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ABC News
09-08-2025
- Science
- ABC News
Indigenous knowledge is key to saving the great desert skink and other species
When Christine Ellis was young, she would watch her mother cooking with an open fire in the Tanami Desert. One meal she remembers being prepared was warrarna, the Warlpiri name for a great desert skink (Liopholis kintorei). Measuring up to 44 centimetres long, these desert lizards can be coloured like a sunset, with bright orange back scales that transition to a yellow belly. Ms Ellis's mother would cook the lizards on the coals and peel the charred skin from their back and belly. "We'd just wait patiently to when it was cooked and then mum would cut it in half," Ms Ellis said. "The tail was nice, it was like fish. "It was nice, but now we look after them [warrarna]." The warrarna was added to Australia's national threatened species list in 2000 after cats, foxes and a lack of fire management in some parts of its range contributed to a population decline. The decline in lizard numbers is impacting the cultural wellbeing of desert communities where the warrarna is recognised in art, stories and song. That's because of its status as a significant entity in "tjukurrpa" (which refers to both a historical creation period for the world by ancestral beings and a current living force). But there are hopes the lizard could one day be brought back to a point that is strong both in population and cultural health. Such an outcome may even see it sustainably eaten again. And now the knowledge of Ms Ellis, a Warlpiri ranger and expert tracker, and other traditional owners is at the forefront of preventing the lizard's extinction. Two years ago, traditional owners from Australia's central deserts worked with scientists and the federal government to create the first national Indigenous-led species recovery plan. Recovery plans are a set of management actions and plans to stop the decline or improve the numbers of flora and fauna on Australia's threatened species list. Having a set 10-year recovery plan enables funding to Indigenous ranger groups to utilise "two-way science" — a mixture of Western science with traditional knowledge and land management techniques. "We've been teaching other rangers how to track [warrarna]," Ms Ellis said. Warrarna live in burrows in the desert sands in family groups of four or more, she added. She has shown other rangers how to spot the burrows, which are close to communal latrines used by the skinks on the surface. Indigenous Desert Alliance ecologist Rachel Paltridge, who helped assemble the recovery plan, said it had become competitive between ranger groups to find the most burrows. "We've got a trophy now and awards for who gets the most burrows and who does the best work with the schools," she said. Sharing tracking skills across ranger groups has also helped them to find the best places to put traps for feral foxes and cats that hunt the lizards. "We've got some great projects going on with ranger groups using the latest technology in cat control," Dr Paltridge said. "One group that has got hardly any great desert skinks left … they're using grooming traps around the burrows and knocking off foxes and cats pretty regularly." There has also been more funding for fire management. Research earlier this year showed mosaic burning patterns, long used for land management by Aboriginal desert groups, was beneficial to lizards compared to uncontrolled wild fires. Tjakura in Pitjantjatjara, Yankunytjatjara and Ngaanyatjarra languages Warrarna in Warlpiri language Tjalapa in Pintupi language Mulyamiji in Manyjilijarra language by Martu people Nampu in Manyjilijarra language by Ngalia people Aran by Anmatjere people Arabana woman and conservation scientist Teagan Shields, who was not involved in the lizard's management, said the recovery plan had been a significant development in Indigenous-led conservation. Dr Shields, who investigates how to empower Indigenous land and sea managers in biodiversity conservation, said one of the key achievements of the plan was how it incorporated traditional knowledge. "One of the really interesting things when you look at the plan is they talk about the active use of that species as being a key success of that plan," she said. "The other thing it really did was open the pathway for other Indigenous-led plans." The federal government is currently considering another Indigenous-led recovery plan for the golden-shouldered parrot, known by the Olkola people as "alwal", in Far North Queensland. Dr Shields, who works out of Curtin University, said the draft plan for the parrot went further than a single animal in terms of its cultural relationship with the broader ecosystem. "The thing that it has, which probably hasn't been seen before, is that interaction of these culturally significant species within the system," she said. The plan details how removal of dingoes, known as ootalkarra by the Olkola and revered as their "boss", can be detrimental to the parrot. That's because the presence of the dingo is believed to protect nests from predators of the bird. "What we're starting to see in these plans is the marrying of species … [and] talks