Hi, I’m Tracy, a Gamilaroi woman, an Accredited Nutritionist/Practicing Dietitian,licenced Wayapa Wuurrk Practitioner and Founder of Wattleseed Nutrition, Health and Wellbeing, a 100% Aboriginal owned/operated business based on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast.

I am a freshwater woman, with a matrineal line of descent to the Barwon River region in North-West New South Wales. I was born and raised in a remote, river side country town in South-West Queensland and have been lucky to call Gubbi Gubbi/Kabi Kabi country on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast, home since 2007.

I take a personalised, holistic and culturally-centred approach to food, food environments, meal patterns, eating habits, health
and wellbeing. I have a particular interest in food and earth connectednessand deep listening (aka mindfulness), as well as the importance of gut health, traditional foods (aka bushfoods) and therapies and their role in nutritional and total health and wellbeing.

I understand the value and significance of traditional food systems and foods and advocate of their positive impact on culture, food security, health and wellbeing for First Nation Peoples in Australia. In 2013, deciding to be a part of the change I wanted to see, I combined my passion for First Nations Peoples’ health and wellbeing and love of food and commenced my studies in Nutrition and Dietetics. During this time, I also conducted an embedded honours project on the cultural safety of a chronic disease self-management program.

In 2016, I was awarded “Future Leader in Indigenous Allied Health”, at Indigenous Allied Health Australia’s National Forum in Canberra. During our graduating ceremony in 2018, I was also honoured to be awarded the University of the Sunshine Coast’s Chancellor’s Medal.

After finishing my studies in 2017, I worked as both a clinical and community dietitian for First Nations Peoples in South East Queensland. In April 2019, I decided to further pursue my passion for traditional food systems, foods and traditional food security and commenced a PhD researching Indigenous food sovereignty and food security for First Nations Peoples of Australia. I have since taken leave from the PhD so that I may support community based projects and community based work.