Bunya Nut

The bunya tree (Araucaria bidwillii) is the last surviving species in the world of the section bunya of the genus araucaria. Bunya nuts were a traditional food of the Australian aboriginal people in a limited area of rainforest, predominantly in South-East Queensland and especially in part of the Great Dividing Range now known as the Bunya Mountains National Park. This reserve is considered to be a very sacred place by the aborigines. The nuts mature in summer and aborigines travelled long distances to feast on the nuts, suspending any hostilities and engaging in major trading, bartering and marriage arrangements and in some years, with an exceptional harvest, the festivities ran for several months.