CQUniversity’s Rockhampton campus is hosting a national gathering today that puts Indigenous-led innovation at the heart of Australia’s growing native foods and medicines sector.
Bringing together Elders, researchers, entrepreneurs and community voices, the Native Resources in Food and Medicine Symposium is a one-day event exploring the cultural and commercial potential of bushfoods, traditional knowledge and sustainable industry development.
Backed by CQUniversity’s Jawun Research Institute and Rockhampton Regional Council’s Community Assistance Program, the event brings together over a dozen speakers and panel participants, including Wiradjuri entrepreneur Tara Croker of Yaala Sparkling, nutrition scientist Dr Joseph Nastasi, and Darumbal Elder Uncle Wade Mann. It is hosted at the Central Queensland Innovation and Research Precinct.
With the theme “Unveiling Commercial Opportunities,” the symposium isn’t just a showcase, it’s a working forum. Sessions range from wild harvesting and bioactive research to branding, market access and cultural protection. Morning and afternoon teas feature tastings of bush tomato, lemon myrtle and native citrus—products that represent both heritage and industry.
The day opened with a Welcome to Country by Uncle Wade Mann, followed by remarks from Professor Yvonne Cadet-James, Director of the Jawun Research Institute. Her message was clear: partnerships must be guided by respect, and commercial success must not come at the expense of community control.
Tara Croker’s keynote offered a personal insight into the journey of building a First Nations-led business from the ground up. “Yaala Sparkling isn’t just a drink,” she said. “It’s a way of sharing story, culture and pride—on our terms.”
The event continued with panels and presentations from a wide spectrum of speakers, including Uncle Steve Kemp and Uncle Milton Lawton, who brought decades of cultural knowledge to a session on innovation. Later, Angus Jones from Wattle We Eat spoke on wild harvesting and market access, and Maria Pickles, formerly of Lemon Myrtle Fragrances, gave a practical account of scaling up while staying grounded in community connections.
A walk-through of the native garden provided by CQUniversity’s demonstration plots gave participants a tangible look at plant species discussed during the talks. For many, it was a reminder that this is not a theoretical exercise. These plants live in Country, and carry meaning far beyond their nutritional or economic value.
For UQ researcher Joel Johnson, who spoke on native citrus, the challenge lies in maintaining biodiversity while meeting commercial demand. “We’re only just scratching the surface of what these fruits can offer,” he said.
At the heart of the event is a simple question: how can Australia grow this sector in a way that benefits the original custodians first? As one audience member put it during the open forum, “This isn’t about scaling quickly. It’s about scaling respectfully.”
The symposium also offered practical networking for early-stage entrepreneurs and community producers, with exhibitions running through the lunch and tea breaks. The capped $75 face-to-face registration and $25 online option ensured accessibility for a broad mix of attendees, including students, landholders and local producers.
As the day wraps up with a forward-looking forum on future partnerships, many participants say this event marks a shift in tone from past discussions.
“It’s not just government talking to itself anymore,” said Sid Domic of Thiliarra Bush Organics. “We’re building something real. And it starts with days like today.”
The full-day program will conclude at 5pm. Organisers say the real work begins after the symposium ends—by following up with policy, partnerships and people on the ground who have been doing this for generations.
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