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Gabbinbar

AboriginalGardenTrail

In the Year 4 HISTORY curriculum students investigate the following questions:

• What was life like for Aboriginal peoples and Torres Strait Islander peoples before the arrival of Europeans?

• What was the nature and consequence of contact between Aboriginal peoples and Torres Strait Islander peoples and early traders, explorers and settlers?

The Aboriginal Garden Trail provides first-hand experience as students:

• explore the diversity and longevity of Australia’s first peoples

• recognise the ways Aboriginal peoples are connected to Country and Place

• and understand early colonists use of land and its impact

We acknowledge the Giabal and Jarawair peoples as the traditional custodians of the land on which Gabbinbar State School now stands. We pay respect to their elders, past, present and future – and acknowledge that the land has always been a place of teaching and learning. This garden trail continues that tradition and furthers the Aboriginal word Gabbinbar’ as meaning ‘a beautiful place’.

Gabbinbar

Creatingabeautifulplacetobelong,inspireandgrow.

AcopyofthisbookletisavailablefromGabbinbarSchoollibrary.

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Area A – Our Place Acknowledging plants of significance

to Aboriginal peoples on whose land we stand at Gabbinbar.

Begin exploring the garden trail in this central garden space near the Tuckshop and eating area.

This garden of plants significant to Aboriginal culture was planted by Year 4s in 2015.

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1a.Grasstree(xanthorrhoealatifolia)A useful plant that had many uses forAboriginesintheToowoombaregion.Usesincluded:thedryflower-stemswereusedas spears and fire-sticks; the flowers were a

sweet nectar source; the bases of the leaves are sweet andnutty;awaterproofresinwascollectedfromtheleafbasesforattachingbarbs in spears and stoneaxes tohandles; and thetoughleaveswereusedasknivestocutmeat.Whenflowering,nativebeeslovethisplant. A local native plant.

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2a.QuinineBush(Petalostigmatriloculare

Thisisasmalltree.Ithasyellowflowers,bittertastingbrightorangehairyfruitandmedicinalbark.

Aboriginesusedthefruitsfortoothachebyplacingthefruitintothemouthbutnotswallowingthem.Thebarkwas infusedtomakeanantiseptictotreatfeversandwounds.A local native plant.

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3a.MidyimBerry(Austromyrtusdulcis)

ThissmallshrubgrowsnaturallythroughoutthecoastalareasofnorthernNSWandsouth-eastQLD.ThesmallwhitestarflowersinSpringarefollowedbyediblesoft,sweetberriesthatarelightpurplewith spots.Birds suchashoneyeatersareattracted tothisplantandtheflowernectarfeedsbutterflies.

MidyimberrieswereafavouritefoodforcoastalAboriginalpeople.

A native plant mainly grown in coastal areas.

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4a.PeanutTree(Sterculiaquadrifida)This tree produces leathery, boat-shaped pods that ripen inSummer. The shiny, black seeds inside have a nutty ‘peanut’flavour.Aboriginesatethenutsrawandroastedandusedthefibrousbarktomakenets.A local native plant.

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5a.Pigface(Corpabratusglaucescens)

Thisplantbrightensupourgardentrail.Aborigines ate the succulent green leaves, squeezed out thefleshypinkfruitthathasasweet,saltytaste.Juicestraightfromtheleavescanbeusedasalotiontorelievethepainofburnsandstings.A native plant of Australian coastal areas including Botany Bay.

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6a.Nativegrass(includingPoalabillardieri&Themeda

triandraorKangaroograss)

Nativegrassesandgrasslandsprovidecriticalhabitat for floraand fauna and traditionally, country for Aboriginal people tohuntandlive.Aborigines made use of many native grasses. For examplegrasseswere used for bedding,matting, basketweaving andstringmaking.Alsotheseedsweregatheredforfoodandgrassareascreatedtoattractanimalstobehuntedsuchaskangaroos.EuropeansbroughtmanydifferentgrassestoAustralia.Today,there is active conservation of native grasslands. This isparticularly important to protect native insects such as theDarlingDownsEarlessDragon.

