Aunty Beryl has been family to us since the days on the Block, when she and my mum and dad all looked out for one another. I was so happy to sit down with her at the Australian Native Food Festival on Gadigal Country. At 84 she’s just released her first cookbook, and she’s still in the kitchen every day.

We yarned about growing up in Walgett, learning to cook long before most kids would, and building something out of her own pocket when the funding stopped. She also told me why lemon myrtle belongs in every kitchen, and about the dream she’s working on right now for Elders in Redfern.

Aunty Beryl’s Cookbook: Heartwarming recipes and stories of First Nations food (Murdoch Books) is out now through Dymocks, Big W and Amazon.

Episode Resources

Aunty Beryl’s Cookbook: Heartwarming recipes and stories of First Nations food (Murdoch Books)
Available at Dymocks, Big W and Amazon, or support your local independent bookshop:
https://loveyourbookshop.org.au/bestsellers/aunty-beryls-cookbook

Aunty Beryl’s portrait by Dennis Golding at the National Portrait Gallery
https://portrait.gov.au/portraits/2026.15.1-17/aunty-beryl

Read more about Aunty Beryl and her native food knowledge
https://www.newcastleherald.com.au/story/9286710/aunty-beryl-van-oploo-gamilaroi-elder-shares-native-food-wisdom/

After a life of cooking, Aunty Beryl’s portrait now hangs in the national gallery (SBS NITV)
https://www.sbs.com.au/nitv/article/after-a-life-of-cooking-aunty-beryls-portrait-now-hangs-in-the-national-gallery/wlrxenttj

Australian Native Food Festival, presented by Indigiearth
https://www.destinationnsw.com.au/newsroom/australian-native-food-festival-returns-for-2026



Website: www.blackmagicwoman.com.au
Follow us on Instagram - @blackmagicwomanpodcast

If you enjoyed this episode, please 'Subscribe' on Apple Podcasts or 'Follow' on your Spotify app and tell your friends and family about us! If you'd like to contact us, please email, info@blackmagicwoman.com.au

Black Magic Woman is produced by BlakCast.

Aunty Beryl has been family to us since the days on the Block, when she and my mum and dad all looked out for one another. I was so happy to sit down with her at the Australian Native Food Festival on Gadigal Country. At 84 she&rsquo;s just released her first cookbook, and she&rsquo;s still in the kitchen every day.
We yarned about growing up in Walgett, learning to cook long before most kids would, and building something out of her own pocket when the funding stopped. She also told me why lemon myrtle belongs in every kitchen, and about the dream she&rsquo;s working on right now for Elders in Redfern.
Aunty Beryl&rsquo;s Cookbook: Heartwarming recipes and stories of First Nations food (Murdoch Books) is out now through Dymocks, Big W and Amazon. Episode Resources
Aunty Beryl&rsquo;s Cookbook: Heartwarming recipes and stories of First Nations food (Murdoch Books) Available at Dymocks, Big W and Amazon, or support your local independent bookshop: <a href="https://loveyourbookshop.org.au/bestsellers/aunty-beryls-cookbook">https://loveyourbookshop.org.au/bestsellers/aunty-beryls-cookbook</a>
Aunty Beryl&rsquo;s portrait by Dennis Golding at the National Portrait Gallery <a href="https://portrait.gov.au/portraits/2026.15.1-17/aunty-beryl">https://portrait.gov.au/portraits/2026.15.1-17/aunty-beryl</a>
Read more about Aunty Beryl and her native food knowledge <a href="https://www.newcastleherald.com.au/story/9286710/aunty-beryl-van-oploo-gamilaroi-elder-shares-native-food-wisdom/">https://www.newcastleherald.com.au/story/9286710/aunty-beryl-van-oploo-gamilaroi-elder-shares-native-food-wisdom/</a>
After a life of cooking, Aunty Beryl&rsquo;s portrait now hangs in the national gallery (SBS NITV) <a href="https://www.sbs.com.au/nitv/article/after-a-life-of-cooking-aunty-beryls-portrait-now-hangs-in-the-national-gallery/wlrxenttj">https://www.sbs.com.au/nitv/article/after-a-life-of-cooking-aunty-beryls-portrait-now-hangs-in-the-national-gallery/wlrxenttj</a>
Australian Native Food Festival, presented by Indigiearth <a href="https://www.destinationnsw.com.au/newsroom/australian-native-food-festival-returns-for-2026">https://www.destinationnsw.com.au/newsroom/australian-native-food-festival-returns-for-2026</a> 
Website: <a href="https://www.blackmagicwoman.com.au">www.blackmagicwoman.com.au</a> Follow us on Instagram - @blackmagicwomanpodcast
If you enjoyed this episode, please 'Subscribe' on Apple Podcasts or 'Follow' on your Spotify app and tell your friends and family about us! If you'd like to contact us, please email, <a href="mailto:info@blackmagicwoman.com.au">info@blackmagicwoman.com.au</a>
Black Magic Woman is produced by BlakCast.

Hosted by Mundanara Bayles who was born and raised in Redfern (Sydney) Australia and currently lives in Queensland. The Black Magic Woman Podcast is an uplifting conversational style program featuring mainly First Nations people from Australia and around the world sharing their stories about their journey to highlight the diversity amongst First Nations peoples and the resilience of her people. She hopes these stories inspire her listeners and also create a better understanding of what First Nations Peoples culture and history.

