Tarkiner turns kelp into culture and commerce

Callan Morse
Callan Morse Published September 26, 2025 at 9.30am (AWST)

A new Aboriginal business is making waves in Tasmania's far North West by utilising a natural product which has washed ashore for millennia.

Tarkiner is a proudly First Nations owned indoor plant food product made from organic bull kelp harvested on the traditional lands of the Peerapper people.

The Aboriginal business enterprise was founded by the Circular Head Aboriginal Corporation (CHAC) last year.

CHAC chair Selina Colgrave said in establishing Tarkiner, conversations were held around culture, community and Aboriginal economic self-determination.

"One of our main stipulations was that profits from the product go back into culture," Ms Colgrave said.

"And the hardest thing was, 'how do we keep servicing our community and be an Aboriginal corporation that represents the community, but also make money?'

"So we had a few really important things that we wanted to stay true to when we started going into Aboriginal business."

Ms Colgrave said through the support of Wesfarmers' BOAB (Building Outstanding Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Businesses) Fund, Tarkiner's establishment engaged multiple Aboriginal businesses to become one of three Aboriginal-owned products to be stocked by Bunnings Warehouse.

Tarkiner is now available from Bunnings Warehouse. (Image: supplied, Carbon Creative)

"Throughout it we engaged an Aboriginal lawyer, we engaged an Aboriginal marketing company… I think even the director for out advertisement was a black fella," Ms Colgrave said.

"We're very proud of that fact."

Tarkiner harnesses the power of kelp as an organic fertiliser, however the product also has deep cultural roots in North West Tasmania.

"With kelp being highly culturally significant in Tassie with the baskets… It's a product that's been used by Aboriginal people for thousands of years," Ms Colgrave said.

"And just so happens to be an amazing fertiliser."

The product's name also has deep cultural roots.

"One of the most important things for the community was that we call it Tarkiner, because the Tarkiner people were the first peoples of here, where we get the kelp," Ms Colgrave said.

In addition to the plant food spray CHAC has also established Tarkiner tourism, which offers tours and culture workshops and the Tarkiner Centre of Excellence, a dedicated kelp research and product improvement facility which is currently in development stage.

Tarkiner is now available from Bunnings Warehouse.

   Related   

   Callan Morse   

Download our App

Article Audio

Disclaimer: This function is AI-generated and therefore may mispronounce.

National Indigenous Times

Disclaimer: This function is AI-generated and therefore may mispronounce.