Bookyana Inc

The Bookyana Bush foods enterprise is situated on Ron and Liz Newchurch's property at Port Victoria on the York Peninsula, South Australia. This maritime environment is ideal for the growing of the native herbs used in the Outback Café recipes. Ron and family are of the Narungga group and have an extended family base who help with this horticultural project. Because of the exposure to the sea winds, the herbs are grown in shade house conditions. The Quandong orchard, however, is protected by the shade house structure.

ILC (Indigenous Land Council) funded the infrastructure costs and CDEP (community employment program) supplied labour costs. Regional TAFE has providing the training along with several work experience/training visits to Reedy Creek. Mike and Gayle Quarmby have designed, set up and mentored the project and provided the link to the Outback Pride market supply chain.

The Newchurch family group has progressed with the bush foods project with dedication, hard work and real future focus, and have created a positive new industry model for indigenous communities. Ron Newchurch has been appointed as board member to the national industry body of the Australian Native Food Industry as the representative for all the Australian Indigenous bush food growers.

Currently the Bookyana Bushfoods Inc. is planning major expansion of their bush foods production site, to cater for new market requirements.