(Photo: Bunya Mountains Natural History Association)
February 23, 2017
by Audrey Sampson
One of the biggest falls of Bunya nuts seen in many years is proving to be a windfall for the Bunya Mountains Natural History Association.
The nuts usually fall every three years, but this time they’re extra large, with some cones containing upwards of 100 nuts.
Bunya nuts are the primary source of income for the group.
Nut sales, along with donations from visitors, allow them to keep their Cedarvale museum open and pay their public liability insurance.
So lately it’s been a case of “all hands to the wheel” to shell and store the nuts while they’re available.
Association members can’t obtain Bunya nuts from the National Park, so they get them from private properties in the Bunya Mountains and surrounding areas.
About 20 members have been involved with collecting and shelling the nuts so far this year, starting in late January.
The nuts are frozen after shelling, then bagged in 500gm lots to sell to Museum visitors.
At the moment the Association’s freezers are almost at full capacity.
