MLA Educational Series
Explore in this course on Ecology and native plants, animals of Australia and connection to Indigenous knowledge systems. Discover bush foods, ecology, medicine and the relationships between species, land and people across Victoria and Australia.
Written, Collaborated and delivered by
James Vegter and Uncle Reg Abrahams
Native Plants in Victoria and Australia
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Ecology
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Ecology in Victoria and Australia: Land Management, Biodiversity and Environmental Change
Explore the ecology of Victoria and Australia through both Indigenous knowledge and modern science. From cultural burning and aquaculture to colonisation and ecosystem decline, this article reveals how Traditional Owners shaped landscapes for thousands of years and how restoration efforts are now working to heal Country.
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Botany in Australia: Native Plants, Food, Medicine and Knowledge
Explore Indigenous botany in Australia, where native plants are used for food, medicine, and cultural lore. From yam daisy and eucalyptus to grasslands and waterways, this article reveals how Australian Indigenous knowledge systems managed ecosystems sustainably for thousands of years.
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Aquaculture and Biodiversity in Victoria: Indigenous Eel Systems and Sustainable Land Management
Explore Indigenous aquaculture and biodiversity in Victoria and Australia, where eel systems, wetlands, and seasonal knowledge created some of the world’s oldest sustainable food systems. From Budj Bim to Lake Connewarre, this article reveals how Traditional Owners managed ecosystems through engineering, law, and deep ecological knowledge.
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Indigenous Conservation in Australia: Ecology, Cultural Knowledge and the Future of Country
Explore conservation biology in Australia through both science and Indigenous knowledge systems. From cultural burning and aquaculture to modern biodiversity protection, this article reveals how Traditional Owners have sustained ecosystems for thousands of years and how these practices are shaping the future of Country.
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Fungi in Victoria: Indigenous Knowledge, Ecology, and Environmental Change
Explore fungi in Victoria and Australia through Indigenous knowledge and ecological science. From bush medicine and fire-carrying fungi to mycorrhizal networks and ecosystem health, this article reveals how fungi sustain life, connect Country, and play a vital role in environmental change and restoration.
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Native Breads
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Native Berries
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Native Plants, Trees and Flowers
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Native Vegetation of Victoria: Indigenous Land Management, Ecology and Environmental Change
Explore the native vegetation of Victoria, from volcanic grasslands and wetlands to forests and coastal ecosystems. This article reveals how Indigenous land management, including cultural burning, sustained these landscapes for thousands of years—and how colonisation transformed them. Discover the science, history, and revival of Country through ecology and Traditional Knowledge.
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Algae
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Native Plants, Flowers and Grasses of Victoria
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Native Wattle
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She and Bull Oak Trees
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Gum Trees
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Native Grasses
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Guano - Bird Faeces
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Quandong
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Bearded Heath
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Pigface
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Nardoo
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Native Flowers
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Indigenous Plant Medicines and Foods
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Indigenous Plant Medicine in Australia: Healing, Ecology and Knowledge of Country
Explore Indigenous cooking in Victoria and Australia, where fire, earth ovens, and smoke were used to prepare native foods for thousands of years. From roasted meats and smoked eels to steamed plants and ceremonial feasts, this article reveals how cooking was deeply connected to ecology, sustainability, and cultural knowledge of Country.
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Indigenous Cooking in Australia: Fire, Native Foods and Cultural Knowledge of Country
Explore Indigenous plant medicine in Victoria and Australia, where native plants, fire, and smoke have been used for healing for thousands of years. From eucalyptus and tea-tree to lomandra and wattle, this article reveals how bush medicine connects ecology, science, and cultural knowledge of Country.
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Native Foods on Country
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Indigenous Bees and Honey in Victoria: Sugarbag, Pollination and Ecology
Explore Indigenous knowledge of bees and honey in Victoria and Australia, where native bees, sugarbag honey, and pollination play a vital role in ecosystems and culture. This article reveals how Traditional Owners tracked bee behaviour, harvested sustainably, and understood the deep connection between bees, plants, and the health of Country.
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Cooking Meats and Fish
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Bark, Healing, and Country: The Medicinal and Cultural Uses of Tree Bark in Victorian Indigenous Communities
Explore tree bark medicine in Victoria and Australia, where eucalyptus, wattle, she-oak, and paperbark have been used for healing for thousands of years. This article reveals how Indigenous knowledge combines ecology, chemistry, and cultural practice to treat illness, build tools, and maintain connection to Country.
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Native Mint (Mentha australis): Indigenous Plant Medicine, Healing and Ecology in Australia
Explore Native Mint (Mentha australis), a traditional Indigenous plant medicine used across Victoria and Australia for healing, calming, and restoring balance. From teas and steam therapy to smoke cleansing, this article reveals how botanical science and cultural knowledge of Country come together in one of Australia’s most important medicinal plants.
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Native Raspberry (Rubus parvifolius): Indigenous Bush Food, Medicine and Ecology in Australia
Explore Native Raspberry (Rubus parvifolius), a traditional Indigenous bush food of Victoria and Australia. Rich in nutrients and cultural meaning, this article reveals how the plant provided food, medicine, and ecological regeneration—linking seasonal harvest, healing practices, and the deep knowledge of Country.
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Mushrooms
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Murnong - Yan Daisy
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Native Leek
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Native Cherry's
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Native Vegetables
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Seaweed
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Saltbush
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Kangaroo Apple
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Warrigal Cabbage
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Introduced and Endangered Species
Magic Lands Alliance (MLA) Educational Series
The MLA Educational Series is a comprehensive, interdisciplinary learning program grounded in First Nations knowledge systems, scientific research, and historical truth-telling. It is designed to connect learners to Country—through geology, ecology, culture, language, and story—tracing relationships across deep time into the present.
The articles currently available on the Magic Lands platform represent the first stage of this educational series—a growing body of research and storytelling focused on the science, history, and culture of Victoria, Australia. These works form the foundation of a much larger learning framework, bringing together knowledge from across Wadawurrung Country and beyond.
Developed alongside the feature film Magic Lands – Purra and Buckley’s Chance, the series offers a rich exploration of Victoria’s landscapes and the knowledge systems of its First Peoples. Drawing on more than 800 referenced articles and years of research across Victoria, Australia, and global contexts (Vegter, 2025), the program integrates disciplines including archaeology, geology, ecology, and Indigenous cultural sciences to reveal the interconnected story of land, life, and identity.
As the Magic Lands film projects move through production and completion, on-Country cultural infrastructure will be developed, enabling the full delivery of structured courses, immersive education experiences, and Indigenous-led tourism initiatives. These next stages will transform the series from a digital knowledge base into a living, place-based learning environment.
At present, the educational content is freely accessible online (as of April 2026), ensuring open access to knowledge during this foundational phase. Over time, this will evolve into a supported education and tourism model that sustains long-term cultural, educational, and community outcomes.
Grounded in collaboration with First Nations communities, the MLA Educational Series invites learners to engage deeply with the enduring relationships between people, Country, sky, and sea—before, during, and after colonisation.
Written and delivered by
James Vegter and Trevor Abrahams

