The genus name Indigofera is Neo-Latin for "bearing Indigo". Indigo is a purple dye originally obtained from some Indigofera species. The species name australis is Latin for southern, referring to the geographical distribution of the species. The common name has been derived from the scientific name.

Crushed leaves if Austral Indigo were added to water by Aboriginals to kill or stun fish and eels.

Austral Indigo is widespread in open forest and woodlands in southern Australia from the south-east of Western Australia to north-east Queensland. At Manna Park it grows on mid-slopes, such has seen on the lower-right foreground of the photograph. This photo shows the gully of Hostel Creek, at map coordinates 58 300, 19 200.

Click on either photograph to download a higher resolution image (T.Hastings September 2009).