You’ve probably walked past it. Maybe even crushed it underfoot while mowing the lawn — a small, unassuming shrub with narrow green leaves and yellowish berries. Gumbi Gumbi, also known as Pittosporum angustifolium, doesn’t stand out. It doesn’t announce itself like a red tingle or a white fig tree. But for generations, this humble native plant has been a quiet force in the healing traditions of Australia’s First Nations peoples. And now, thanks to the work of Central Queensland University’s lead researcher in native plants for functional food and medicine Dr Mani Naiker and his collaborators, Gumbi Gumbi might just become Australia’s great gift to improve global health.
Dr Naiker’s fascination with Indigenous plants started far from Australia—in the lush, village landscapes of the Fiji Islands.
“I was born and raised in a village community there,” he begins. “Our lives were deeply connected to the land, and native resources—especially medicinal plants were our go-to remedies. Hospitals or pharmacies weren’t always accessible, so we turned to the bush for healing.”
These traditional remedies weren’t just practical—they were part of the community’s lives.
“They shaped our understanding of health and well-being from a very young age,” Dr Naiker tells Indian Link.
So, when he moved to Australia, he was naturally struck by the incredible biodiversity here and the centuries-old plant wisdom of its Indigenous people. It instantly felt like coming home!
“I saw parallels between the traditional practices I grew up with and the cultural practices here,” Dr Naiker continues. “But what really stood out was how under-researched these native Australian plants were—especially those with long histories of medicinal use.”
That realisation became a turning point for Dr Naiker. Meeting Uncle Steve Kemp—an esteemed Ghungalu Elder and bush medicine practitioner—further deepened that commitment.
“Uncle Steve’s wisdom, lived experience, and openness to collaboration grounded our work in cultural relevance and respect. That’s when I knew that my research needed to go beyond lab science. It needed to honour the knowledge systems that have sustained people and ecosystems for generations,” Dr Naiker reveals.
Dr Mani Naiker is bringing together the region’s Indigenous leaders, including Uncle Steve Kemp to a symposium in July this year, to unlock the hidden potential of Australia’s native resources.
What lies beneath
In their collaborative research on native plants, one name kept coming up: Gumbi Gumbi.
“Our team, in partnership with Uncle Steve and Yarbun Creations, has been systematically investigating Gumbi Gumbi’s properties,” Dr Naiker shares. “We’re running preclinical studies and gearing up for pilot-scale clinical trials. Early results are pointing toward strong antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and possibly even anti-cancer properties. We’re also exploring different ways to process and extract it—like dehydration and cellular extraction—to maintain its potency while making it accessible as a consumer-ready product.”
“It’s a deeply exciting space,” he says, beaming.
And Gumbi Gumbi is just one of many. Kakadu Plum has the highest known concentration of vitamin C. Wattle seed is rich in protein and fibre. These aren’t just local curiosities—they are nutritional powerhouses that, as Dr Naiker puts it, “don’t just compare to global superfoods—they often exceed them”.
But unlocking their full potential requires more than lab coats and petri dishes. It requires listening.
“Indigenous knowledge is not a side note. It’s central,” Dr Naiker says.
With a “both-ways” approach, his research combines modern science with thousands of years of cultural wisdom. That means co-designing projects, following cultural protocols, and ensuring that any benefits are shared with the communities who have nurtured this knowledge.
Aussie plants can heal the world
Of course, bringing native plant-based products to market isn’t simple. Regulatory hurdles, funding bottlenecks, and cultural sensitivities all pose challenges.
“We’re currently preparing for a clinical trial of Uncle Steve’s Gumbi Gumbi capsules under the TGA’s Clinical Trial Notification scheme,” says Dr Naiker. It’s a rigorous, resource-heavy process—but one that ensures products are both effective and respectful of cultural origins.
Dr Mani Naiker’s team has also been working closely with Rockhampton Regional Council, who have provided access to native plant materials via their nursery programs. At the university level, CQUniversity’s Jawun Research Institute has been a vital ally.
The momentum is building in this space and the July symposium will bring together voices from grassroots enterprise to academic research.
“The timing feels right,” Dr Naiker says, adding how Australia is standing at the edge of something big.
“We have a chance to position native plants as Australia’s unique contribution to global health and wellness industries. Consumers are increasingly looking for products that are plant-based, locally sourced, and environmentally responsible. Native Australian plants tick all those boxes—and then some!”
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