about that whole systems approach," Dr Shields said. There is momentum building behind integrating traditional knowledge from around Australia into conservation planning by governments. In June, the South Australian government passed new biodiversity legislation that included the concept of "culturally significant entities". These entities can be a particular plant or animal species with strong cultural significance to traditional owners or even a place or ecosystem. The legislation enables a First Nations committee to be established and requires a new policy to be developed for identifying and managing entities. Lisien Loan, the director of conservation and wildlife from the state's parks service, told the ABC such recognition would not block development but instead inform departmental planning. "So things like a [state-level] threatened species recovery plan would need to consider whether that species is a significant cultural biodiversity entity, and involve First Nations in that development of the plan and recovery actions." South Australia was the first state or territory to recognise culturally significant entities in its law, but a project co-led by Dr Shields could lead to national change. The project aims to come up with a nationally accepted definition of the concept, in consultation with First Nations people from around the country, that could be adopted federally. Dr Shields said the idea wasn't new, and drew on generations of knowledge. "It just so happens that at the moment we're getting some traction in this space, which is really positive," she said. The definition, to be made public soon, would also encompass species that may not be considered threatened at a state or national level. Dr Paltridge said in the communities she worked with that the Australian bustard and emu were two species were considered culturally important but were not listed as threatened despite anecdotal decline in desert areas. "They [ranger groups] would like to have more research on how we can increase them and look after them better," she said. "We don't want to wait until they're so threatened that it's difficult to recover them."
SBS Australia
11-07-2025
- SBS Australia
Ancient ingredients, modern plates: the Bush foods telling Uluṛu's story
Today, their knowledge of native foods remains essential as these Indigenous ingredients make appearances in high tea towers, fine dining menus – and hopefully, home kitchens too. A taste of tradition Sharnaya Butterworth is a proud saltwater Butchella, Nunukul and Goenpul woman, and a bush food tour guide at Ayers Rock Resort in Uluṟu-Kata Tjuṯa National Park in the Northern Territory. Her tours highlight the deep connection between food, land, and survival, and reveal how ancient practices continue to influence the Red Centre's dining scene – while introducing visitors to some of the ingredients and traditions that have sustained communities here for generations. Much of Sharnaya's knowledge has been passed down by talking to the aṉangu women around town, and she is keen to help preserve and share these stories. One of Sharnaya's favourite examples of how the land has sustained communities? Old Man Saltbush. "The aṉangu hunters of this area actually knew how to utilise this bush not only for human consumption but also as a hunting tool," she explains. Beneath the saltbush's silvery leaves, small reptiles and mammals take shelter – perfect for quick-thinking hunters. "You'd have the aṉangu hunters standing behind two fires on each end. Those lovely little critters… they're going to run out to this side." Aṉangu hunters would then dispatch these animals quickly, "Grab him by the tail and give him a nice boink over the head, there is your dinner," she laughs. Reinventing Indigenous flavours Saltbush is still a valuable food source today – and these days, it's also popping up on some of Uluṟu's most exclusive menus. Across the sand dunes at Tali Wiru , a sunset dining experience at Uluṟu, chef Joseph Lui is putting native ingredients like saltbush and quandong on the plate in new ways. Lui, a chef from the North Seas of the Torres Strait Islands, was drawn to Uluṟu for its unique flavours. "Here in [the town of] Yulara, we like to use one of our favourite native peaches called a quandong," he says. "It tastes just like a sour strawberry... Anything I could do with a strawberry, I'm excited to try with the quandong." Credit: Voyages Indigenous Tourism Australia For Lui, cooking with native ingredients is about more than flavour. It's about learning from the land, respecting cultural knowledge, and sharing a deeper understanding of Country. "You have to come here, you have to try it, and it's going to change your life," he says. At Ayers Rock Resort's Ilkari Restaurant, pastry chef Graciela Jonen adds a sweeter perspective to Uluṟu's native bounty. Her native Australian high tea features lemon myrtle scones with tangy quandong jam, rich wattle seed truffles, and her personal favourite – a native Tim Tam infused with saltbush. "We dehydrate the saltbush and crush it up and infuse it into the caramel to then create our native Tim Tam," she says. Credit: Voyages Indigenous Tourism Australia, Mauro Risch photography