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7a.Devil’sMarbles(Eremophiladebilis)

Thisplant,likemanyplantshasdifferentcommonnames.Ithasbeen called Johnny Apple andWinter Apple, and the nameDevil’s Marbles probably comes from the botanical name‘debilis’.Itisagroundcoverplantwithsmallflowerswhichcanbewhite,pinkorpurpledependingwhere itgrows.Look for theediblesweetfruitsinWinter.

Local aborigineswould certainly have eaten the fruits of thisplantandwecanwonderatwhatindigenousnametheygavetheplant.A local native plant.

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8a.Eucalyptusspecies(inc.Eucalyptus‘Summerred’)

Different species of eucalypts provided Aborigines withmaterialsformedicines,smokingceremonies,tools,digeridoos,clapsticks,weaponsandshelter,andmanyarestillusedtoday.Crushedleavesreleaseeucalyptusoilwhichcanbeusedasaninhalantforcolds,adisinfectantandinsectrepellent,compressforwounds, and boiled inwater tomake a lotion for achingmuscles.Manyeucalyptsor‘gumtrees’aretoolargetobegrownclosetobuildings.Summerredisaspeciallybredsmalleucalypt,suitableforourgardentrail.

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9a.AustralianCornflower(Rhaponticumaustral)

ThisisanENDANGEREDLOCALPLANT.It looks similar to a scotch thistle. We can help our nativeinsects by protecting this plant, collecting seeds and growingmoreAustraliancornflowers.A local native plant.

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10a.BlueTongue(Melastomamalabathricum)

Thisplant is found inmanypartsofAustraliaandAsiaontheedges of forests. It is sometimes referred to as a nativeRhododendron.Thefruitiseatenbyparrots.Aboriginiesatethisediblefruit.Itisatastysnackthatwillleaveyourmouthblue,butcheckwithanadultbeforetastingit.A native plant found in many places including from north-east QLD to north-eastern NSW.

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11a.Yams(variousspecies)

&Warrigalgreens(Tetragoniatetragoniodes)TwosignificantfoodsforAboriginalpeoples..

Yamsaretheenlargedrootsofseveralyamplantspecies.TheyarefoundinthewildalloverAustraliaandstillapopularbushfood.Sometimestheonlysignofyamsisafloweringvinethatisgrowing up a tree. Traditionally, Aboriginal women used adigging stick to dig up yam roots. They can be eaten raw, orcookedintheashesofafire.

Warrigal greens or wild spinach grows in many parts ofAustraliaandwasrecordedbyEarlyEuropeanvisitors:firstlybyCaptain Cook in 1770, then by the First Fleet Europeans as avaluablesourceof‘greens’toavoidscurvy.Warrigalgreensmustbecookedandcanbeeateninsmallquantities.

Local native plants.

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12a.Lemon-scentedMyrtle(Backhousiacitriodora)

Thefreshlemon-scentedleavesordriedleavesarepopularincookingbush-tuckerfoods;usedasarefreshingtea;alsoinAsiancookingandareaddedtocleaningproducts,shampoos,soapsandbodylotions.

Crushaleafandenjoythesmell.Local native plant to northern NSW and southern QLD

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13a.NativeBees(TetragonulaCarbonaria)‘Sugarbag’ or honey from these small native stingless beeswasprizedbyAboriginalswhocollecteditfromwildnestsandtradedit.Sugarbaghoneyisarareproductandhivesonlyproduceabout1kgofhoneyperyear.Native beeswax was used to seal wooden tools and makemouthpiecesfordigeridoos.Ourhivehasbeencarefullyplacedinahollowlogsothatthebeescan go about our garden trail collecting nectar and pollinatingplants.TakethetimetoWATCHthebeesbutDONOTTOUCH.

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Area B – Intermediate Walk

Fibre and String plants and rocks can be found along this walk.

Starting from the Tuckshop and eating area, walk

along the pathway on the Northern side of the Intermediate D block.

