FORTY women from Nannup, neighbouring towns and Perth met on Friday November 13 at the Nannup Bowling Club to take part in a hands-on workshop aptly named ‘The Magic of Bush Medicine’.
Facilitated by Monica Durkin of the South West Catchment Council’s Regional Landcare Facilitator Programme and conducted by Vivienne Hansen, this day-long event cast insight into creating natural remedies for general health and wellbeing. It also included the sampling of some of the glorious bush tucker food our country has to offer.
Ms Hansen, a Noongar woman of WA from the Balladong and Wadjuk people, conducted her presentation in a calm, friendly and informative manner, teaching the group about the wide and varied aspects and applications of local flora and fauna. Together they made Sandalwood Nut Scrub and Eucalyptus Ointment.
Five South West Foodbowl Committee members, headed by Nannup local Kerrie Dunnet, pulled out all the stops in creating the perfect bush foods menu for a sumptuous morning tea, lunch and afternoon tea.
A beautiful basket full of bush tucker ‘goodies’ was also raffled off, with proceeds going towards the next festival, which will be held in October 2016.
Local businesses including A Taste Of Nannup, Especially Tulips, Gloria’s Gifts, Josephine’s Soy Candles, Nannup Bottlemart, Nannup Pharmacy and Tricia’s Kitchen were acknowledged for their generous donations.
After lunch Barbara Dunnet of Milyeanup Pastoral Company and Sarah Green of Nannup Brook Farm explained their roles as women working in a farming enterprise to the group.
To conclude the afternoon, Ms Hansen and her sister Val helped the group create individual bush flora pillows from a vast array of native plants that had been picked earlier that day.
For more information on Binyaarns Bush Medicine contact Vivienne Hansen at viviennehansen@Y7mail.com.
