Fibre
Indigenous name: Ban (Gunaikurnai)
Botanical name: Themeda triandra
Family: Poaceae
Uses
The stems and leaves can turned into string to make fish nets.
Distribution
This perennial tussock grass is found in all Australian states and territories. It grows in plains grassland, red gum habitat, box woodland, grassy woodland and open forest and dry and valley sclerophyll forest.
Indigenous name: Murmbal (Wergaia)
Botanical name: Dianella tasmanica
Family: Liliaceae
Uses
The leaf can be split into two down the mid-rib and rolled into string for use in tying and basket weaving.
Flax Lily Distribution
Flax Lily grows in wet sclerophyll forests in damp conditions. It is found in Victoria, New South Wales and Tasmania.
Cultivation
This perennial plant is very tough once established but prefers moist, cool soil. It can be grown in part shade to full sun and will develop a strong clump of foliage about 0.6–1.5 m tall and 0.5–2 m wide.
Bulrush National Herbarium
Indigenous name: Karawun (Woi wurrung)
Botanical name: Lomandra longifolia
Family: Xanthorrheaceae
Uses
The leaves are used for making baskets. Once picked, the leaves are split down the centre and left to dry for three or more days. Before being worked, they are dampened with water for 24 hours to render them pliable.
Spiny-headed Mat-rushDistribution
Spiny-headed Mat-rush grows in grassy woodland, Red Gum habitat, dry sclerophyll forests, Coast Banksia woodland and tea-tree heath. It is found in Victoria, Queensland and New South Wales.
Cultivation
Lomandra is now widely planted in Melbourne streets and parks, where it grows 0.5–1 m tall and 0.5–1.2 m wide. This large tussock plant can withstand dry conditions once established and can live in dry shade under trees.
No recorded Aboriginal name
Botanical name: Poa labillardieri
Family: Poaceae
Uses
Leaves and stems of the larger tussock grasses can be used for string or basket-making.
Distribution
Common Tussock Grass grows in open rocky scrub, Red Gum, box and ironbark habitats and dry sclerophyll forests. It is found in Victoria, South Australia and New South Wales.
Common Tussock Grass Cultivation
This grass grows 0.3–0.8 m tall and flowering stems to 1.2 m tall. It may change colour in different seasons and conditions. It can adapt to a range of soil conditions, and in southern states it can be cut back to basal growth in late winter to promote fresh leaves.
