Tools
Common Reed Melbourne Museum
Djarg (Wemba Wemba and other Kulin languages, Kowat (Gunaikurnai)
Botanical name: Phragmites australis
Family: Poaceae
Uses
A multipurpose plant. The shafts can be used in the manufacture of spears and the leaves can be woven into baskets. Sections of the hollow stems can be strung into reed necklaces or used as nose ornaments. In Gippsland, the sharpened ends of the stems are made into knife-like instruments for skinning animals. The roots can also be eaten.
Distribution
Common Reed grows across Australia in wet, brackish soils. It is common in riparian and swamp scrub, and Coast Banksia woodland.
Common Reed Cultivation
This reed can reach 1–3 m tall. It is an attractive waterside plant in cultivation but can take over. This plant can be cut back to the ground at the end of summer to promote new green growth and remove old canes.
Woolly Tea-tree Melbourne Museum
Woolip (Woi wurrung), Wuliip (Taungurung)
Botanical name: Leptospermum lanigerum
Family: Myrtaceae
Uses
The wood is an important resource, providing single and double-barbed spears.
Distribution
Woolly Tea-tree grows in riparian woodland, coastal tea tree heath, and valley sclerophyll forest. Found in Victoria, New South Wales, Tasmania and South Australia.
Cultivation
This small dense tree makes a beautiful specimen for a small garden and thrives with moist soil. It grows to 2–6 m tall by 1–3 m wide and can be pruned to maintain compact shape.
Sheoak Melbourne Museum
Gneering (Gunditjmara), Barn (Gunaikurnai)
Botanical name: Allocasuarina verticillata
Family: Casuarinaceae
Uses
The timber is mainly used to manufacture boomerangs and other implements. The young shoots and cones can be eaten.
Distribution
Drooping She-oak is widespread in primary dune scrub, rocky open scrub, red gum and ironbark country. It grows in Victoria, New South Wales, Tasmania and South Australia.
Cultivation
This small erect tree likes well-drained soils and can grow in full sun to partial shade. Once established it can tolerate dry periods and it has dense yellow flowers from March to December. It grows around 4–11 m tall and 3–6 m wide.
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Drooping She-oak