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1b.Melaleucaspecies(includingpaper-barkmelaluceaandfibrousbarkmelalucea)

Traditionally,melaleucaswere important anduseful trees foraborigines.Theleaveswerecrushedandrubbedontheskinforaninsectrepellent,andforantisepticqualities.Thepaperbarkshadmanyusesincludingusingthesheetsofbarkforlean-toshelters,wrappingfood,dressingwoundsandmakingbandages,assleepingmatsandliningbasketsforbabies,andevennaturalraincoats.Thewoodwasusedformakingspearsanddiggingsticks.Lookfornectarfeedingbees,birdsandinsectsenjoyingtheflowersonthesetrees.

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2b.BlueFlax-lily(Dianellacongesta)

Thefibreoftheleafisverystrongandsuitableforsplittingandtwisting into cords or weaving into baskets. Some sourcessuggesttheelectricblueberriesareedible,otherssaythereisnoevidencethattheywereeatenbyAborigines.Local native species include: Dianella caerulea and D.longifolia.

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3b.NativeFrangipaniTree(Hymenosporum

flavum)

ThispartlydeciduoustreehasperfumedflowersinSpring.Thetree attracts birds, native bees and other insects. Bark fibreswereusedbyaboriginestomakecordstobindthings. A local native plant.

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4b.MatRush(Lomandralongifolia)

TheleavesofthisplantcommontotheToowoombaareawereusefulforweavingandbinding.Theleaveswerecollected,driedandthenmoistenedtomakethempliable.After,theywereusedtomakematsandbasketsorstrippedtomakerope.Thewhiteleafbaseswereeatenandtheseedsgroundtomakeatypeofdamper.

ThisisalsoanimportantbutterflyhostplantfortheBlack-ringedochre,SplendidochreandOrangeochrebutterflies.A local native plant.

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5b.Nativehibiscus(Hibiscusheterophyllus)This plant once common from Brisbane to Toowoomba, wasrecorded by the botanist Allan Cunningham in 1824. It has asmallflowerlikethelargegardenhibiscus.Traditional aboriginal uses included eating flower petals, andpoundingthestrongstemfibrestomakestringfordillybags.Theleavesandrootscanbeeatenandtheflowerbudsmadeintoajamlikerosellajam.

A local native plant.

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6b.BirdwingVine(Pararistolochiapraevenosa)This vine is an important larval food plant for the beautifulRichmondBirdwingButterfly.ThevineisthoughttohavegrownontheToowoombaescarpment.Early Europeans brought a plant to Australia called TheDutchman’sPipewhichnearlydestroyedthislargebutterflybytricking it into laying eggs on the leaves andwhen the larvaehatchedandatetheDutchman’spipeplanttheydiedbecauseitwaspoisonous.YoucanresearchmoreaboutthisplantandhowyoucanhelpprotectRichmondBirdwingbutterfliesat:www.richmondbirdwing.org.au

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7b.Rocks(variousrocktypes)

Rocksofmany typesarepresent in theToowoombaareawhichwasonceavolcano.Rocktypesincludesoftsedimentarysandstonein creek areas and hard, heavy basalt rocks on the Toowoombarange.

Traditionally, rocks had a very important place in the Aboriginalway of life including for tools, paintingmaterial and ceremonialstones.

Softrockswereusedtomakeochreofdifferentcoloursandarestillused today for painting. Grinding stones were made from hardrocksthatcouldgrindseedsforflour.Cuttingimplementslikeaxesandkniveswerechippedfromveryhardrockssuchasquartz.WhenEuropeanssettledthisareatheyvaluedlocalrockandmany

oftheoldbuildingsinToowoombaandBrisbanewerebuiltfromsandstonethatcomesfrombelowtherange.

Basalt is an igneous lava rock local to the Toowoomba area. Sandstone is a sedimentary rock local to areas below the range.

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8b.Wombatberry(Eustrephuslatifolius)

Aboriginesfoundthetoughstemusefulfortyingthings.TherootsmayhavebeeneatenbyAborigines,butthefruitsdonotseemtobeeatenexceptformedicine.

A local native plant.

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9b.NativeFerns(variousspecies)ManyfernsarenativetotheToowoombaarea,fromlargeTreeFernstosmallMaidenhairFerns.Fernsgrowwellasabottom-storey,groundlevelplantlikecanbeseeninthisarea.Epiphytic ferns also grow well in shaded cool, moist areas. Epi means ‘upon’ and phyton means ‘plant’, so an epiphytic fern grows upon another plant. Can you see one in this area?

