Swan Valley Bush Tucker and Beyond Trail

The Swan Valley has always enjoyed a rich tradition as a food bowl.

Aboriginal people have always lived a life governed by their own six seasons. Djeran (autumn) would see them returning to tend their gardens, hold ceremonies and prepare for Makooroo (winter). Plant and animal foods were plentiful.

Captain James Stirling in 1827 made his way up the Derbal Yerrigan (Swan River) as far as the site of All Saints Church. He explored the local area and deemed the alluvial soil worthy of supporting a new settlement.

The first grape vines were planted in 1829 at Olive Farm by botanist Thomas Waters. Many Aboriginal people worked as seasonal grape pickers, camping on properties along the Derbal Yerrigan. Ever connected to the land, they used their spare time to gather bush tucker and to fish, a time-honoured tradition among Noongar people in the Swan Valley.

This trail recommends points of interest in the natural environment. Walk the trails at Walyunga, where up to 600 Aboriginal people would gather for ceremony in Djeran. Visit Maalinup, an Aboriginal owned-and-operated enterprise where you can taste and buy bush food products.

Explore other businesses that have embraced bush food ingredients as part of their everyday offering. If you know where to look, there is still plenty of bush tucker to be found in the Swan Valley.