 

Mundanara is guided by Aboriginal Terms of Reference and focusses more on who people are rather than on what they do. Mundanara makes people feel relaxed and comfortable as if they were sitting around the kitchen table just having a yarn. It’s the way First Nations people have been building relationships and getting to know each other for tens of thousands of years. She draws from a long family history in the media industry and has grown up in culturally strong, politically active family who have been at the forefront of the Aboriginal Rights movement since the 1960’s.

 

Mundanara sees this platform as an opportunity to share her cultural knowledge and insights to her audience in a non confrontational way that brings people along with her to create change for a better Australia. To connect more with Mundanara check out the work she does with her elders at www.theblackcard.com.au

 

If you'd like to support the show by making a financial contribution, visit www.theblackcard.com.au Any help is appreciated and goes a long way. I encourage to get behind any First Nations media, contribute, share and be apart of positive change that Australia needs.

Hosted by Mundanara Bayles who was born and raised in Redfern (Sydney) Australia and currently lives in Queensland. The Black Magic Woman Podcast is an uplifting conversational style program featuring mainly First Nations people from Australia and around the world sharing their stories about their journey to highlight the diversity amongst First Nations peoples and the resilience of her people. She hopes these stories inspire her listeners and also create a better understanding of what First Nations Peoples culture and history.
&nbsp;
Mundanara is guided by Aboriginal Terms of Reference and focusses more on who people are rather than on what they do. Mundanara makes people feel relaxed and comfortable as if they were sitting around the kitchen table just having a yarn. It&rsquo;s the way First Nations people have been building relationships and getting to know each other for tens of thousands of years. She draws from a long family history in the media industry and has grown up in culturally strong, politically active family who have been at the forefront of the Aboriginal Rights movement since the 1960&rsquo;s.
&nbsp;
Mundanara sees this platform as an opportunity to share her cultural knowledge and insights to her audience in a non confrontational way that brings people along with her to create change for a better Australia. To connect more with Mundanara check out the work she does with her elders at <a href="https://www.theblackcard.com.au">www.theblackcard.com.au</a>
&nbsp;
If you'd like to support the show by making a financial contribution, visit <a href="https://www.theblackcard.com.au">www.theblackcard.com.au</a> Any help is appreciated and goes a long way. I encourage to get behind any First Nations media, contribute, share and be apart of positive change that Australia needs.

Black Magic Woman with Mundanara Bayles

Hosted by Mundanara Bayles who was born and raised in Redfern (Sydney) Australia and currently lives in Queensland. The Black Magic Woman Podcast is an uplifting conversational style program featuring mainly First Nations people from Australia and around the world sharing their stories about their journey to highlight the diversity amongst First Nations peoples and the resilience of her people. She hopes these stories inspire her listeners and also create a better understanding of what First Nations Peoples culture and history.



Mundanara is guided by Aboriginal Terms of Reference and focusses more on who people are rather than on what they do. Mundanara makes people feel relaxed and comfortable as if they were sitting around the kitchen table just having a yarn. It’s the way First Nations people have been building relationships and getting to know each other for tens of thousands of years. She draws from a long family history in the media industry and has grown up in culturally strong, politically active family who have been at the forefront of the Aboriginal Rights movement since the 1960’s.



Mundanara sees this platform as an opportunity to share her cultural knowledge and insights to her audience in a non confrontational way that brings people along with her to create change for a better Australia. To connect more with Mundanara check out the work she does with her elders at www.theblackcard.com.au.



If you'd like to support the show by making a financial contribution, visit https://www.theblackcard.com.au./ Any help is appreciated and goes a long way. I encourage to get behind any First Nations media, contribute, share and be apart of positive change that Australia needs.

Hosted by Mundanara Bayles who was born and raised in Redfern (Sydney) Australia and currently lives in Queensland. The Black Magic Woman Podcast is an uplifting conversational style program featuring mainly First Nations people from Australia and around the world sharing their stories about their journey to highlight the diversity amongst First Nations peoples and the resilience of her people. She hopes these stories inspire her listeners and also create a better understanding of what First Nations Peoples culture and history.
 
Mundanara is guided by Aboriginal Terms of Reference and focusses more on who people are rather than on what they do. Mundanara makes people feel relaxed and comfortable as if they were sitting around the kitchen table just having a yarn. It’s the way First Nations people have been building relationships and getting to know each other for tens of thousands of years. She draws from a long family history in the media industry and has grown up in culturally strong, politically active family who have been at the forefront of the Aboriginal Rights movement since the 1960’s.
 
Mundanara sees this platform as an opportunity to share her cultural knowledge and insights to her audience in a non confrontational way that brings people along with her to create change for a better Australia. To connect more with Mundanara check out the work she does with her elders at www.theblackcard.com.au.
 
If you'd like to support the show by making a financial contribution, visit https://www.theblackcard.com.au./ Any help is appreciated and goes a long way. I encourage to get behind any First Nations media, contribute, share and be apart of positive change that Australia needs.

Black Magic Woman

My Doors Are Always Open

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/fa326977-3de5-4283-9b8b-af3500c58607/clips/647d75da-a4bb-4e0f-a8be-b4ef0014fdff/transcript