While these modern menus showcase the versatility of native ingredients, their cultural roots run deep. "These fruits, they actually flourish only two months throughout the entire year," Sharnaya explains, as she introduces visitors to the vibrant quandong tree. Without modern calendars, aṉangu communities turned to the constellations for guidance. "When you see that beautiful Dark Emu up in the sky and you see his lovely head to the far west side of Uluṟu, on the horizon… that's when we gotta go start picking." Credit: Peter J Ward 2011 The enduring relationship between food, culture, and Country is also reflected in new art initiatives like "Sunrise Journeys," an immersive light and sound show at Uluṟu and painting at the Gallery of Central Australia, co-created with aṉangu artists. "Bush foods depicted in the artwork, such as quandong, bush tomato, and native plums, are integral to aṉangu culture, representing not only sustenance but also ancestral knowledge of the land and its seasonal cycles," says Matt Cameron-Smith, CEO of Voyages Indigenous Tourism Australia. Credit: Tourism NT/Helen Orr/Voyages "By incorporating these foods into the artwork, the artists highlight their significance in daily life but also cultural practices, offering viewers insight into the depth of aṉangu expertise in this harsh environment, and the enduring relationship between community and Country." Storytelling through art and food Native ingredients once gathered for survival now feature in fine dining menus and large-scale artworks. But their significance remains the same - nourishing both people and culture. And a visit to sacred Uluṟu offers a chance to engage with these stories firsthand, whether it's tasting native ingredients on a bush food tour, learning from Indigenous guides, or experiencing how traditional knowledge shapes the flavours of the Red Centre today. For Sharnaya, the invitation is simple. "Let's go on adventure," she says - a reminder that every bite of native food carries stories of Country, connection, and culture. The writer travelled to Uluṟu as a guest of Voyages Indigenous Tourism.
ABC News
02-06-2025
- Business
- ABC News
Cuisine Culture
SERIES 36 | Episode 14 Hannah is at piyura kitina / Risdon Cove, Tas, where the traditional owners are using indigenous plants in top-quality catering. Manager Kitana Mansell is a palawa cultural knowledge and the driving force behind the palawa kipli catering business, and she regularly leads tours of the indigenous bush foods growing locally. Kitana is keen for locals and visitors alike to know more about the traditional foods used by her ancestors for thousands of years. The land was restored to Aboriginal ownership in 1995, but the site has a dark history as the site of a massacre in 1804. Now there is a thriving community back on the riverside land. Four species of wattle grow there, including blackwood (rriyalimana), whose seeds were roasted and ground up as a flavouring. The blossom can be used to infuse flavour into liquids or butter. Four species of wattle grow there, including blackwood (rriyalimana), whose seeds were roasted and ground up as a flavouring. The blossom can be used to infuse flavour into liquids or butter. Tinputina or tick bush smells like tea tree when the leaves are crushed. Branches of this are placed under meat when cooking on a fire, giving the food a great flavour. Tinputina or tick bush smells like tea tree when the leaves are crushed. Branches of this are placed under meat when cooking on a fire, giving the food a great flavour. Pigface or kanikung is a favourite of Kitana's as it's so easy to grow. The juice can be rubbed on skin to relieve sunburn or mosquito bites. They can also be infused in pepperberry vinegar for a crunchy addition to bush tukker tacos. Pigface or kanikung is a favourite of Kitana's as it's so easy to grow. The juice can be rubbed on skin to relieve sunburn or mosquito bites. They can also be infused in pepperberry vinegar for a crunchy addition to bush tukker tacos. Drooping sheoak has a lemony flavour and chewing the leaves can reduce the feeling of thirst. The dried branchlets are great kindling for fires, and the seed can be used to make bread. Drooping sheoak has a lemony flavour and chewing the leaves can reduce the feeling of thirst. The dried branchlets are great kindling for fires, and the seed can be used to make bread. The native oxalis, which has a purple underside to its leaves, has a sour fruity flavour. As a traditional owner, Kitana has cultural and legal permission to forage for bushfoods, which she says helps connect the community to their food, land and traditions. The bushfood industry is worth millions of dollars but only a tiny percentage is owned by First Nations people, so supporting communities to grow that involvement is important. Featured Plants rriyalimana (BLACKWOOD) Acacia melanoxylon tinputina (TICK BUSH) Kunzea ambigua kanikung (PIGFACE) Carpobrotus rossii DROOPING SHEOAK Allocasuarina verticillata NATIVE WOOD-SORREL Oxalis sp. Filmed in Risdon, Tas
SBS Australia
23-05-2025
- Entertainment
- SBS Australia
'Alone Australia' Season 3: The top 4 reflect on their experience in the wilderness