Traditionalaboriginalgroupswouldhaveusedfernsfordifferentpurposesdependingontheparticularfern,butcommonlyforfibretomakestring,bags,ropeandbaskets.

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10b.IvoryCurlFlower(Buckinghamiacelsissima)

ThisSummerfloweringtreehasawonderfulscent.Theflowersareamagnetforinsectsandinsectivorousbirds.Aborigines may have used this plant for medicine and todayscientistsarealsointerestedinitsanti-bacterialproperties. A native plant of North Queensland.

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Area C - Entry Way Walking from the carpark entry see

significant local trees.

Starting from the carpark entry, make your way

down the driveway to find plants – particularly trees that were valued by both Aboriginal

peoples and Early Europeans.

A baby Bunya Pine was planted in 2016 to honour the Boinya-boinya trail where Gabbinbar now

stands.

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1c.BunyaPine(Arucariabidwillii)

Toowoomba was once on the important boinya-boinya trail from

coastal SE Queensland to the Bunya Mountains where Aboriginalgroups held a ‘Bunya Feast’ whenever the nuts were plentiful(approximatelyevery3years).Groupsfromhundredsofkilometresawaymeetatspecialsitesalongthewayforceremonies,discussions,negotiationsandtradingofgoods.TheBunyaPineisatotemforthelocalJarowairpeople.

Traditionally the nuts were ground and madeintoapastewhichwaseatenraworroastedoverhot coals to make bread and today manymodernrecipeshavebeencreatedforbunyanutfoods. Gabbinbar’s Bunya Pine stands at theentry of our school and honours indigenouspeoplesandwildlifethatcamebeforeus.

A local native plant.

Our Bunya pine is a baby but you can find Bunya Pines that were planted over 100years ago at the entrance of Cobb & Co Museum in Lindsay Street and other places around Toowoomba.

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2c.Cycads(Macrozamiaspecies)

Thesebeautifulancientplantsproducealargeconeinthecentre.TheywereknownbytheaboriginalnameBurrawangaroundBotanyBay.SamplesofcycadswerecollectedbyJosephBanksin1770.They are poisonous. Aborigines knew how to treat the seedsfromtheconesinrunningwaterforseveralweekstoremovethepoison.Theywerethengroundtoapaste,cookedandeaten.Inourschooltheyarefoundattheentranceofthecarparkandatthestepentrynearthelibrarystairs.

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3c.SilkyOak(Grevillearobusta)

Silkyoaksarefastgrowingtreesandcanlivefor100years.Aboriginesusedtheflowerstomakeasweetdrinkbydippingthewholeflower-headsintowater.Beesandrainbowlorikeetsalsolovethenectaroftheflowers.

These treeswereharvestedextensively in theDarling Downs region by early Europeansettlersformakingfurniture.

A local native plant.

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4c.FlameTree(Brachychitonacerifolium)

Thistreelookslikeitisonfirewhenitflowers!Itattractsinsects,birdsandbutterflies.Aboriginesroastedtheseedsthatareinlargeleatherypods.

A local native plant.

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5c.Bottletree(Brachychitonrupestris)AlsoknownastheQueenslandbottletree;itgetsitsnamefromthe bottle shaped trunk. It is a deciduous, succulent plant,meaningitlosesitsleavesanditholdswater.Aborigineswouldcutintothetrunktodrinkthesaporeatthesoftediblepulp;thefibresinthebarkwereusedtomakestringfornets;andtheseeds,rootsandshootswerecookedandeaten.EarlyEuropeansusedthistreetofeedtheircattleintimesofdrought.A local native plant.

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6c.DeepYellowWood(Rhodosphaerarhodantheuea)

Adryrainforesttreethatwasoncecommon,butearlyEuropeanscutthesetreesdownfortimber.Itisarelativeofthemangotreeandhasmasses of flowers that native bees love followed by berries.Aboriginesatetheshinybrownfruits A local native plant.

