Bush Tucker in the Daintree Rainforest

Exploring the Native Foods of the Daintree Rainforest

Estimated reading time: 3 minutes

Bush tucker in the Daintree Rainforest has a whole range of flavours, textures and food groups!

From ants & crabs, to native seeds and bush-made bread…the Daintree provides a whole menu!

Popular bush foods

It is home to a whole array of different plant species that can be eaten at any time of the year. During the wet season, these animals are not as abundant.

If meat is on the menu in the Daintree, then you’ve got possums, tree kangaroos and a whole range of different birds to choose from. Serve that with a side of native-grown vegetation and some bush bread – and you’ve got a whole meal!

Popular bush tucker in the Daintree:

• Atherton oak
• Bush damper
• Cape plum
• Green ants
• Crocodile
• Mud crabs

Atherton Oak

In the lower Daintree, the Atherton Oak can grow up to 25 meters tall. It’s fruit will ripen between November – February. This native tree thrives in thicker foliage, and ripens fully during the autumn. It can also produce it’s own type of honey.

Bush damper

The Bush damper is a type of bread that has a strong tie to Aboriginal culture. Seeds and nuts are ground down into a finer powder and then used a bit like flour. Roots, seeds and nuts are ground into a flour. Then, this is mixed with water and placed over coals. In the end, this makes a kind of bread-like food.

Cape Plum

With white flesh in the middle, a hard shell on the outside, the fruit contains a kernel on the inside. This kernel can be consumed like a nut, or added to biscuits or salads.

Green Ants

Green Ants are everywhere in the Daintree, so finding these little snacks isn’t too difficult. They have a very unique flavour to them. Green ants have a citrussy taste. They’re a bit tangy and even a little spicy. You can add them to your salads for a bit of extra crunch!

Crocodile

Daintree crocodiles are everywhere! There are heaps of different crocodile recipes – some bakeries might even sell crocodile pie!

Crocodiles are high in protein and low in fat, so they’re super nutritious.

Mud crabs

Boiled-up mud crabs can be a hearty accompaniment to a bush tucker dish! Mud crabs are abundant in the mangroves of the Daintree Rainforest. You’ll see them if you’re heading out to the boardwalks around Cape Tribulation. They emerge from the mud and sidestep around the rainforest floor.