Native Plants, Flowers, and Grasses of Victoria: Ecology, Culture, and Healing with Country

The landscapes of Victoria — from volcanic plains and river valleys to coasts and mountain ranges — are home to thousands of native plants, flowers, and grasses that have shaped both ecology and culture for tens of thousands of years. For Indigenous peoples — including the Wadawurrung, Wurundjeri, Taungurung, Dja Dja Wurrung, Gunditjmara, Gunaikurnai, and Yorta Yorta Nations — plants were more than resources: they were kin, teachers, and healers.

Each plant carried a story — of season, soil, and spirit. From the golden wattle’s renewal after fire, to the soft murnong that fed families for generations, to the cooling smoke of eucalyptus and the shimmer of kangaroo grass in the wind, every species formed part of a living ecological library, read and tended by the First Peoples of Victoria.

This article explores key native plants, flowers, and grasses of Victoria — their ecological roles, cultural uses, and continuing significance in the revival of Country.

Plants of Food and Nourishment

Murnong (Microseris walteri) — The Yam Daisy

Perhaps the most famous Indigenous staple of southern Australia, Murnong, or yam daisy, grew across grasslands and volcanic plains before colonisation. Its tuberous roots were dug with wooden sticks and roasted or baked, providing a sweet, nutritious carbohydrate.

Women managed murnong fields with fire and careful harvesting, ensuring regeneration. Colonisation, grazing, and ploughing destroyed vast yam systems by the 1850s, but communities today are reviving murnong gardens across Victoria (Gott 2019; Pascoe 2014).

Warrigal Cabbage (Tetragonia tetragonioides)

A hardy coastal green, Warrigal Cabbage thrived along river mouths and dunes. Its leaves were steamed or boiled as a spinach-like vegetable. Rich in minerals and vitamin C, it balanced diets of seafood and roots. Indigenous cooks also wrapped fish in the leaves before baking in coals, a technique later adopted by colonists (Clarke 2009; Museums Victoria 2023).

Native Raspberry (Rubus parvifolius)

Sweet, tart berries of the Native Raspberry were eaten fresh or dried. The plant’s leaves were steeped for mild medicinal teas. Its appearance after rain was a sign of seasonal abundance — linking it to the renewal of women’s and children’s foods (RBGV 2023).

Pigface (Carpobrotus rossii)

Along Victoria’s southern coast, Pigface offered both food and healing. The red fruits were eaten raw, while the cooling sap soothed burns, bites, and skin irritation. The plant also stabilised dunes, protecting coastal camps from erosion — a living shield between land and sea (Clarke 2009; DEECA 2022).

Bush Tomatoes, Native Currants, and Quandongs

Across inland and semi-arid areas, Bush Tomatoes (Solanum spp.), Native Currants (Coprosma quadrifida), and Quandongs (Santalum acuminatum) provided rich, seasonal fruits. Quandong kernels were prized for their oil, used in both medicine and ceremony. These species, part of Victoria’s trade networks, connected coastal and inland communities across generations (Clarke 2009).

Plants of Healing and Ceremony

Eucalypts (Eucalyptus spp.)

Every part of the eucalyptus held power: leaves for cleansing smoke, bark for medicine, kino resin for wounds, and flowers for nectar. Eucalyptus smoke purified spaces, balanced spirit, and symbolised renewal. Different smokes had different purposes — stringybark for cleansing, red gum for strength, and peppermint gum for calming (Atkinson 2002).

Tea-tree (Leptospermum and Melaleuca spp.)

The aromatic tea-trees of Victoria’s wetlands and coasts were antiseptic powerhouses. Crushed leaves were infused for washing wounds or relieving congestion. The bark was used as wrapping for cooked fish or as waterproof sheeting in shelters. Smoke from tea-tree was used to drive away insects and negative energies alike (Clarke 2009).

