Blackwood (Acacia melanoxylon)

Actually a wattle! On poor ground a shrub or small tree, but in moist, fertile areas a large tree to c.30m. Foliage dense, dark green; pale yellow fluffy flowers in spring. Occurs from coastal areas to dense rainforests or swamps in Tasmania and throughout E & SE Mainland states.

A beautiful, often attractively grained timber for furniture, joinery, turning and other interior work.

Celery-top pine (Phyllocladus aspleniifolius)

Not a true Pine, although distantly related! A symmetrical tree from 5-20m. high, usually with horizontal branches and a conical crown. The “leaves” are actually modified branchlets; the female “flowers” are followed by little black naked seeds surrounded by fleshy outgrowths.

Occurs only in Tasmania, in wet forests from sea level to c. 700m.

The timber is pale yellow, weathering to grey, it is very durable, works easily and is stable. Used widely for boat building, outdoor furniture and as weatherboard cladding.

Myrtle (Myrtle-beech) (Nothofagus cunninghamii)

Closely related to the true Beeches of the Northern hemisphere. This is a well known and very common tree of the Tasmanian rainforests and depending on altitude and exposure from 5-20m. high. The leaves are small, more or less triangular, and in spring the new growth is beautifully coloured. The flowers and fruit are insignificant. It also occurs in Victoria.

The timber is a delicate pinkish-brown, densely grained and can be highly polished, it is an outstanding cabinet timber and is much sought after for flooring, interior walls, joinery and turning.

Blackheart Sassafras (Atherosperma moschatum)

A symmetrical, often distinctly conical tree of the rainforests of Tasmania, Vic. and NSW attaining 45m. high on fertile soils.

The serrated oval leaves as well as the bark are exquisitely aromatic and reminiscent of Nutmeg or Allspice; The bark has been used as the flavouring agent in Sassafras beer and tea!

The “normal” timber is a creamy-white, close grained, smooth-“oily” to the touch and takes a high polish.

Blackheart Sassafras is the result of a fungus invading and staining the internal tissues of the tree, causing a characteristic brown-black streaking of the timber.

Blackheart Sassy is much sought after for furniture and cabinet making as well as for turning, veneers and ornamental work.

Tas. Oak either: (Eucalyptus regnans, E. obliqua or E. delegatensis)

Tasmanian Oak is the standard Trade name of these three quite distinctive species of Eucalyptus, each of which bears a different common name depending on the State of occurrence: (Tas. & Vic.; Tas., Vic., SA., NSW.; Tas., Vic., NSW.; respectively)

All three may develop into very large trees depending on the site. E. regnans of the wet mountain gullies of Tas. & Vic. has been recorded at over 100m. tall, making it the tallest flowering plant in the world!

The timber of all three is similar; fairly close-grained, often with attractive patterns especially in veneers. The timber is usually strong and quite durable and is used extensively for weatherboard cladding, framing and other construction work as well as for internal wall cladding, joinery and cabinet making.

Huon Pine: (Lagarostrobos franklinii)

This unique tree is not a true Pine, however it is distantly related. In appearance it could easily be taken for an attractively “weeping” Cypress. Huon Pine occurs only in Western Tasmania, from sea level to c. 800m, in rainforest along river valleys. The tiny leaves are less than 2mm long and are tightly and closely arranged on the older twigs; the minute cones are c.3-4mm long and hang from the tips of the branchlets.

Once fairly common it is now only found in small pockets in reserves and inaccessible areas, as its magnificent timber was and still is highly sought after for its unique qualities. Close grained, and pale yellow to warm amber in colour, it is extremely water resistant and durable, owing to the variety of oils which impart a pleasant and aromatic odour. Trees may be extraordinarily long lived, one specimen from the Gordon River was shown to be over 2,200 years old and today ongoing clones of a single tree still exist that have been alive for over 12,000 years!

The timber cuts, bends, turns and planes beautifully and takes a high polish which emphasizes the beautiful grain.

Still highly esteemed for boat building and cabinet making, its limited supply, today, sees most used for turning, picture framing and craft furniture, for which purposes it is unparalled.