In 2006 Moggill Creek Catchment Group (MCCG) received a grant from Australia’s Open Garden
Scheme to establish a ‘Bush Tucker’ Garden behind the Brookfield Produce Store at the end of
Rafting Ground Road. With the permission of the then owners of the store, two 20,000 litre water
tanks were in stalled at the back of the store to provide water, both for the garden and for MCCGs
bushcare groups. The idea of the ‘Bush Tucker’ Garden was to provide an opportunity for MCCG
members and local residents to become familiar with a range of plant species that were used to
provide food for the traditional Aboriginal owners of the land. Unfortunately, in recent years, due to
lack of maintenance, the garden had become overgrown with exotic vines such as glycine, Madeira
vine and balloon vine, as well as other weeds.

Having learned only recently of the existence of this ‘Bush Tucker’ Garden, MCCG Chairman Jim Pope
decided to organise a special working bee to start to clear out the weeds and clean up the site. On
Sunday 9 th August, a group of 22 volunteers gathered at the site (with appropriate ‘social
distancing’), to start the work. About half the group were young people from a local Baha’i youth
group called the ‘Brookfield Junior Youth Spiritual Empowerment Program (Brookfield JYSEP)’, who
despite little previous experience of bushcare work, proved of great assistance in the task. The area
is now largely clear of weeds, but will require some ongoing support to replace species that had
been smothered by the weeds and to maintain it weed-free in future. With the agreement of the
current management of the Brookfield Produce Store it is hoped to restore it to its former glory and
encourage local residents and school groups etc. to visit the area and learn more about foodstuffs
that the first Australians included in their diet.

If anyone would like to volunteer to assist with the upkeep of the ‘Bush Tucker’ Garden please
contact Jim Pope ([email protected]). We need 3-4 people to meet at the site for 2-3 hours once a
month to re-plant the missing species and keep the area well maintained. No previous experience is
necessary and tools etc. will be provided.

Plaque commemorating establishment of the ‘Bush Tucker’ Garden in 2006

Volunteers at the working bee on 9 th August

Before                                                                                                     After

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