Old Man’s Weed (Centipeda cunninghamii)

A humble ground herb, Old Man’s Weed treated colds, arthritis, and skin inflammation. Modern science has identified anti-inflammatory compounds in the plant, validating its continued use by Indigenous healers and naturopaths (Kellerman et al. 2005).

Native Mint (Mentha australis)

Growing along creeks and shaded wetlands, Native Mint was brewed into soothing teas for colds, stomach aches, and spiritual calm. Its fragrance symbolised breath, communication, and the movement of life between air and water — a sensory medicine of Country (DEECA 2022).

Lomandra (Lomandra longifolia)

A dual-purpose plant of strength and healing, Lomandra was used for weaving mats, baskets, and shelters; its roots were boiled for medicine and its young shoots eaten as vegetables. The plant’s long leaves symbolised endurance and continuity, often planted near birth sites and water sources (Gott 2019).

Plants of Ceremony, Symbol, and Spirit

Wattles (Acacia spp.)

Wattles marked renewal and law. Their bright yellow blooms signalled the end of winter and the return of warmth, guiding seasonal ceremonies and food gathering. Wattle gum and bark provided adhesives, dyes, and tannins, while seeds were ground into flour for high-protein cakes.

The Golden Wattle (Acacia pycnantha), Victoria’s floral emblem, embodies strength through regeneration — sprouting even after fire (Clarke 2009; RBGV 2023).

Cherry Ballart (Exocarpos cupressiformis)

A semi-parasitic tree of cultural significance, Cherry Ballart provided edible fruit and medicinal leaves. It was associated with renewal and transition, often planted near ceremonial or burial sites. Its relationship with host trees reflected the principle of interdependence central to Indigenous philosophy (Clarke 2008).

Bearded Heath (Leucopogon parviflorus)

This coastal shrub’s white flowers symbolised purity and renewal. Its berries provided nourishment and were used ceremonially during coming-of-age events. The plant’s fragrance and gentle smoke were believed to clear the mind and spirit, used by Wadawurrung and Boon Wurrung healers before travel (Museums Victoria 2023).

Grasses and Ground Plants

Kangaroo Grass (Themeda triandra)

Once covering vast areas of Victoria’s volcanic plains, Kangaroo Grass was both an ecological foundation and a food source. Seeds were harvested and ground into flour for bread-like cakes — one of the earliest examples of agriculture in the world (Pascoe 2014).

Its deep roots prevent erosion and support biodiversity, and it remains a key species in restoring traditional grasslands today.

Wallaby Grass (Rytidosperma spp.) and Spear Grass (Austrostipa spp.)

These resilient grasses provided material for string, bedding, and insulation. Their seed cycles indicated seasonal changes, and their presence showed healthy soil. Fire-stick farming encouraged their growth, maintaining open woodlands rich in game (DEECA 2022).

Nardoo (Marsilea drummondii)

A small aquatic fern with clover-like leaves, Nardoo was ground into flour after being carefully prepared to remove toxins. Found along inland waterways, it symbolised adaptability and the connection between water and sustenance (Clarke 2009).

Flowers of Country

Billy Buttons (Craspedia spp.)

These bright yellow spherical flowers represented joy and the return of spring. Collected for decoration, they also indicated healthy grasslands and soil fertility.

Everlastings (Xerochrysum spp.)

Daisies of resilience, Everlastings bloom after fire or rain, representing renewal. Their paper-like petals were used for decoration in camps and ceremonies and symbolised endurance through hardship.

Blue Pincushion (Brunonia australis) and Chocolate Lily (Arthropodium strictum)

These colourful wildflowers were not only visually striking but edible. Chocolate Lily tubers were eaten raw or roasted and carried a sweet vanilla scent. Their reappearance each spring was a sign of ecological health and the right time for specific harvests (Gott 2019).

Smoke, Fire, and Healing Practices

Victorian Indigenous healing often integrated plant medicine and smoke, using each species for distinct purposes:

Eucalyptus and Wattle smoke — cleansing and renewal.
She-oak and Cherry Ballart smoke — grounding and protection.
Native Mint and Bearded Heath smoke — calming and focus.
Lomandra leaves and Pigface steam — physical soothing and purification.

