Bamboo at Gingin

Weeks earlier on my way down to Perth from Dongara I called in at the Bindoon Bakery for a coffee break, and found a newspaper with detailed information about Western Bamboo at Gingin.  I had hoped to call in on my return to Dongara, but it wasn't until my next trip to Perth that I was able to do so.

Peter Jones, the owner and manager of Western Bamboo has some incredible challenges growing bamboo in sand, for around WA much of the 'soil' is in fact sand.  Through trial and error, Peter has been able to create quite a spectacle in the the area, and with his knowledge and experience is a great asset for those who wish to grow bamboo in Western Australia.

Bamboo Shoot

Bamboo shoots reaching for the sky in sandy soil

Peter had given me instructions on how to get there (saying by GPS would not do it), though I noticed later that the street etc did show up on my Garmin, however, I managed to arrive by following the directions given to me.

Perhaps readers will see in the photos that there are hens wandering around the bamboo - Peter took me for a walk in amongst his poultry (chooks, ducks and geese) that seem to have a wonderful life of much freedom here midst the bamboo and they seem to love it.

He regaled me with wonderful stories about his bamboo, but one that I love is the bamboo flavoured kangaroo.  Not many folk know that bamboo is good fodder for grass eating animals, (and the 'preferred' food of China's panda's) and even fewer would know that here in the sandy bushland of Gingin, kangaroos enjoy a feast on the bamboo.  The two dogs that live there are supposed to chase the 'roos away, but somehow they manage to get past the dogs and munch on the bamboo.  Peter and his family also shoot the occasional kangaroo and eat the meat, and on one occasion he took kangaroo meat to a BBQ.  People at the BBQ commented on the wonderfully different taste of the meat - bamboo flavoured kangaroo?  Now if only kangaroo's could be rounded up and in a paddock fed bamboo before they made the journey to the butcher, there could be an exciting new gourmet food to promote.  As it is unlikely to happen, perhaps Peter and his friends are going to be the only ones to enjoy this delicacy.

I was so impressed with Peter's enthusiasm, knowledge and hilarious stories about life at Western Bamboo.  If you want to know how to grow bamboo in the west, he's the guy to talk with.  Western Bamboo is at Gingin, not far from the Brand Highway.  His number is (08) 9575 7507!  

Western Bamboo supplies:

• bamboo plants for farms
• bamboo plants for pots and gardens
• bamboo plants and grasses for windbreaks

and is pleased to also provide:

• bamboo delivery and planting services
• bamboo identification services
• bamboo remedial services 
• bamboo advice.