- Mary Preece
Cabbage Tree Palm and COVID19 ISO
COVID ISO time. May 2020. A renewal.

Whilst working from home becomes the norm, I take some time to renew my basketry practice.
I have been working with Cabbage Tree Palm, Livistonia australis, collected from a friends property. Aware that it is a precious resource, I have focussed on experimenting with different methods of preparing the fibre.
Discoveries are:
- it resists dyeing, as it has a waxy coating on the outside of the leaf
- it makes a beautiful strong string and is great for braiding
- it is possible to boil it- this will make the fibres shrink slightly and the colour turns light brown
- it is very able to be wet and dried several times
My mentor Jim Walliss -RIP- had researched colonisation era uses of the fibre. The most well known use was for the Cabbage Tree Hat.
I created a coiled basket using Cabbage Tree Palm (green) fibre, Cocos Palm spathe made into string and Cocos Palm inflorescence. Its a simple open basket form, highlighting the colour and texture of the fibres.