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7c.FalseSarsaparillaVine(Hardenbergiaviolacea)

ThisvinegrowsinmanypartsofAustralia,usuallyinopenforestsandissometimesreferredtoas‘happywanderer’.ItflowersandfruitsinSpring.EarlyEuropeansettlersexperimentedwithusingtherootsandleavestomakeateabecauseofitssimilaritytotruesarsaparillathatgrowsinEurope.

A local native plant.

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8c.Stringybark(Eucalyptusspecies)Thismagnificenttreeisoneofthemanyspeciesofeucalyptusthathasa‘stringy’bark.Somehavelongstringybarkandothersshortstringybark likethisexample.ManyofthesetreesweretraditionallyusedbyAboriginestomakecanoesfromtheinnerbark.EarlyEuropeansalsousedtheexampleofAboriginestousethebarkforroofingandthewallsofhuts.

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Area D – Bird Walk Walk up the path between the

buildings to find important bird attracting plants.

Starting near the Native bee-hive walk up the pathway towards the Science and Music rooms then between the buildings towards Mackenzie

Street to see plants that are important to bird life.

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1d.Callistemonspecies(includingCallistemonviminalis

‘CaptainCook’)

Callistemon is a word made from two Greek words: ‘callis;(beautiful) and ‘stemon’ (stamen); together they meanbeautiful stamens which they are. The common name is‘bottlebrush’.The flower spikes produce nectar. Birds and insects use theflowersforfoodandthetreeisalsoahostforWitchettygrubs(larvalstageofthecossidmoth).

Traditionally, aborigines would have soaked nectar-ladenflowerheadsinwatertoproduceasweetdrink.

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2d.Grevilleaspecies(manyhybridspecies)

Like the banksias, grevillea flower spikes produce a nectarimportanttowildlife:bees,butterfliesandbirds.Aborigineswouldhaveusedthefreshflowersforsweetnessbyjustsuckingthemorsoakingtheminwatertoproduceasweetdrink.

Lookforthesetreesthroughouttheschoolgardens.

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3d.Tea-trees(Leptospermumspecies)

ThecommonnameforLeptospermumscomesfromtheearlyEuropeansettlerswhosoakedleavesinboilingwatertomakeatearichinVitaminC.ItisthoughtthatCaptainCookusedteatreetoboilateathathelpedpreventscurvyforthesailors.LocalaboriginesusedTeaTreeleavesasamedicineaswell.Trycrushingaleafandenjoythesmell.

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4d.Banksias(includingBanksiarobor)Manybanksiaspeciesareseenthroughouttheschoolgardensandarean important food and nectar source for native birds and insects.BanksiaswerenamedafterJosephBanks,thebotanistwhocametoTheGreatSouthLand(Australia)withCaptainCookin1770.Aborigineshadmanyusesforthesebeautifultrees.Theflowerspikesproduceediblenectar; syrup forsore throats.Thedry flowerconeswereusedtostraindrinkingwaterorevenashaircombs.Somegroupsused the woody cones as firebrands (burning wood that could becarriedfromplacetoplace),andsomegroupsusedthewoodtomakea tool like a needle for weaving baskets and mats.A native plant.

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5d.Tuckeroo(Cupaniopsisparvifolia)The foliage and flowers are food for many Australian birds,caterpillarsandbutterflies.Aboriginesmayhaveeatentheorangefruitsbuttheyarenotconsideredvery tasty. Todaywevalue this tree for its shade.Youcanseeitplantedinmanystreetsonfootpaths.Anative plant.

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6d.TulipwoodTree(Harpulliapendula)ThistreewasprizedforitswoodbyearlyEuropeansandmostoriginaltreeswerecutdownintheToowoombaarea.TraditionalAboriginalusesincludedusingthewoodforcarvingsandwhenfruitingcatchingbirdsforfood.Nativedovesincludingthetop-knotpigeonfrequentlyseeninourschoolgardenseatthefruitofthistree.A local native plant.

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7d.SpearLily(Doryanthesexcelsa)This large lily is a native plant to the Toowoomba Range.Aboriginalpeoplemayhaveroastedtherootsorthebaseofthelilystalk.Thelargeleaveswouldhavebeenusefulforcarryingfood.A local native plant.

