With a cultural history spanning tens of thousands of years, Native Australia is also home to unique flora and fauna that have shaped a cuisine unlike any other in the world. This makes the land down under irresistible to food lovers seeking a true adventure – one that shares no culinary borders.
For more than 60,000 years, Indigenous Australians have drawn on deep knowledge of the land to prepare bush tucker. Their traditional diet incorporates herbs, spices, fruits, seeds and nuts, alongside native animals like kangaroo, emu, crocodile and witchetty grub – often cooked over campfire coals or in underground ovens.
Wherever your foodie travels might’ve taken you before, your first taste of Australia promises to be a sensory explosion.
New South Wales
With native ingredients like lemon myrtle, pepperberry and world-class seafood, New South Wales offers plenty of ways to experience Indigenous flavours.
In the Shoalhaven region, Blak Cede in Nowra is run by local Koori women and grows its own produce in a community garden. Visitors can enjoy the dishes on-site and even purchase bush tucker from its online shop. For brunch, BTB Kirribilli tempts diners with creations like barbecue emu skewers served with macadamia satay sauce. Meanwhile, Arrana and Restaurant Kawul have earned a reputation for combining innovation with cultural sensitivity.
Travellers wanting to learn more about the origins of their food can visit Muru Nursery, where bush tucker plants are grown from seed. It’s a place to experience the deep connection between land, culture and food first-hand – a real must if you like to try local food when you’re travelling.
Pro tip: If you are planning on heading off the beaten track (and I would highly recommend it!), you’ll want to have cash handy as there are plenty of native treats to buy along the way. I personally used Australia Post to sort out my cash. It’s also easy to order AUD using their online services and pick up your paper money at any post office.
Queensland
Famous for finger lime and the nutrient-rich Bunya nut, Queensland is brimming with opportunities to taste indigenous cuisine.
In Brisbane, Birrunga Gallery and Dining – the only First Nations-owned gallery and café in the central business district – serves crocodile bao buns, teriyaki-style barramundi, kangaroo loin and more. Further north in Cairns, Ochre offers seasonal menus featuring emu wontons, smoked crocodile and desserts such as wattleseed pavlova with Davidson plum sorbet and macadamia biscotti.
For those who want to learn in nature, the Kubirri Warra brothers lead cultural tours along Cooya Beach, exploring its mudflats and mangroves – and teaching spear fishing along the way.
Pro tip: Book indigenous-led tours well ahead of peak season. These experiences are in high demand for good reason – the knowledge shared is hands-on and unique.
South Australia
South Australia’s arid regions are home to the “sweet peach” desert quandong, prized for jams, jellies and sauces. Adelaide is the best place to explore these flavours, with pioneering restaurants leading the way.
Red Ochre Barrel + Grill was among the first to showcase indigenous cuisine and remains a favourite, offering kangaroo, emu and crocodile dishes alongside botanicals like quandongs and native plums. Don’t miss the pan-roasted barramundi – or, if you’re feeling adventurous, the fried crocodile fish cakes.
At Restaurant Botanic, wild produce, native herbs and bush spices take centre stage in a 29-course tasting menu that pushes the boundaries of flavour and presentation.
Pro tip: While in South Australia and Adelaide, keep an eye out for local and nearby events. Some chefs host bush food workshops or Indigenous tasting nights, which will let you learn more about the native ingredients. For example, Auntie Leanne Williams recently held a bush food workshop at Gawler Environment Centre in which she shared her knowledge of bush food plants, how to grow, harvest and prepare them, blending her family heritage with Buandig/Booandik, and Kaurna culture.
Victoria
From Melbourne’s urban heart to the slower pace of country Victoria, the state brims with opportunities to taste native Australian ingredients. In the city, Big Esso is a must-visit, with dishes showcasing finger lime, pepperberry and bush tomato.
Pro tip: Visit the Koorie Heritage Trust in Federation Square. Alongside its exhibitions, it offers cultural insights that deepen appreciation for the native foods appearing on your plate.
Flavourful, sustainable and steeped in tradition, bush tucker is more than just a cuisine – it’s one of the top Australian foods you could possibly hope to try, having nourished one of the world’s oldest living cultures for millennia, from the citrus tang of desert lime and lemon myrtle to the distinctive texture of the witchetty grub.
Have you ever tried bush tucker cuisine? What did you think? Share your thoughts in the comment box below.