Bush Tucker Garden

Where traditional knowledge nourishes contemporary understanding

At Heritage Lanes, our Bush Tucker Garden represents more than sustainable design – it embodies our commitment to honouring Traditional Owners and the sophisticated knowledge that has sustained communities on this Country for generations.

Built on the site of Brisbane's historic Fruit and Produce Exchange, this living space weaves together the site's agricultural heritage with the deeper story of Indigenous food systems that have flourished here for thousands of years.

Living Cultural Knowledge

Our garden features native plants whose Traditional Names reflect deep cultural connections: Warrigal (Warrigal Greens), Gulalung (Finger Lime), Katwort/Keeng-a/Buin (Pig Face), and Daalgaal/Goongum (Illawarra Plum). Each plant carries stories of traditional use, seasonal knowledge, and sustainable harvesting practices developed over millennia.

This isn't simply about native ingredients – it's about understanding the sophisticated relationship between people, plants, and Country that continues to inform contemporary approaches to sustainability and nutrition.

Interactive Learning Through Technology

Partnership with Blaklash

At Heritage Lanes, we've collaborated with Blaklash, First Nations designers, curators and place-makers, to create an innovative series of interactive plant labels that embed First Nations knowledge directly into the landscape experience. Working alongside Koori chef Chris Jordan, from Three Little Birds, these weathered bronze-style labels feature beautiful botanical illustrations and QR codes that unlock a digital journey of discovery.

Each label shares insights into native plant species, their traditional uses, cultural significance, and contemporary applications - with recipes and preparation methods just a scan away. This collaboration represents our commitment to making Traditional Knowledge accessible while respecting cultural protocols, creating an immersive educational experience that bridges ancient wisdom with modern technology.

The interactive labels transform a simple walk through our landscaped areas into an opportunity for cultural learning and connection to Country, demonstrating how technology can respectfully amplify Indigenous knowledge systems.

Contemporary Applications

Collaboration with Three Little Birds

Koori chef Chris Jordan, from Three Little Birds, has developed recipes that honour traditional knowledge while exploring contemporary applications. From Sri Lankan Finger Lime Pickle to Native Turmeric Latte to Apple, Lilli Pilli & Native Violet Jam, our recipe collection bridges traditional ingredients with contemporary techniques. Each recipe acknowledges the cultural origins of ingredients and demonstrates how ancestral wisdom continues to nourish and inspire modern culinary innovation.

The recipes demonstrate how traditional understanding offers practical solutions for sustainable living, nutrition, and connection to Country through food.

Educational Experience

The Bush Tucker Garden serves as an immersive learning environment where visitors can engage directly with native plants, understand their traditional uses, and appreciate the sophisticated knowledge they represent.

This space invites reflection on our relationship with Country, the importance of sustainable food systems, and the wisdom held within Indigenous knowledge traditions.

Living Legacy

Walking through our Bush Tucker Garden means experiencing the intersection of ancient wisdom and contemporary vision. Here, traditional ecological knowledge informs modern understanding, creating spaces where cultural heritage guides sustainable futures.

Discover the garden and recipe cards that honour Traditional Knowledge while celebrating the ongoing innovation of Indigenous food culture.

Heritage Lanes celebrates First Nations cultures through our permanent art collection, bush tucker garden, and Storytelling Disks that share the rich history of Meanjin.

Discover our First Nations heritage

Heritage Lanes acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the land on which we operate and pays respect to Elders past and present. We honour the rich cultural heritage that continues to thrive and evolve.