These combinations were guided by Elders and healers, balancing elements of fire and water, heat and coolness, body and spirit.

Smoke was not just medicine but communication — carrying intention and gratitude to the Ancestors.

Colonisation, Displacement, and Survival

Colonisation devastated Victoria’s plant landscapes. Grazing animals destroyed murnong fields, grasslands were ploughed, wetlands drained, and traditional burning banned. Many plants — like kangaroo grass and native daisies — declined under foreign agriculture.

At the same time, Indigenous healers were restricted or silenced, and sacred botanical knowledge was appropriated by European scientists. Yet the plants endured, often hidden in remnant patches, waiting for renewal.

Today, Indigenous communities and ecologists are restoring native flora — through Wadawurrung revegetation projects, Budj Bim cultural restoration, and school bush gardens — reconnecting land care with cultural practice.

The Future: Healing with Country

Reviving native plants in Victoria is not only an act of conservation but one of cultural healing. Each species carries part of a story — of resilience, balance, and belonging.

By replanting kangaroo grass, nurturing murnong, and restoring eucalyptus smoke to ceremony, communities are reweaving the ecological and spiritual fabric of Country. Modern science increasingly validates what Indigenous knowledge has always known: that human health and environmental health are inseparable.

In a warming climate, Victoria’s native plants offer lessons in adaptation, regeneration, and respect — showing how diversity and cooperation sustain life through change.

Conclusion

The native plants, flowers, and grasses of Victoria form a living archive of wisdom — ecological, medicinal, and spiritual. They teach that health begins with soil, and culture begins with care.

From the sweet root of murnong to the salt of Pigface, from the golden bloom of wattle to the hum of eucalyptus, these plants embody the deep relationship between people and place.

To walk among them is to walk within story — a story of Country that still speaks, grows, and heals.

References

Atkinson, J 2002, Trauma Trails: Recreating Song Lines, Spinifex Press, Melbourne.
Clarke, PA 2008, Aboriginal Plant Collectors: Botanists and Australian Aboriginal People in the Nineteenth Century, Rosenberg Publishing, Sydney.
Clarke, PA 2009, Australian Aboriginal Ethnobotany: An Overview, CSIRO Publishing, Melbourne.
CSIRO 2020, Native Flora, Grasslands, and Climate Adaptation in Southern Australia, CSIRO Publishing, Canberra.
DEECA Victoria 2022, Traditional Plant Use and Cultural Landscape Restoration, Department of Energy, Environment & Climate Action, Melbourne.
Gott, B 2019, The Yam Daisy: A History of Aboriginal Plant Use in Victoria, Aboriginal Studies Press, Canberra.
Kellerman, T et al. 2005, ‘Pharmacological potential of Centipeda cunninghamii’, Journal of Ethnopharmacology, vol. 96, pp. 177–185.
Museums Victoria 2023, Aboriginal Plant Use and Botanical Collections of Victoria, Museums Victoria, Melbourne.
Pascoe, B 2014, Dark Emu: Aboriginal Australia and the Birth of Agriculture, Magabala Books, Broome.
Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria (RBGV) 2023, Flora of Victoria and Indigenous Knowledge, RBGV, Melbourne.

Written, Researched, and Directed by James Vegter (25 October 2025)
MLA — Magic Lands Alliance
Sharing the truth of Indigenous and colonial history through film, education, land, and community.
www.magiclandsalliance.org

Magic Lands Alliance acknowledges the Traditional Owners, Custodians, and First Nations communities across Australia and internationally. We honour their enduring connection to the sky, land, waters, language, and culture. We pay respect to Elders past, present, and emerging, and to all First Peoples’ communities and language groups. This article draws only on publicly available information; many cultural practices remain the intellectual property of their respective communities.

Native Plants, Flowers and Grasses of Victoria