Irene Tilmouth - Women Gathering Bush Tomatoes

Catalogue Number: 24/273

After a big rain in Central Australia, the desert comes back to life. The dry red soil softens, and new plants begin to grow. The bush tomato, a small desert fruit that grows wild across the Central Desert. The plant produces tiny purple flowers. From these flowers, the green fruits slowly form and ripen in the sun. When the fruit turns a bright yellow, it is ready to eat

This painting shows the bush tomato plant full of ripe yellow fruit. The curved shapes in the artwork represent the women sitting together on the ground as they collect the fruit.

For Aboriginal women, gathering bush tomatoes is more than just finding something to eat. It is a cultural practice that connects families to their country. Women learn this knowledge from their mothers, aunties, and grandmothers. They are taught the best places to look after rain, how to recognise the plant and the right time to pick the fruit. This knowledge is passed down from one generation to the next.