Australia is a great place for bush tucker with aboriginal Australians surviving tens of thousands of years with our native plants as a significant part of their diet. There is something rewarding about growing native plants that have a human use. Even if we know it's pretty unlikely that we'll cook with them or use them medicinally, somehow it gives us a great feeling to know that if we really had to, we could go out and reap a bountiful harvest from the garden.
The Redlands City has its share of useful plants and we have gathered many in this garden. The majority seem to come from coastal dunes or rainforest. The hillsides in between were a bit lacking but it was these habitats that historically produced an abundance of meat. Some of the best bush tucker plants are also amongst the hardiest species available and any backyard environment can be made to accommodate some edible or medicinal plants.