The cast of Alone Australia season 3. Credit: Alone Australia reunion The following article contains spoilers for who makes the top 4 of Alone Australia season 3. The time has come to find out who makes it to the end of this year's season of Alone Australia . Who will succumb to the cold? Who will fall to hunger? Who will manage to snag victory in their basket trap? Only Corinne, Muzza, Shay and Tom remain, and the end is getting closer and closer. With just two episodes left, we asked the four remaining Alone Australia survivalists to reflect on their time in the wilderness. Who will make it to the end? Find out in the nail-biting finale. The following interviews are in alphabetical order, and do not reflect the final positions of the top four. An only child, raised in the rural highlands of Scotland, now an adult living alone on 10 acres of suburban bushland in the south of Tasmania, Corinne is not one to be intimidated by the cold, the wet or the isolation. With a deep passion for bushcraft, she thrives on play with natural materials, crafting utensils, baskets, and traps, but foraging is her true survival forte. It was her fascination with foraging that led her to start and grow a successful bush food business, which she recently sold to pay off her home and focus on her dream of off-grid living. The biggest challenge for Corinne, however, was something she did not expect. "The toughest part was coming home. The noise and overstimulation. Everything was just... too much! Sounds, flavours, people, traffic, social media," she said. "My stomach struggled to handle dairy, sugar and artificial ingredients. I caught the flu and due to my weakened immune system the simple flu just absolutely smashed me! "I had so much work, overdue bills and life chores to catch up on! Life doesn't pause and wait for you just because you go out bush for a few months. And, of course, friends, clients and colleagues had no idea what I had gone through and I couldn't share it with anyone. They had continued their lives as normal and had no idea. It was quite an overwhelming and lonely experience." While in the wilderness, Corinne said she was constantly surprising herself, and pushed through every challenge with a positive attitude. The one thing she learnt from the experience? Gratitude. Gratitude for hot running water, for a microwave, for a leech-free bed. But most of all, for the people around her that she left behind to take on the Alone Australia challenge. "It makes you re-prioritise what is actually important in life," she said. "Life can be so stressful and complicated; work, paying bills, mortgage, social pressures and expectations, cost of living crisis, family. In a way, we are all in a survival situation, getting swept up in the whirlwind of life and we forget to just slow down, breathe and connect with ourselves. "It's difficult to just put your work and personal life on pause for an indefinite amount of time with no explanation of what your are doing and where you are going. I didn't expect to be out there for so long and I had to put a lot of trust in others to keep my alibi going at my work and home. The big question: will Corinne be able to make it to the very end? Find out in the Alone Australia double-episode finale Wednesday 4 June at 7:30pm. Muzza might be the oldest participant ever on Alone Australia , but at '63 years young,' he's quick to remind everyone that age is just a number. With the fitness and strength to match his adventurous spirit, this professional bushman and gifted storyteller has captured the hearts of Alone Australia viewers from the very first moment he appeared on screen. Reflecting on his experience in the Tasmanian wilderness, Muzza said that going in, he knew his own strengths and weaknesses well, so for him, there were no surprises, only challenges. "Going through starvation was mentally and physically cruel! When your body has run out of fat and it starts to eat itself, your mind goes into some sort of survival phase, and you cannot think of anything but feeding yourself," he said. "The thought of cutting my own arm off and cooking it up crossed my mind." Despite how confronting the hunger was, Muzza said he would "love to do it again", but would focus more on the filming and content side of things. After all, an audience of fans are watching every moment. "My advice would be to anyone contemplating doing Alone , just do it! Don't kid yourself of what you are capable of, be yourself, the good the bad the ugly. You don't have to have all the skills, as necessity will teach you. Like doing a tough long distance hike, it's 90% in your head and 10% in your legs," he said. Coming out of the Alone wilderness, Muzza said he learnt a few skills that he can now apply to the real world, mostly from watching the pattern of birds. "A couple of tiny birds used to come to my shelter about 20 minutes before a storm front came, and if I saw black cockatoos flying west, it coincided with a day or two of better weather," he said. He said this also gave him a better awareness of how First Nations peoples navigated the land, and used patterns recognised in nature to predict weather events. Can Muzza's body withstand an unforgiving Tasmanian winter and make it