On a brief walk along the Kalgan River, on Western Australia's south coast, Noongar man Larry Blight has unearthed a bountiful feast of native bush foods.
While most of us would just see dry scrub, for Mr Blight, an educator and tour guide based in Albany, the area is teeming with life.
Before he begins his search, Mr Blight washes his hands by mixing the leaves and flowers of the Djop Boorn (water wood) plant to produce a frothy, natural soap.
"It's almost like having gloves on," he said.
"It's quite a thick lather, a yellow coating and very good for cuts and sores."
Spring warmth signals arrival of bush tucker
The Noongar season, 'Kambarang', runs from October to November and is a good time for bush foods.
Among the thriving riverside plants is a native succulent called Samphire, also referred to as sea asparagus, or 'Milyu', in the Noongar dialect.
"I was shown this 30 years ago by one of my uncles," Mr Blight said.
"It was a stinking hot day, we were sweating a lot and he broke some of this plant off and said 'have some of this' and it was a real salt hit.
"It's a bit of a delicacy. You can have it steamed or raw … it can promote a bit of saliva if you're dry in the mouth."
A mouth-watering menu of native treats
After the saltiness of the Milyu, the refreshing citrus punch of the Kurip berry serves as a welcome palate-cleanser.
The zesty, orange peel flavour belies the unremarkable appearance of the small, bean-like fruit.
"This is our vitamin C … eating a handful is the equivalent of three or four oranges," Mr Blight said.
"You don't need many of them.
"A lot of our fruit here is not very big, but it makes up for its lack of size with its punch."
There are numerous other bushfoods and medicines dotted along the river bank, such as the green berries of a coastal heath known as 'Mull' which taste like a sweet lolly.
Another is the crushed resin of the redgum, Marri tree, which can be used to treat stomach complaints and even white-tail spider bites.
"I've been so fortunate to have this knowledge passed onto me from my grandparents and elders," Mr Blight said.
"Nature can give us everything if we know what to look for."
