A gentle, aromatic herb used by Indigenous Australians for teas, soothing cold symptoms, calming digestion and freshening the air around camp. Its cooling leaves were brewed into bush medicine and added to foods for flavour. Growing along creeks and damp gullies, native mint is a sign of clean water and healthy country, and today it’s a favourite for sensory gardens, teas, and bush-food tastings.

Indigenous Uses

1. Herbal teas and soothing drinks

Indigenous communities widely used native mint as a refreshing tea:

• Leaves steeped in warm or hot water

• Used for its calming aroma and gentle flavour

• Sometimes mixed with lemon myrtle, tea-tree, or other herbs

This made it a widely accessible bush medicine tea across much of its distribution.

2. Medicinal uses

Mentha satureoides is one of the important Aboriginal medicinal herbs in cooler and temperate regions.

Used traditionally for:

• Coughs, colds, congestion

• Sore throats (warm leaf infusions)

• Digestive issues (bloating, sluggish digestion)

• Headaches (crushed leaves inhaled for the aroma)

• Aches and pains (warm compresses with infused leaves)

Crushed fresh leaves were also used as a topical antiseptic wash for minor wounds.

3. Inhalation for clarity and breathing

The strong aromatic oils helped open the lungs:

• Leaves rubbed between palms

• Held to the nose for deep aromatic breaths

• Often used during cold seasons or long travel

4. Culinary flavouring

Leaves were added to foods for fresh, cooling flavour:

• With roasted meats

• In soups

• Mixed into leafy bundles for steaming

• Added to water to make a refreshing travelling drink

Stories, Culture & Interesting Lore

1. A “comforting plant”

Many Elders speak of native mint as a soothing, homely, comforting herb:

• Used around camps to freshen the air

• Given to children for upset stomachs

• Brewed for Elders during winter illnesses

It is considered one of the gentlest and safest bush medicines.

2. The plant that travels with the water

Mentha satureoides often grows along:

• Rivers

• Creeks

• Billabongs

• Damp gullies

Its presence was a sign of fresh water, clean soil, and cool resting places.Some groups said it “follows the water’s tracks.”

3. A plant of women’s knowledge

Because it was used for:

• cooking

• soothing children

• health care

• scenting weaving materials

it was often passed down through women’s medicinal lines.

4. A cleansing herb for camp and spirit

Burning or crushing the leaves was used for:

• cleaning sick spaces

• clearing stale air

• refreshing energy around camp

Its aromatic nature gives it a subtle role as a spirit-cleansing herb, though not a ceremonial one.

Modern Human Uses

1. Herbal teas (very popular)

Leaves are used for:

• Mint tea

• Cold infused refreshing drinks

• Wellness blends

• “Native peppermint” substitutes

Excellent for farm tastings and guest welcome drinks at HVD.

2. Culinary herb

Used like culinary mint but with a softer, more earthy flavour.

Great in:

• Salads

• Dressings

• Sauces

• Meat dishes

• Cocktails (native mojitos!)

• Garnishes

• Compound butters

3. Aromatherapy and natural products

Due to its clean scent, it’s used in:

• Natural soaps

• Balms

• Herbal smudge bundles (non-ceremonial)

• Bath infusions

• Linen sprays

4. Landscaping & bush-tucker gardens

Popular because:

• It grows easily

• Spreads beautifully

• Smells amazing

• Attracts pollinators

Ideal for sensory gardens, school gardens, and visitor pathways.

Ecological Importance

Pollinators

Loved by:

• native bees

• hoverflies

• butterflies

• small solitary wasps

Their constant visits show how valuable mint is for supporting insect biodiversity.

Habitat

Provides:

• cover for small skinks and frogs

• nectar for insects

• lush groundcover stabilising soil in riparian zones

Fire ecology

• Regenerates strongly after fire from rhizomes

• Quickly recolonises damp ground

• Helps re-stabilise soil and attract pollinators during early regeneration stages