Olive Pink Botanic Garden

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Aboriginal people retain an extensive amount of detailed knowledge about the edible properties and medicinal uses of many different plants. The sourcing, harvest and preparation of these plants is important knowledge that is shared between older and young Aboriginal people, and many local Arrernte people still harvest plants regularly for bushfood and medicinal resources. The following is a list of some of the bushfood and medicinal plants growing at Olive Pink Botanic Garden.

Ilwempe
Ghost gum Corymbia aparrerinja
This elegant tree with its striking white bark is an iconic feature of rocky range country in Central Australia. Arrernte people use its small branches to make splints to immobilize broken bones. Other Aboriginal people used its resin to treat cuts and sores.

Aherre-aherre
Native lemongrass Cymbopogon ambiguus
Arrernte people collect the fragrant leaves of this grass and crush them to use in a pillow to treat flu symptoms. Leaves and roots are also used in rubbing medicines or boiled and drunk in small quantities to relieve bad colds and flus.

Awele-awele or Alperrantyeye
Bush tomato Solanum ellipticum
The roots of this plant are used by Arrernte people to treat toothache. The roots are baked in ash and then peeled and placed on the aching tooth. The fruit of Awele-awele is also an important bushfood, but can act as a laxative if too many are eaten.

Anatye
Bush potato Ipomoea costata
Antaye grows as a viny shrub on sandplains north of Alice Springs. Its large, starchy tubers are both nutritious and sweet tasting. It is a staple bushfood throughout the region, and is drought- and fire-tolerant.

Atnyeme
Witchetty bush Acacia kempeana
The seeds of this widespread shrub are an important bushfood for Aboriginal people, as are the large witchetty grubs extracted from its roots. Arrernte people also used the inner bark from roots of Atnyeme to make strings to tie splints to broken limbs.

Atnetye
Bush banana Marsdenia australis
The young fruit of this vine are a delicious bushfood as are the creamy flowers, but the older fruit are full of silky seeds. Arrernte people used to use the roots of Atnetye to keep thin. This plant is relatively common in bush around Alice Springs, but can be hard to spot.

Pmerple
Quandong Santalum acuminatum
The tart, fleshy fruit of Pmerple is a highly prized bushfood. Quandongs are now cultivated to provide fruit for the bushfood industry. In the wild, however, quandongs are becoming rare as a result of intense browsing pressure from feral camels.

Alatyeye
Pencil yam Vigna lanceolata
Found near watercourses, this creeper is most obvious after rains. The swollen roots of Alatyeye are a favoured bushfood throughout the region. These starchy tubers are eaten raw, or after cooking in ashes.

Apere
River red gum Eucalyptus camaldulensis
Common along watercourses throughout inland Australia, Apere is a very important tree for Aboriginal people. Arrernte people pound the bark to make an antiseptic paste that is used to treat wounds. Sugary lerp infestations on the leaves are a prized bushfood, and grubs from the roots are also harvested.

Arrutnenge
Bush passionfruit Capparis spinosa var. nummularia
Growing mostly on riverflats, this dense spiky shrub has large, sweetly scented, white flowers. The ripe yellow fruit of Arrutnenge are a prized bushfood, but are often eaten by birds or ants before people can harvest them!

Arrwatnurlke
Striped mint-bush Prostanthera striatiflora
The fragrant leaves of Arrwatnurlke are crushed by Arrernte people and the juice used to dry out sores. The leaves are also either burnt to make inhaling smoke or made into a rubbing medicine and used to treat flu symptoms. Arrwatnurlke grows in the rocky hills around Alice Springs.

Irmankga-irmankga
Narrow-leaf fuchsia bush Eremophila alternifolia
More common in northern parts of South Australia, Irmankga-irmankga is a potent medicinal plant. The leaves are either steeped in water or crushed and made into a rubbing medicine to treat a wide range of ailments.