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8d.PiccabeenPalm(Archontophoenixcunninghamiana)

ThenameofthisplantcomesfromitsAboriginalname:pikki.Itisatallpalmthatshedspalmsheathsthatwereusedaswaterand food containers and could even be used as a cradle forbabies.Thebrightorangefruitsarelovedbynativebirds.AnaturalforestofPiccabeenpalmscanbeseenatRavensborneNationalPark.

A local native plant.

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9d.SandpaperFig(Ficusopposite)This small figwasa ‘supermarket’ tree forAboriginalpeoplesbecause it had so many uses: food, shade, medicine, tools,firestickstostartfiresandfibretomakestringfornetsandtraps.Birdsalsolovethistreeforthesmallfigfruits(whicharereallytheflowerreceptacle).The leavesare rough like sandpaperandwereused topolishwoodenobjectssuchasspearsandboomerangs,oreventorubroughskinsmooth.Alocal native plant.

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Area E – Junior Walk

Walking down and up the pathway to the Juniors find plants special

to both Aboriginal peoples and Early Europeans.

Starting near the Native beehive walk down the

pathway to look for these plants.

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1e.ChristmasBush(Ceratopetalumspecies)and

HollyDovewood(Alchorneailicifolia)

TheseareexamplesofnativeplantsthatweregivenEuropeannames.

The ‘Holly’plantbecause its leavesresembleEuropeanholly that isusedatChristmastime.

TheChristmasBushwasgrowingextensivelyaroundBotanyBayandfloweredatChristmastimesoearlyEuropeanscutbranchestodecoratetheirhomes.

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2e.Lilly-Pillyspecies(Syzigiumspecies)

This was once a common bush-tucker plant for people andwildlife on the east coast of Australia. Itwas one of the firstedibleplantstobenotedduringCaptainCook’svisitin1770.Traditionally aborigines ate the fruits raw and early colonistmade the fruits into jams and Summer drinks. You can trytastingthefruitsbutcheckwithanadultfirst.

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3e.CrowsNestFern(Aspleniumaustralasicum)

Thisisanepiphyticfernmeaningitcangrowintheairsoyouoftenseethemgrowinginrainforesttrees.Debrisiscaughtinthesaucerlikecentreofthisplantwhereitprovidesawonderfulmoisthabitatforfrogsandinsects.

TheyoungfrondswereeatenbyAboriginesasavegetable.A local native plant.

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4e.CreepingBoobialla(Myoporumacuminatum)

Thecreepingboobiallagroundcoverisanativeplanttomanypartsof Australia. It has white flowers in Summer followed by smallediblepurplefruits.Aborigineswouldhaveenjoyedthesesmallfruitsasafoodsource.A local native plant in many parts of Australia.

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5e.NativeGinger(Alpiniacaerulea)Native gingers are beautiful plants found in many countries. Theyhaveedibleberriesand roots that taste like theginger thatweeattoday.Leavescanbeusedto layunderorwrapmeatcookedonanopenfire.Nativegingerwastraditionallysopopularwithaboriginalpeoplethatitissaidthattheseedsspatoutalongthetrailswouldmarkthetrailsforfutureuse.

A local native plant.

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6e.CabbageTreePalm(Livistoniaaustralis)Knownas‘daranggara’totheEorapeopleofSydneywhentheFirst Fleet arrived. Aboriginal people used the leaves as roofthatchandforweavingbaskets.Early Europeans used these leaves to make a popular earlycolonialhatcalledthe‘cabbagepalmhat’toprotecttheirfairskin from the hot sun. They processed the leaves by boiling,dryingandbleachingtheleavesinthesun,beforeweavingandplaitingthehat.

A native plant to the east coast of Australia.

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7e.NativeTamarind(Diploglottiscunninghamiior

australis)

ManyAustralianbirds feedon the fruitof this rainforest treeincludingthecrimsonrosella,topknotpigeon,figbirdandsatinbowerbird.Itisahosttreetothepalegreentrianglebutterfly.Aboriginesalsovaluedthefruit.Todayitisaddedtojamsandchutneysorcanbemadeintoatangycooldrink.A local native plant.

