
Table 5.2 Wadawurrung Settlement Areas and Bush Tucker (Food Sources) (Tournier, personal communication, 2014)
Open Areas and Plains
Season
High Ground and Mountains
Season
1. Kangaroo (Goim)
2. Fungi/mushrooms (Tubar)
3. Grass flowers
4. Lerp and manna (Laap)
5. Honey ants
6. Salt bush
All year
Autumn/winter
Spring/all year
Late summer
After rain
All year
1. Wombat (Gnor-Gnor)
2. Witchety grubs (Wooeekam)
3. Tree exudates
4. Fungi/mushrooms (Tubar)
5. Manna (Laap) - gum tree
All year
Late summer
All year
Autumn/winter
Autumn/winter
Waterways, riverbanks, wetlands Season
Coast and river mouths, Sandhills Season
1. Frogs (Djerrm)
2. Snakes (Kangalang)
3. Lizards (Gaan)
4. Ducks and swans
5. Witchety grubs (Wooeekam)
6. Tree exudates
7. Eggs (including turtles)
8. Eels (Kooyang)
9. Grass flowers
10. Yam daisy (Murnong)
Summer
Summer
Spring/summer
All year
Spring/summer
All year
Early spring
Late summer
Spring/all year
Spring/summer
1. Lizards (Gaan)
2. Snakes (Kangalang)
3. Witchety grubs (Wooeekam)
4. Eggs (including turtles)
5. Eels (Kooyang)
6. Salt bush
7. Oyster (Barrabool)
8. Mussel (Moorabool)
9. Flathead fish
10. Black fish
Summer
Summer
Spring/summer
Early spring
Late summer
All year
Spring/summer
Spring/summer
Spring/summer
Spring/summer
Mallee
Season
Bush and scrub
Season
1. Emu (Karwir)
2. Witchety grubs (Wooeekam)
3. Tree exudates
4. Lerp and manna (Laap)
5. Mallee fowls / Turkey
6. Grass flowers
All year
Spring/summer
All year
Summer/winter
All year
Spring/all year
1. Possums (Wallart)
2. Lizards (Gaan)
3. Snakes (Kangalang)
4. Witchety grubs (Wooeekam)
5. Tree exudates
6. Lerp and manna (Laap)
7. Gallahs/pigeons/birds
All year
Summer
Summer
Spring/summer
All year
Summer/winter
All year
The Wadawurrung bush tucker (food sources) list was provided during the interviews in 2014 by late Aboriginal Elder Tandop David Tournier
5 Origins of Advanced Knowledge
fertilise the soil before the rains of autumn starts. During this time the Stringybark, Moonah and
Banksia trees come into blossom, providing sweet nectar that attracts many insects and birds. The
saltbush on the coastal dunes provides fruits for mixing into meals. The Eel Season starts with the
migration of large quantities of the female Eels down the rivers to the sea, to take up their long
journey up the east coast of Australia to the South Pacific. Eel traps are set, and the Wadawurrung
clans set up camps along the rivers. The roots of water plants are part of a vegetable and fruit diet
that includes the berries from late summer fruits. As birds start to flock to migrate to the warmer
north, more frequent heavy rains start to signal the start of early winter.
• Autumn/Early Winter (April to May)
The soil is still warm after the rains, and the mushrooms sprout up in circles at Freshwater Creek.
10
Large groups of women, young and the Elders sit inside the circles and harvest the mushrooms,
while talking about their travels, confirming between them the Dreaming stories of the past and
future, endorsing the importance of caring for Country. The billabongs start to fill with water after
more frequent rains. Moths emerge; native bees swarm and move across country collecting nectar
from the Flax-lily grass and Cranberry Heath. The clans start to move inland, to higher grounds as
the rain of winter start to settle in.
10 The location of the mushroom circles is in the region of Freshwater Creek. During the visit in 2014 to this special site
by the Author and late Aboriginal Elder Tandop David Tournier, the importance of the formation of the circles and
centres were discussed, highlighting the structure of order in social engagement and the connection to nature’s forces.
When the elderly and young women sit in a circle, there are no levels of dominance, everyone is at an equal level, and
hierarchy is established by the respect for the Elders. The centre acts as a natural phenomenon of gravity and wholeness.
This also reflects the Wadawurrung peoples beliefs that the position of the Aboriginal person in nature is that of oneness
with Country.
Table 5.2 Wadawurrung Settlement Areas and Bush Tucker (Food Sources) (Tournier, personal communication, 2014)
Open Areas and Plains
Season
High Ground and Mountains
Season
1. Kangaroo (Goim)
2. Fungi/mushrooms (Tubar)
3. Grass flowers
4. Lerp and manna (Laap)
5. Honey ants
6. Salt bush
All year
Autumn/winter
Spring/all year
Late summer
After rain
All year
1. Wombat (Gnor-Gnor)
2. Witchety grubs (Wooeekam)
3. Tree exudates
4. Fungi/mushrooms (Tubar)
5. Manna (Laap) - gum tree
All year
Late summer
All year
Autumn/winter
Autumn/winter
Waterways, riverbanks, wetlands Season
Coast and river mouths, Sandhills Season
1. Frogs (Djerrm)
2. Snakes (Kangalang)
3. Lizards (Gaan)
4. Ducks and swans
5. Witchety grubs (Wooeekam)
6. Tree exudates
7. Eggs (including turtles)
8. Eels (Kooyang)
9. Grass flowers
10. Yam daisy (Murnong)
Summer
Summer
Spring/summer
All year
Spring/summer
All year
Early spring
Late summer
Spring/all year
Spring/summer
1. Lizards (Gaan)
2. Snakes (Kangalang)
3. Witchety grubs (Wooeekam)
4. Eggs (including turtles)
5. Eels (Kooyang)
6. Salt bush
7. Oyster (Barrabool)
8. Mussel (Moorabool)
9. Flathead fish
10. Black fish
Summer
Summer
Spring/summer
Early spring
Late summer
All year
Spring/summer
Spring/summer
Spring/summer
Spring/summer
Mallee
Season
Bush and scrub
Season
1. Emu (Karwir)
2. Witchety grubs (Wooeekam)
3. Tree exudates
4. Lerp and manna (Laap)
5. Mallee fowls / Turkey
6. Grass flowers
All year
Spring/summer
All year
Summer/winter
All year
Spring/all year
1. Possums (Wallart)
2. Lizards (Gaan)
3. Snakes (Kangalang)
4. Witchety grubs (Wooeekam)
5. Tree exudates
6. Lerp and manna (Laap)
7. Gallahs/pigeons/birds
All year
Summer
Summer
Spring/summer
All year
Summer/winter
All year
The Wadawurrung bush tucker (food sources) list was provided during the interviews in 2014 by late Aboriginal Elder Tandop David Tournier
5 Origins of Advanced Knowledge