Atnyerlenge
Crimson turkey bush Eremophila latrobei
Arrernte people use the juice from leaves of Atnyerlenge in rubbing medicines or in a solution to treat flu symptoms, headaches and infections. Fresh stems are also used to treat toothache, and the nectar from flowers eaten to cure sore throats.

Arrethe
Rock fuchsia bush Eremophila freelingii
A common shrub on the surrounding rocky hillslopes, Arrethe is an important medicinal plant. Its leaves are either burnt and the smoke inhaled, or crushed and made into a wash or rubbing medicine to treat flus and chest infections.

Aherre-intenhe
Red poverty bush Eremophila duttonii
Aherre-intenhe grows on gravely flats across the region. Its leaves have strong medicinal properties, with the juice being used to treat scabies and sores. Leaves are also crushed and mixed with fat to make a rubbing medicine for aching muscles.

Ilpengke
Gidgee fuchsia bush Eremophila dalyana
A powerful medicinal shrub from Alyawarre country, Ilpengke leaves are used in rubbing medicines to treat flus and chest ailments. A decoction of the leaves is also used to treat scabies and other skin complaints.

Pintye-pintye
Sticky blue-rod Stemodia viscosa
Pintye-pintye grows in moist places along watercourses or in gorges. The fragrant leaves of this herb are used in a pillow to induce a restful sleep, or crushed and mixed with fat to make a rubbing medicine to treat cold and flu symptoms.

Ayepe
Tar vine Boerhavia species
After rains, Ayepe can carpet floodplain areas or riverbeds. The tap root of Ayepe is edible, and can be eaten raw or baked. Ayeparenye, an edible caterpillar that feeds on Ayepe leaves, is an important ancestral being in Arrernte Altyerre (Dreaming).

Arnterre
Colony wattle Acacia murrayana
Arnterre usually grows in dense colonies in floodplain or sandplain areas habitat. Aboriginal people collect its seeds for bushfood, either roasting them before grinding them into a paste, or steaming the green pods whole. The sap is also eaten by kids.

Ntyemenye
Ruby saltbush Enchylaena tomentosa
Ntyemenye is a common shrub in most habitats across the region. Masses of tasty orange, yellow, or red fruits are produced after rains and are a favoured bushfood of kids. The fruits were also used by Aboriginal people to produce a red dye.

Arlperre
Whitewood Atalaya hemiglauca
Alperre is a common tree across the region, growing on rocky hills, as well as in loamy woodland areas. The white sap is edible, and there is a witchetty grub that lives in the roots and is eaten by Aboriginal people.

Atwakeye
Wild orange Capparis mitchellii
Atwakeye grows in woodland communities across the region and produces sweetly scented white flowers and round fruit that ripen to yellow-green. The yellow pulp is strongly flavoured, and the seeds are bitter if chewed.

Utnerrenge
Weeping emu bush Eremophila longifolia
Utnerrenge is the host plant of one of the three ancestral caterpillars that are important to local Arrernte people. A significant medicinal plant, its leaves are used to smoke mothers and babies. Juice from the leaves is also used to treat burns and sores.

Arratherrke
Snake vine Tinospora smilacina
Arrernte people used to crush sections of the vine from this plant and tie it around the head of someone with a bad headache. Other Aboriginal groups used the sap or leaves from this plant to treat sores or wounds. Snake vine occurs on sandplain country north of Aileron.

Artetye
Mulga Acacia aneura
The inner bark from roots of Artetye was used by Arrernte people as a string to tie splints to broken limbs. The seeds of this widespread tree are also a very important bushfood. Honeyants are also dug out of their deep nests under Artetye groves.

Athenge or Atyarnpe
Ironwood Acacia estrophiolata
Arrernte people use the bark from roots of Athenge to make a solution to treat sore eyes and other infections. Gum exuded from the trunk of this tree is eaten and the hard, red wood is used to make implements.

