Australia's native flora contains hundreds of species with documented medicinal uses. This reference guide covers the most important, most studied and most practically relevant of those plants — organised alphabetically for easy reference. Each entry includes the plant's botanical name, its geographical range, documented traditional uses, key active compounds where known, and the level of scientific evidence available.
This guide draws on publicly documented ethnobotanical research and published scientific literature. It represents a starting point, not an exhaustive database. The knowledge behind many of these plants goes considerably deeper in traditional Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities than what has been published in Western scientific literature — and we acknowledge that limitation explicitly.
All entries include a health note: nothing here is medical advice. Correct plant identification before any use is essential. Consult a qualified health practitioner before using any plant remedy alongside existing medication or for serious health conditions.
Davidson's Plum (Davidsonia species)
Where it grows: subtropical rainforests of Queensland and northern NSW.
Traditional use: important food plant; fruit used medicinally by some communities for its nutritional and tonic properties.
Active compounds: extraordinarily high anthocyanin content (among the highest measured in any fruit); also contains ellagic acid, vitamin C and other polyphenols.
Evidence level: strong antioxidant chemistry; in-vitro anti-inflammatory activity. Limited clinical research.
Practical use: Davidson's plum is best accessed as a food — in products from the native food industry including jams, sauces and juices — or as an extract in native skincare products targeting antioxidant and brightening effects.
Emu Bush (Eremophila species)
Where it grows: arid and semi-arid interior of Australia; genus has 260+ species with wide distribution.
Traditional use: wound healing, skin infections, ceremonial and therapeutic smoking, steam inhalation for respiratory complaints, bathing for skin conditions.
Active compounds: verbascoside, caffeic acid derivatives, other phenolic compounds with antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory activity.
Evidence level: solid in-vitro evidence for antimicrobial activity including against MRSA; anti-inflammatory activity demonstrated in cell studies. No clinical trials.
Read more: see our full guide to emu bush medicinal uses.
Eucalyptus (Eucalyptus species)
Where it grows: throughout Australia; 700+ species covering most of the continent.
Traditional use: steam inhalation for respiratory complaints; heated leaf poultices for joint pain and fever; leaf infusions for wound cleaning.
Active compounds: 1,8-cineole (eucalyptol) — primary active, present at 60–90% in therapeutic-grade oils. Also contains terpineol, pinene and other terpenes.
Evidence level: among the strongest for any native Australian plant. Multiple controlled trials for respiratory conditions, COPD and sinusitis. Pharmaceutical preparations licensed in several countries.
Read more: eucalyptus oil for colds and congestion.
Kakadu Plum (Terminalia ferdinandiana)
Where it grows: tropical woodlands of the Northern Territory, north-western Western Australia and north Queensland.
Traditional use: important food — eaten fresh, dried and fermented. Used topically for skin conditions. Significant nutritional plant in the seasonal diet.
Active compounds: Vitamin C (highest recorded in any food — up to 5,300mg per 100g); gallic acid; ellagic acid; various flavonoids.
Evidence level: exceptionally well-characterised chemistry; growing body of in-vitro and early clinical research on antioxidant, brightening and anti-inflammatory effects. More human trials needed.
Read more: Kakadu plum: world's richest Vitamin C source.
Kangaroo Apple (Solanum laciniatum / S. aviculare)
Where it grows: south-eastern Australia and New Zealand; coastal scrub, forest edges and disturbed ground.
Traditional use: ripe fruit consumed as food; leaf preparations used topically for pain and skin conditions by some south-eastern communities.
Active compounds: solasodine (steroidal alkaloid); solanine and related glycoalkaloids. High concentrations in unripe fruit and leaves — toxic unless correctly prepared.
Evidence level: significant pharmaceutical research on solasodine as steroid precursor; some clinical research on glycoalkaloid preparations for skin conditions. Use only ripe berries; other parts require expert handling.
Read more: kangaroo apple medicinal uses.
Lemon Myrtle (Backhousia citriodora)
Where it grows: subtropical rainforests of Queensland; now widely cultivated.
Traditional use: food flavouring and medicine by Queensland Aboriginal communities; specific traditional applications less extensively documented than some other plants.
