what were some animal foods available to Victoria’s first peoples?
fish
duck
emu
kangaroo
birds
muscles
yabbies
eel
what were some plant foods available to Victoria’s first peoples?
yams
quandong fruit
roots
kakadu plum
macademia nuts
starchy tubers
fruits
nuts
seeds
how are some ways animal food were hunted/caught- what tools were used?
caught in nets- they would use fishing nets woven with reeds or cane to trap rays and fish in shallow water or dams.
spears- longer ones for larger animals, some had wooden bodies and stone heads
boomerangs- disabling larger animals and killing smaller animals
multipronged spears- fishing
what are some flavoring ingredients that were available to Victoria’s first peoples?
Wattle seed
Mountain pepper
Gum from the bark of gum trees
Nectar from flowers of native trees
How are those flavoring ingredients used today?
Wattle seed- can be used in baking (bread, muffins), ice creams, tea
Mountain pepper- seasoning, sauces, chutneys
Gum- eaten as a sweet
nectar- sweetner
What are 2 challenges encountered by non-indigenous settlers?
Lack of Agricultural experience:
The convicts did not have an agricultural background, and had little knowledge or skills in these tasks. This made farming activities such as growing crops and tending animals difficult. Because of this, Britain offered free land to English farmers. They were also given 2 years of free passage, provisions for 2 years and and agricultural tools
Poor communication:
Settlers didn’t speak the same language as the Aboriginals. This at times led to conflict regarding farming, relationship with the land and land ownership. They also did not take advantage of the Indigenous knowledge of the environment, the seasons of the local flora and fauna.
how were Victoria’s first people able to control the environment? 1 e.g explained
Fire stick farming:
Controlled burns to promote plant growth.
they altered their food supply by firing forest and scrub deliberately and according to plan to promote the growth of lush green grass, thus increasing the supply of edible seeds and encouraging the grass-eating game on which they depended
what was a sustainable food supply for Victoria’s first peoples? 1 e.g explained.
benefits of kakadu plum
high source of vitamin c
lots of antioxidants
essential nutrients
helps immune system and skin
benefits of barramundi
low in fats
high in protein
high in omega-3 fatty acid