Arrankweye
Bush plum Santalum lanceolatum
A common plant across the region, often growing in small copses along watercourses, Arrankweye fruit turns black when ripe and is a significant bushfood. The fruit were also used by Arrerte people to dye reeds to make into baskets.

Irlweke
Native pine Callitris glaucophylla (at start of Waterhole path)
This tree is found in rocky hill country protected from fire. Arrernte people used to collect the bark from Irlweke to make a bed to treat people with bad flu infections. The fragrant leaves and resin are also steeped in water or used in a rubbing medicine for chest colds and the flu.

Arlketyerre
Dead finish Acacia tetragonophylla (at end of waterhole path)
Arlketyerre is a widespread shrub around the Alice Springs region. Arrernte people use the sharp spiky leaves to treat warts. The bark from roots is also steeped in water to make an antiseptic solution for treating sores. The seeds are an important bushfood.

Aperlape
Conkleberry Carissa lanceolata (at end of waterhole path)
Growing along watercourses or in woodland communities to the north of town, Aperlape produces many sweet, black berries after good rains. The orange inner bark is also used by Aboriginal people as a medicinal wash for skin and eye infections.

Many other plants that grow around waterholes or in other wetland areas were also harvested extensively for food by Aboriginal people in earlier times. It is not unusual to come across fragments of grinding stones used to process the seeds and tubers of different food plants in these habitats. Many of the other wattle species growing in the Garden are also harvested as bushfoods by Aboriginal people in the desert regions. The Wattle Walk will introduce you to some of these plants.

 

 

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The flora of Central Australia provides a unique and diverse range of species suitable for making any home garden into an oasis. From our beautiful Mallees through the distinctive flowers of the Eremophila species and bright yellows of our Sennas , there is a never ending cycle of  blooming plants to attract birds and create a beautiful home environment.

On top of this there are huge water savings that can be made by appropriate species selection, irrigation systems and  plant maintanance practices. The species listed below are just a few, of the amazing range of  Central Australian plants appropriate for home gardening. So get out in your yard, plant a local species and watch it thrive, bringing your garden to life.

  Trees

• Acacia aneura – Mulga  4-10 m
• Acacia estrophiolata – Ironwood 10-15m
• Acacia salicina – Cooba 4-12m
• Atalaya hemiglauca  – Whitewood 6-10 m
• Acacia holosericea – Candelabra Wattle 2-6m
• Brachychiton gregorii – Desert Kurrajong 6-10m
• Callitris glaucophylla – White cypress pine 5-7 m
• Corymbia aparrerinja – Ghost gum 15-20 m
• Corymbia opaca – Bloodwood 10-15m
• Eucalyptuc camaldulensis – River Red Gum 15-20m
• Eucalyptus coolabah – Coolabah 12-15 m
• Eucalyptus intertexta – Bastard Coolabah 12-15 m
• Ficus brachypoda – Native Rock Fig 4-6m
• Gravillea striata – Beefwood 10-15m
• Meleleuca bracteata – Black Teatree 4-6m
• Santalum acuminatum – Desert Quandong 4-6m

Small Trees

• Acacia colei – 3-5m
• Acacia cowleana – Halls Creek Wattle 3-5m
• Acacia cyperophylla – Red Mulga  5-7m
• Acacia jennerea – Coonavittra Wattle 3-5m
• Acacia kempeana – Witchetty Bush 3-4m
• Acacia murrayana – Colony Wattle  3-5m
• Acacia tetragonaphylla – Dead finish 2-4m
• Acacia undoolyana – Sickle-leaf Wattle 3-5m
• Dodenaea viscosa – Desert Hopbush 3-4m
• Eremophila bignoniiflora – Bignonia Emu Bush 2-4m
• Eremophila youngii  3-4m
• Eucalyptus gamophylla – Blue Mallee 4-5m
• Eucalyptus lucens – Shiny Leaved Mallee 3-5m
• Eucalyptus minniritchi – Round-leaved Mallee 4-5m
• Eucalyptus pachyphylla – Red-bud Mallee 2-4m
• Hakea divaricata – Fork Leaved Corkwood 4-6m
• Hakea leuoptera – Needlewood 2-4m
• Melaleuca faucicola – Desert Bottlebrush 2-4m
• Melaleuca glomerata – Inland Teatree 3-4m
• Melalueca trichostachya – Paperbark 3-4m
• Santalum lenceolatum – Plum Bush 2-3m

