Grass Tree

Scientific: Xanthorrhoea australis
Awabakal: Keylkeyl
Worimi: Bumiray

These are Grass Trees, known in the Awabakal language as Keylkeyl. The scientific name for the examples growing in Museum Park is Xanthorrhoea australis. Robert Brown was the first European person to describe the species in 1810.

Grass Trees are ancient and amongst the first flowering plants to evolve. Their leaf bases form the trunk as the tree rejuvenates, and from the leaves that sit on top sprouts a spear-shaped flower. Most species are also extremely slow-growing, with trunk height increasing between 0.8cm to 6cm per year. They grow from New South Wales through to Tasmania and flower all year round.

For Awabakal and Worimi people, the Grass Tree is a traditional source of materials for tool and weapon manufacturing. The flower was used in the production of spears like the one displayed in Newcastle Museum. The Grass Tree also creates a resin that can be used to make glue for binding spearheads to their shafts and axe heads to their handles.

Grass Trees also provided as a food source, with the seeds being collected and ground into flour to make bread.
 

See in the museum:

Location: Foyer
Label: Worimi Spear