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8e.Broad-leavedPalmLily(Cordylinepetiolaris)

Atallnarrowpalmwithglossyredberries.Aboriginesatetheberriesoflocalspecieswhenfullyripe.

Therearemanycordylineplantsfromaroundtheworldintheschoolgardens.Thiscordylineplantisa local native plant.

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9e.NativeMint(Menthadiemenica)

There are about 90 different bush mints that have beenidentified in Australia. It is a ground cover plant with lightcolouredflowersinSpringandmintflavouredleaves.Traditionally, aborigines used mints as a medicinal herb forheadachesandillnesses.EarlyEuropeanssawthevalueofthisplanttomakearefreshingteaandtodaywecanenjoysmellingthemintyleavesandaddthemtodrinks.

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10e.WhiteLoveFlower(Pseuderanthemum

variabile)

This creeping plant provides prettywhite flowers in SummerandagroundcoverinourAboriginalGardenTrail.Perhapsaboriginalchildrenonceenjoyedtheflowersaswedotoday and had a special name like the European name ‘loveflower’.Thisplantisanimportanthosttosomelocalbutterflyspeciesincludingthevariedeggflybutterfly.A local native plant.

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11e.Wattlespecies(includingAcaciapodalyriifolia–QueenslandSilverWattle)

TheWattleisAustralia’sNationalEmblem.

Over100differentwattlespecieswereusedbydifferentAboriginalgroups.

Aboriginalusesincluded:theseedsofwattleswereroastedandeaten,youngpodseaten likepeas; thegumofacacia specieswasusedasasnack‘lolly’foodespeciallybychildrenorsoakedinwater tomakea jelly (palerambergumsare sweeter thanred-browngums);timbersfromwattletreesprovidedfirewood,hunting spears and boomerangs and building materials fortemporaryshelters.Wattlescanalsohostwitchettygrubs in thesoilaroundtheirroots. Todaywattle flowers and seeds are used in bush-foodcooking.

Local native plants. Native bee species

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Area F – Play Space

Find significant plants and trees in our playgrounds.

Begin in the Junior playground to find important shade trees that were significant in Aboriginal

culture. With room to move, more significant plants could be added to this area.

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1f.RedCedar(Toonaciliata)These treeswereplantedatGabbinbar toprovideshade inour JuniorplaygroundduringSummer. In lateWinter they lose their leaves forashorttimesotheyareoneofthefewAustraliandeciduoustrees.EarlyEuropeansharvestedRedCedarfortimbertomakehouses,furnitureandshipbuilding.

MostlargeredcedartreeswerecutdownaroundBotanyBayafterjust100yearsofcolonisation.Manywerealsocutdownby‘cedar-getters’usinghandsawsfromaroundtheToowoombaregionbytheearly1900s.Stand in the shade of our Gabbinbar Red Cedars and think about what uses Aboriginal peoples would have had for these giant trees that can live for over 200 years.

A local native plant.

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3f.ForestSheoak(Allocasuarinatorulosa)ThehardwoodofthesetreeswasoftenusedbyAboriginesformakingboomerangs,clubsandshields.TheseedsareanimportantfoodsourceforcockatoosandthesmallseedconesmayhavebeenusedbyAboriginalchildrentoplaygameswith.Findcasuarinasorshe-oaksonouroval.

A local native plant.

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4f.QueenslandNut(Macadamiaintegrifolia)

For thousands of years Aborigines feasted on these sweetdelicious nuts that naturally grewon the slopes of theGreatDividingRange.Theycalledthem,gyndlorjindilliorboombera.Fallen nutswere collected in dilly bags and taken to feastinggrounds.Artefactstoneswitharoundholeforholdingthenutshavebeenfoundalongsidealarger‘hammer’stoneusedforcrackingthenuts.Oilwasalsosqueezedfromthenutsandusedasabinderwithochresandclayforfaceandbodypainting.Today,macadamianutsarethemostwell-knownofAustralia’snativebushfoods.A local native plant.

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TAKECARE!Someinformationaboutbushfoodsandmedicinesmaybeanecdotal.Correctidentificationandpreparationisessentialbeforeeatinganybushfoods.

