Writings

Araucaria bidwillii (Bunya Pine)

My thoughts on the Bunya ...

I have kept these reflections to the relevance they may have to The Archer Mountain Community/Companions.

You will have your own reflections if you would like to research the Bunya some more.

I leave it to each of you to draw your own inferences.

Julian

The Tree

The tree itself is magnificent and the sight of large dominant conifers in full rainforest can be a new and unexpected experience. The dome shape of its uppermost foliage is iconic and the massive bunya cones are spectacular.

The greater Araucariaceae family, literally like

something out of Jurassic Park, were distributed

almost worldwide during the Jurassic and Cretaceous

periods, becoming entirely extinct in the northern

hemisphere toward the end of the Cretaceous and now

found exclusively in the southern hemisphere,

survived by approximately 41 species across three genera. Other members of the family include the iconic Kauri of New Zealand , the Norfolk Island Pine and Australia’s other ”living fossil” the Wollemi Pine.

few things say ancient like a Bunya Pine.

It is an emergent species in rainforest and is confined to Queensland, where it occurs mainly between Nambour and Gympie and west to the Bunya Mountains, with a small occurrence in north Queensland on Mt. Lewis and at Cunnabullen Falls.

Although its timber has been discovered to be ideal for use in the production of acoustic musical instruments, its real potential comes in its already ancient role as a human food source.

Like so much of Australia' indigenous history, the true and full history of the Bunya Nut Festivals in South East Queensland may never be known. Stories of celebration and cooperation, finely tuned to the erratic fruiting of the Bunya Pine, which drew thousands of Aboriginal people from as far away as Charleville, Dubbo, Bundaberg and Grafton.

During January of each year, female flowers form in the top 1/3 of the tree while the sausage shaped male cones form below. Around August – September pollen from the male cones drifts upwards to fertilise the female flowers. The cone starts to develop and is ready to drop in approx. 17 months i.e. around February / March.

The tree has an amazing capacity, due to its leaf structure, to trap and condense available moisture, dropping the moisture to the base of the tree.

Each cone has the potential to produce up to 80 new Bunya Trees The leaves and the bark of the tree are very prickly!

The Nut

Apart from the above, it may be said that we are all a bit ‘nuts’, and it may be very helpful to stay that way!

I think, after my propagating many of them, we could have a Bunya Planting Festival in April/May 2017?

The small nut (each one the scale of the larger cone) develops around a soft core, each one attached to the core and to each other – they are individual, sharing the essence.

The very sizeable nut/cone, takes the shape of the tree itself, with it's distinctive flavour and high nutritional value, could be described as the quintessential bush tucker.

Over thousands of years aboriginal people have

gathered from such huge distances to celebrate

when the nut was in season is testament to its value

both as a food and as a unifying symbol of Aboriginal culture. the traditional people and culture of this land.

The nut is 40% water, 40% complex carbohydrates, 9% protein, 2% fat, 0.2% potassium, 0.06% magnesium and contains approx. 32 calories and gluten free.

The nut can be boiled or roasted, and make a great pesto; there are many varied recipes for the use of the nut - savoury and sweet dishes. It is one of the most versatile and useful of all our native foods - soups, casseroles, quiches, pies, pastas, vegetables, desserts, cakes, biscuits, bread, damper, scones, pikelets, pastry, lollies and porridge.

The simplest way to prepare Bunya nuts for eating is to put them in a saucepan of water and boil for about half an hour. Remove from the water and split open while still hot. Remove from the shell and serve with butter (pepper and salt if required). They may be eaten cold, but are better hot.

Apart from the above, it may be said that we are all a bit ‘nuts’, and it may be very helpful to stay that way!

I think, after my propagating many of them, we could have a Bunya Planting Festival in April/May 2017?

Julian Maher

Jim D’Arcy (on Earth Mystics Retreat)