Active compounds: citral — up to 98% of essential oil; also linalool and other minor terpenes.
Evidence level: strong in-vitro antimicrobial evidence; one controlled trial showing efficacy against molluscum contagiosum outperforming tea tree. Solid safety profile for food-grade use.
Read more: lemon myrtle tea: benefits and how to make it.
Macadamia (Macadamia integrifolia / M. tetraphylla)
Where it grows: subtropical rainforests of Queensland and northern NSW; now globally cultivated.
Traditional use: important food plant for Gubbi Gubbi, Jindga and Wakka Wakka peoples; nuts eaten fresh and traded. Less documented medicinal use than food use.
Active compounds: palmitoleic acid (omega-7) at 16–22% — highest of any plant oil; oleic acid; minor amounts of other fatty acids.
Evidence level: well-characterised fatty acid profile; palmitoleic acid's role in skin barrier function is established science. Limited clinical trials specifically for macadamia oil in skincare.
Read more: macadamia oil vs argan oil for dry skin.
Old Man Saltbush (Atriplex nummularia)
Where it grows: arid and semi-arid inland Australia — one of the most widespread native shrubs in the continent's interior.
Traditional use: leaf poultices and infusions for skin conditions, sores and insect bites; important food plant.
Active compounds: flavonoids, phenolic acids, other polyphenols with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity.
Evidence level: in-vitro antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity; some wound-healing research. No clinical trials. Widely accessible in arid regions.
Paperbark (Melaleuca species)
Where it grows: waterways and coastal wetlands throughout northern and eastern Australia; several species widespread.
Traditional use: bark used as wound dressing, bandage and wrapping material; leaf steam inhalation; leaf infusions for wound washing and skin conditions.
Active compounds: 1,8-cineole and related volatile compounds (varies by species); cajuput oil derived from some species.
Evidence level: antimicrobial properties of volatile oil compounds well-established (same class as tea tree and eucalyptus). Traditional wound dressing use physically and pharmacologically plausible.
Quandong (Santalum acuminatum)
Where it grows: arid and semi-arid Australia — widely distributed across the inland.
Traditional use: fruit eaten fresh, dried and as stored food; topical applications for skin conditions and sores; leaves and bark used medicinally.
Active compounds: Vitamin C; antioxidant phenolics including quandong acid; flavonoids.
Evidence level: good antioxidant chemistry; limited published research on specific medicinal applications. Growing commercial use in skincare and native food products.
River Mint (Mentha australis)
Where it grows: along waterways throughout south and eastern Australia.
Traditional use: crushed leaves applied to insect bites; infusions for headaches and respiratory complaints; leaves crushed and inhaled.
Active compounds: menthol (lower concentration than commercial peppermint); piperitone and related terpenes.
Evidence level: menthol's cooling and mild analgesic effects well-established; specific research on Australian river mint limited. Safe for culinary and infusion use.
Tea Tree (Melaleuca alternifolia)
Where it grows: coastal lowlands and riverine areas of northern NSW — Bundjalung Country.
Traditional use: leaf crushing and inhalation for respiratory complaints; leaf poultices for infected wounds and skin conditions; leaf infusions for various applications.
Active compounds: terpinen-4-ol (minimum 30% in therapeutic-grade oil); gamma-terpinene; alpha-terpinene; 1,8-cineole.
Evidence level: the strongest evidence base of any Australian native plant. Multiple controlled clinical trials; Cochrane review; confirmed efficacy for acne, fungal infections, MRSA decolonisation, parasitic skin conditions.
Read more: history of tea tree oil; 10 most important native medicinal plants.
Wattleseed (Acacia species)
Where it grows: throughout Australia; ~20-30 of 1,000+ species with documented food/medicine use.
Traditional use: seeds ground into flour for food; resin preparations for wounds and as adhesive; various Acacia species used for skin conditions.
Active compounds: high protein content; low glycaemic index carbohydrates; iron, zinc and other minerals; phenolic compounds in bark and leaf.
Evidence level: nutritional profile well-characterised; research on antimicrobial and antioxidant compounds from various Acacia species ongoing. Food use well-established and safe.