The Season of Creation is a time when we come together in celebration, appreciation, conversation, and commitment to renew our relationship with our Creator and care for all creation.
On Saturday 7th October, a group of us gathered in Joseph Banks Native Plants Reserve, Kareela, for a walk to discover and explore native foods and better understand the history, culture and ecology of our local area. Congregation members were joined by people from our social club, our community choir, and other churches around the Shire to hear from Graham Avery, a Dharawal man and Natural Areas Aboriginal Heritage Officer.
Graham was not only extremely informative but also very entertaining, with a quick wit. After an introductory talk that included an explanation of the development of Aboriginal languages across the country, he displayed and explained a spear thrower and spear which he had personally and painstakingly crafted as replicas of those held at Sydney University, which were souvenired by James Cook and the crew of the Endeavour in 1770.
We toured around many different plants and discovered how to rub up a soapy storm using coastal wattle, what leaves to use in a salad, how to steep bottlebrush flowers to create a refreshing sweet drink, where to find the resin on a grass tree, why cabbage tree fibre does not make good rope, and many many more ways the Australian bush provides food, tools, and the supplies to prepare and use them. We also learned a lot of the origin of many words we commonly use, as well as local place names and where they came from.
We are very grateful to Graham for his thorough knowledge, and willingness to share it with us!
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