right to the very end? Find out in the Alone Australia double-episode finale Wednesday 4 June at 7:30pm. Shay, a shy and soft-spoken North Island New Zealander, has always felt more at home in nature than anywhere else. A possum trapper since 16, he spends many days deep in the bush hunting for meat and fur to support his family. Living mostly off wild animals — venison, possum, wallaby, hedgehog, and rabbits — Shay and his wife prioritise sustainable, wild food. In recent years, Shay has shared his knowledge of New Zealand's flora, fauna, and bush food on his YouTube channel , enjoying the process of documenting his adventures. Shay's advice for anyone looking to take on the Alone Australia challenge? Prepare yourself for everything coming your way. "Go bush for a week with no food and no phone, books or other distractions," he said. " Alone will never be easy but understanding how hard it will be is a great help, you'll know how to prepare if you have a good feel for what you have just signed up for!" Much like fellow Alone Australia contestant Corinne, Shay noted how gratitude was something he will take with him from his time in the wilderness. "More gratitude for everyday life," he said. "Knowing how lucky I am to live where I do and have the family I have. "I was surprised how much gratitude I had for the little things like dry socks, particularly during the hard times." The one thing Shay would do differently? Change one of his starting items. "I would take a clear tarp as one of my items and would practice primitive live capture traps back home before I left," he said. With his slight frame and difficulty maintaining weight, could this be the Achilles' heel that tests the resilience of this otherwise capable bushman? Find out in the Alone Australia double-episode finale Wednesday 4 June at 7:30pm. Tom lives a lifestyle grounded in self-sufficiency, nurturing his family with homegrown fruits, vegetables, foraged foods, and wild game — from small catches to larger hunts. A trained ecologist, he is currently an at-home-dad who also works as a zoo educator and runs his own nature education business, leading guided safaris and creating engaging content for councils across Sydney. An expert in trapping, plant and insect identification as well as foraging, Tom has refined his skills through years of study and practice. Fishing, a lifelong passion, is where he truly excels, having mastered various techniques across all water types. Born without his right hand due to symbrachydactyly, Tom has confronted challenges head-on, adapting to life with and without prosthetics. His exceptional adaptability shines through in his mastery of activities like rock climbing, building, hunting, swimming, kayaking, horseback riding, and fishing — all skilfully executed. "Like many of us, I've become my own biggest armchair critic. Watching the documentary back, it's hard not to yell at the screen 'why on earth didn't you do that?' but, then I pause," he said. "I remember how special my time was, how much I learned, and I remind myself to be kind, especially to the version of me who showed up, day after day, and gave it everything. If I had the chance to do it again, I'd craft fish traps and build my shelter closer to the water's edge where I could monitor my lines around the clock." Overcoming multiple challenges throughout the season, Tom said the hardest one of all was in the name of the game: being 'Alone'. "That's the hardest part. Sure, hunger gnaws at you and the mental battle to push it aside is real, but at the core, we all need human connection. When a doctor in his 60s gives you goosebumps just by placing a stethoscope on your chest not from cold, but from his genuine warmth, you feel it deeply. "Not a single day passed without thoughts of the heroes back home. My partner, family, and friends came together in my absence, and their encouragement echoed in my mind. They were always with me and that kept me sane. "When I longed for community and family, I turned to the natural world around me. In that solitude, I found peace and awe. The smallest details became profound — the birdsong in the trees, the tiny spiders weaving delicate webs in the gaps of my shelter, everything had me focused. I became part of the wildlife. I stayed curious, and that curiosity kept me out there." Will Tom cope with the isolation and separation from his family to make it to the end? Find out in the Alone Australia double-episode finale Wednesday 4 June at 7:30pm. The final two episodes of Alone Australia will premiere on Wednesday 4 June at 7.30pm and 8.30pm on SBS (Local Time) and SBS On Demand (AEST) and culminate at 9.30pm with Alone Australia: The Reunion exclusively on SBS On Demand. The reunion episode is also airing on SBS on Thursday 11 June at 7.30pm. All twelve episodes of season 3 will be available with subtitles in Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, Arabic, Vietnamese and Korean, and with audio description for blind or vision-impaired audiences. Share this with family and friends SBS's award winning companion podcast. Join host Yumi Stynes for Seen, a new SBS podcast about cultural creatives who have risen to excellence despite a role-model vacuum.