Shrubs

• Acacia spondylophylla – Curry Wattle 0.5-1m
• Atriplex nummularia – Old Man Saltbush 1-3m
• Capparis spinosa – Wild Passionfruit 1-1.5m
• Carissa lanceolata – Conkerberry 1-2m
• Crotalaria eremaea – Desert Rattlepod 0.5-1m
• Dodenaea viscosa sub mucrronata – Sticky Hopbush 1-2m
• Eremophila alternifolia – Narrow-leaf Fuchsia Bush 1-1.5m
• Eremophila christophori – Dolomite Fuchsia Bush 1-2m
• Eremophila latrobei – Native Fuchsia 1-2m
• Eremophila maculata – Spotted Fuchsia 1-2m
• Eremophila ovata – Krichauff Ranges Fuchsia 0.5-1m
• Eremophila polylada – Flowering Lignum 1-1.5m
• Eremophila prostrata- Rainbow Valley Fuchsia 0.2-0.5m
• Eremophila sp.  Aookara Range – Arookara Ranges Fuchsia 0.2 – 0.5
• Gossypium sturtianum – Sturts Desert Rose 1.5-2m
• Indigofera basdowii -Showy Indigo 0.5-1m
• Myoporum montanum – Boobialla 1-2m
• Radyera furragei – Bush Hibiscus 1-2m
• Senna atemisioides ssp artemesiodes – Silver Cassia 1-2m
• Senna atemisioides nothossp sturtii – Dense Cassia 1-2m
• Senna atemisioides ssp filifolia – Desert Cassia 1-2m
• Senna atemisioides ssp oliogophylla – Oval Leaved Cassia 1-2m
• Wedelia stirlingii – Sunflower Daisy 0.5-1m

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Background

The Olive Pink Botanic Garden (OPBG) in Alice Springs displays the plants of central Australia and actively contributes to their conservation through horticulture and community education.

The Garden holds significance for local residents as a place of enjoyment for the whole community, and also attracts national and international visitors.

The Garden contributes to the conservation of the flora of centralAustralia, provides opportunities for people to learn about arid zone plants, horticulture, landscapes and conservation, and encourages respect for this place and its heritage.

Tharrarletneme, the northern ridge of the Garden, known to Europeans as Annie Meyers Hill, is of great significance to the Arrernte speaking people and the Garden works closely with the Traditional Custodians.

The Garden was listed on the Register of the National Estate in 1995 and included on the Northern Territory Heritage Register in 2008.

A Masterplan for the OPBG has been developed; it establishes a vision and strategic framework to guide the development of the Garden in the future. This Masterplan was designed to enable the Board of Trustees and staff of the Garden to meet their responsibilities in managing a contemporary botanic garden, and was developed in consultation with a broad range of stakeholders with an interest in the future of the Garden.

Staff

There are currently two full-time staff members :

Ben Convery, the Curator, has responsibility for leading and managing the operations of the Garden in accordance with the Master Plan;

Paul Rilstone, the Grounds Manager, implements the planning, design and development of the Garden.

A number of valuable casual staff members are employed, often seasonally, for propagation, grounds maintenance and development, and records management.

Café

The Bean Tree Café is located in the Garden and is very popular with locals and tourists. The Café also hosts musical events and film evenings.

 

The Board of Trustees

 

The Garden is run by a Board of Trustees appointed from the local community by the Northern Territory Minister for Local Government. The members of the Board are entrusted with managing the Garden on behalf of, and in consultation with, the local community. They are responsible for ensuring that the Garden and its plant collection are protected for future generations, and that the Garden enriches the social and cultural life of our community and our visitors.

