‘Native ingredients’ are having a moment in the spotlight, as the world discovers the bounty of flavours and nutritional value in bush foods that Aboriginal communities have been utilising for centuries.

While some of Australia’s leading restaurants offer the chance to enjoy dishes featuring native ingredients – from saltbush, native plums and lemon myrtle to bush honey, green ants and mud crab – there’s no better way to learn more about bush foods than an interactive tour with an expert guide. 

For authentic bush tucker experiences, it’s hard to go past the Northern Territory, as chef Matt Moran discovered on a recent trip with Animal Tracks in Kakadu’s Buffalo Farm Reserve. The boutique tour company takes small groups of up to 18 people on its day-long excursions, often led by popular Indigenous guide, Patsy.

“I’m so excited to spend the day with Patsy and Don from Animal Tracks,” says Moran. “They’re going to show me some Indigenous ingredients that I’ve never seen before and, as we all know, Indigenous ingredients are the cool kids on the block at the moment.”

Depending on the season, visitors might learn how to forage for ingredients such as freshwater mussels, palm-tree hearts, yams and sugarbag. You can also have a go at traditional baking techniques using eucalyptus leaves and paperbark to infuse meats such as magpie goose, buffalo and fish with fresh flavours.

Like many bush foods tours across the Territory, Animal Tracks offers more than just a taste of Australia’s native ingredients. Incorporating immersive experiences such as Dreamtime stories, to demonstrations of crafting techniques and visits to significant rock art sites, these tours also provide unique, hands-on opportunities to learn about some of the world’s greatest living cultures.

To discover more about bush food tours, visit northernterritory.com.