SelectedSourcesandFurtherInformationcanbefoundwiththefollowinglinks:

• ToowoombaRegionalCouncil,CrowsNestNativeNursery-plants,information,identification:www.toowoombaplants2008.blogspot.com.au

• AustralianStinglessNativeBees:www.zabel.com.au• ToowoombaBirdObservers:www.toowoombabirdobservers.org.au• RichmondBirdwingConservationNetwork:

www.richmondbirdwing.org.au• TakeatourofUSQGumbiGumbiGardens:useGumbiGumbiMobileApp

• AustralianNationalBotanicGardens:www.anbg.gov.au• RedlandBayIndigenousplantnurseryandcentre:

www.indigiscapes.redland.qld.gov.au• BushFoodsfactsheetfromQueenslandMuseum:www.qm.qld.gov.au• Moreaboutusingbushfoods:http://tasteaustralia.biz/bushfood/• BunyaMountainscaringforCountryplan:

http://www.bmrg.org.au/files/2313/7758/3382/Final-Bonye_Buru_Booburrgan_Ngmmunge-301010zzz.pdf

• ForabooksaboutAboriginalpeoplesandtheirplantssee:https://books.google.com.au/books/about/Aboriginal_People_and_Their_Plants.html?id=BrQdF-uBCXgC

• BlackEmu,BlackSeeds:agricultureoraccident?BrucePascoe2014

• SchoolUnitPlanC2CUnit2–HistoryYear4(V3.0).Contentdescriptions,achievementstandardsandgeneralcapabilities©ACARA2014.FormoreinformationaboutACARAcross-curriculumpriority:AboriginalandTorresStraitIslandershistoryandculture,see:

http://www.acara.edu.au/curriculum/cross_curriculum_priorities.html

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Area B – Intermediate Walk

Fibre and String plants and rocks can be found along this walk below D block.

Area A – Our Place

Acknowledging plants of significance to Aboriginal peoples

on whose land we stand at Gabbinbar.

Area C - Entry Way

Walking from the carpark entry see significant local trees along the

driveway.

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Area F – Play Space

Find many significant plants and trees in our playgrounds.

Area E – Junior Walk

Walking down towards the Juniors and back up the path to find plants

special to both Aboriginal peoples and Early

Europeans.

Area D – Bird Walk

Walk up the path between the buildings and between C & D blocks to find important bird

attracting plants.

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AnImportantNote:

Aboriginalgroupshuntedandgatheredfoodandmaterialssustainablyforover60,000yearsbeforeEuropeanscametocolonisethisland.

Europeansettlersneededfood,buildingmaterialsandmedicinessoexperimentedwithplantssimilartoonestheyknewandotherstheysawbeingusedbylocalpeople.

ItisimportanttonotethatAustralianAboriginesandEuropeanscamefromverydifferentculturesandenvironments.Theyhaddifferentbeliefsandunderstandingsaboutfood,health,sickness,lifestylesandseasons.ButtodaywecanlearnfrombothWesternEuropeanandIndigenousculturestolooktoafuturethatvaluesourlocalplants.

AUSEFULLIST

Food:Seeds&nuts:4a,1c,2c,4b,4c,11e,4f,Fruits:3a,7a,10a,9d,2e,4e,7e,8e,

Other:11a,12a,13a,2c,6d,7d,5e,

Drinks&teas:

12a,3c,7c1d,2d,

Medicine:

2a,5a,8a,1b,10b,3d,9d,9e,2f.

Clothingraincoat-1b,hat-6e,

Tools

1a,8a,1b,7b,4d,7d,8d,9d,3f,

Houses&timber

3c,6c,8c,6d,11e,1f,

Fibre&String

6a,2b,3b,4b,5b,8b,9b,5c,9d,

Baskets&containers

6a,1b,2b,7d,8d,6e,

Fire

1a,4d,9d,

Musicinstruments8a,

Paint7b

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS&THANKSgoto:Coles/LandcarefortheseedfundinggrantandToowoombaRegionalCouncil.staff,students,P&CparentsandcommunityfriendsofGabbinbarStateSchoolToowoombaQueensland

InformationaboutthetrailcompliedbyM.Elvery(Year4classteacher,2017)