The Board of Trustees is made up of seven Trustees who are encouraged to serve a three year term, with the option of remaining for an additional term.

While the understanding is that the Board will manage the Garden on behalf of, and in consultation with, the local community, members sit as individuals. The Board does not include ‘representatives’ of community organisations or special interest groups, with one exception, viz. the Board has usually included an employee of the government agency providing the Garden’s recurrent funding. This is currently Northern Territory Department of Natural Resources, Environment and the Arts, and was formerly the Conservation Commission of theNorthern Territory.

It is important is that the Board has the right blend of skills and experience necessary to fulfil its governance responsibilities. When a vacancy occurs on the Board, an advertisement is placed in the local paper and on the OPBG website. At such times, the Board reviews its composition to ensure its membership is appropriate to the evolving needs of the Garden.

Board membership is without remuneration.

Chairman, Secretary and Treasurer

The concept of ‘shared leadership’ is considered essential to the operation of the Board, with oversight of the day to day management of the Garden spread evenly among Board members, wherever possible. Notwithstanding this principle, the Board elects a Chairman, Secretary and Treasurer from among its members; ideally these key positions are rotated and are for a fixed term of two years.

Board meetings

Regular meetings are held, currently on the Third  Monday of the month, from 5-7pm.

Responsibilities of Trustees

Specific responsibilities include:

• Applying good governance of the Garden, and being accountable to the community
• Ensuring implementation and regular review of the Master Plan for the Garden as well as monitoring performance in relation to the strategic objectives
• Meeting all legal and financial responsibilities, and managing risk
• Developing policies and processes and participating in committees or working groups for specific projects
• Representing OPBG in the community, as well as seeking and representing community views
• Ensuring OPBG’s commitment to a diverse Board of Trustees with an appropriate range of skills
• Reviewing documents for Board meetings and following up on tasks in between meetings
• Providing an Annual Report to the NT Government, other stakeholders and the local community
• Overseeing and supporting the Curator of the Garden.

In addition to legislative responsibilities under the NT Crown Lands Act, other legislation can assist the Board of Trustees in ensuring it is legally compliant. Such legislation includes:

• Occupational Health and Safety Act
• Anti-Discrimination Act
• The Privacy Act.

Board members: expectations, skills and attributes

It is expected that Board members will have:

• active community involvement and the ability to represent community views
• a track record of leadership in business/government/the not-for-profit sector, and/or participation at Board/Committee level in the community
• a commitment to, and understanding of, OPBG’s role in the community
• the ability to develop and maintain community and corporate relationships
• personal qualities of integrity and credibility, and a passion for the OPBG
• the ability to contribute to effective governance of the Garden and to work hard at implementing the vision for the Garden and achieving the strategic objectives
• skills in areas which are relevant to the development of the Garden. These can include strategic planning and review, policy development, risk management, legal/financial/business management, plant ecology, conservation, community education, marketing and communication.

History of the Board of Trustees

The governance of the OPBG is unique and is itself part of the heritage of the Garden.

On 14 February 1969Miss Pink wrote to Frank Dwyer, the Assistant Administrator of the NT, asking for three people, who she described as ‘helpers and champions’ of the reserve, to be gazetted as ‘Permanent Trustees’. She said ‘these three will continue the protection of it’ when she could no longer do so ‘’and with same objects even when open to the public’.

The Trustees were largely inactive during Miss Pink’s lifetime and the place was never open to the public.

In the 10 years between her death in 1975 and the official opening in 1985, Miss Pink’s Australian Arid Regions Flora Reserve was developed into a place for the people and significant infrastructure and facilities were installed. The Government then handed control and management to the Board of Trustees, with a modest recurrent grant which enabled the Board to employ a curator and horticulturist. As indicated above, the responsibilities of the Garden’s Trustees has expanded far beyond Miss Pink’s original concept of champions who will continue the protection of it.