(See also Species also Available from Plantations, and Rainforest Logging below)
The following tree species 1, apart from those marked otherwise, are taken exclusively from old growth or so-called regrowth forests and cannot be recommended, unless the timber is second hand or ethically salvaged.
SPECIES (Botanical Name), Other Names, Sources / Comments - re origins, etc.
Ash, Alpine (P) (Eucalyptus delegatensis) Victorian Ash, Tasmanian Oak 2, Australian Oak - Tas, Vic, Sth-East NSW
Ash, Canary (see Yellow Walnut)
Ash, Mountain (Eucalyptus regnans) Tasmanian Oak 2 - Tas, Eastern Vic
Ash, Pigeonberry (see Rose Maple)
Ash, Red (Alphitonea excelsa) - coastal rainforests of NSW & Qld.
Ash, Silver (Flindersia schottiana) Bumpy Ash, Cudgerie - NSW, Qld
Ash, Silvertop (OS) (Eucalyptus sieberi) Coast Ash - this is one of the major woodchip export timbers to Japan from Eden in southern NSW.
Ash, Victorian - see Mountain Ash and/or Alpine Ash
Alder, Brown (Caldcluvia paniculosa) - nthn Qld
Alder, Rose (Caldcluvia australiensis) - nthn Qld
Bean, Black (OS) (Castanospermum australe) Moreton Bay Chestnut - nthn NSW - nth Qld
Bean, Red (Dysoxylon muelleri)
Beech, Antarctic (Nothofagus moorei) Niggerhead Beech - found throughout Australasia
Beech, Bolly (Litsea reticulata)
Beech, Brown (Cryptocarya glaucescens) ?
Beech, Myrtle (Nothofagus cunninghamii) Tasmanian Myrtle - Tas, Eastern Victoria
Beech, Silky (villaresia moorei) - coastal rainforests of NSW and Qld
Beech, White (Gmelina leichhardtii, etc) Grey Teak, Colonial Beech - NSW, Qld, PNG
Birch, White (Schizomeria ovata) Crabapple - coastal rainforests of NSW and Qld
Blackbutt, New England (Eucalyptus andrewsii) - nthn NSW, sthn Qld (Recycled Blackbutt is available from Nullarbor Forest Industries - see Timber Recyclers in the Alternative Directory). NB: Blackbutt (E. pilularis) is a plantation-grown timber.
Blackbutt, West Australian (Eucalyptus patens) Parri - found in Jarrah & Karri forests of south-west W.A.; in short supply.
Blackwood (Acacia melanoxylon) - Tas, SA, Vic, NSW, Qld (See also Wattle, under Salvaged Timber from Urban & Rural Sources).
Bloodwood (Eucalyptus intermedia)
Bollywood, Brown (Litsea leefeana) - coastal rainforests from Central Coast NSW to nthn Qld
Booyong (Argyrodendrum trifoliatum) Brown/Tulip Oak, Crows Foot Elm - NSW, Qld
Box, Black (Eucalyptus largiflorens?)
Box, Grey (Eucalyptus mollucana) - Vic, NSW
Box, Inland Grey (Eucalyptus microcarpa) - NSW, sthn Qld, Vic
Box, Red (Eucalyptus polyanthema) - Victoria
Box, Satin ?
Box, White (Eucalyptus albens)
Box, White Topped (Eucalyptus quadrangulata) - NSW, sthn Qld
Box, Yellow (Eucalyptus melliodora) - Vic, NSW, Qld
Brushbox (R) (Tristania conferta/Lophostemon confertus) - nthn NSW to sthn Qld; rainforest edge species
Butternut, Rose (Blepharocarya involucrigera) - nthn Qld
Canary Ash (Beilschmiedia bancroftii)
Candlenut (Aleurites moluccana) - nthn Qld
Carabeen, Red (Geissos benthamiana) Brush Mahogany - Nthn NSW - sthn Qld
Carabeen, White (Sloanea langii) Qld
Carabeen, Yellow (Sloanea woollsii) - nthn NSW, sthn Qld
Carabeen, Nthn Yellow (Sloanea macbrydei) Grey Carabeen - Qld
Cedar, Red (OS) (Toona australis) E Aust (rare) - PNG, Sth-East Asia
Cedar, White (Melia azedarach) Tulip Cedar - Coastal NSW to Qld
Cheesewood, White (Alstonia scholaris) Milkwood - nthn Qld, PNG, S-E Asia
Coachwood (Ceropetalum apetalum) - Nthn NSW, sthn Qld
Crows Ash (Flindersia australis) NSW Teak, Colonial Teak - nthn NSW, Qld
Cudgerie, Brown (Canarium australasicum) - nthn NSW, Qld
Cypress Pine3 (OS) (Callitris collumelaris) Murray Pine, Western Cypress Pine - NSW, Qld
Cypress, Black3 (Callitris endlicheri) - NSW, Qld, Vic
Cypress, White3 (Callitris glauca) - inland NSW- Qld
Damson (Terminalia sericocarpa) Sovereign Wood - Qld rainforests
Deep Yellowwood (Rhodosphaera rhodanthema) Tulip Satinwood
Ebony, Black ?
Ebony, Grey ?
Gum, Flooded (P) (OS) (R) (Eucalyptus grandis) Rose Gum - central NSW to nthn Qld; a species often found on rainforest edges.
Gum, Grey (Eucalyptus propinqua) - NSW, Qld
Gum, Manna (Eucalyptus viminalis) Ribbon Gum - SA, Tas, Vic, NSW; important koala habitat; some species of gliders feed on the sap and new leaves.
Gum, Mountain Grey (Eucalyptus cypellocarpa) Monkey Gum - Vic, sthn NSW
Gum, River Red (P) (OS) (Eucalyptus camaldulensis) Red Gum - Inland rivers - sthn mainland Aust.
Gum, Shining (Eucalyptus nitens) - Vic-NSW
Huon Pine (see Pine, Huon)
Ironbark, Grey (Eucalyptus paniculata) - NSW, Qld
Ironbark, Narrow Leaved Red (Eucalyptus crebra) - NSW, Qld
Ironbark, Red (Eucalyptus sideroxylon) - Vic, NSW, Qld Ironbark, Silver (Eucalyptus melanophloia ?)
Jarrah (P) (Eucalyptus marginata) - sth-west W.A.; threatened by dieback, bauxite mining and controlled burns, which favour banksias. Plantation sources are extremely limited. Regrowth forest sources are not proven as environmentally sustainable.
Johnson River Hardwood (Backhousia bancroftii) - nthn Qld
Kamala, Red (Mallotus philippensis) - Eastern Aust. rainforests
Karri (P) (OS) (Eucalyptus diversicolor) - sth-West WA (See comments re environmental status of Jarrah)
Kauri, Queensland (Agathis palmerstonii) - nthn Qld
Kauri Pine (P) (Agathis robusta) sthn Qld Kauri - Qld (Maryborough district)
Kauri, Bull (P) (Agathis microstachya) nthn Qld Kauri - Cairns district
King William Pine (Athrotaxis selaginoides) - TAS
Mahogany, Rose (Dysoxylon fraseranum) Rosewood - NSW, Qld
Mallee Timbers (Eucalyptus spp - about 17) - Western NSW, Vic
Malletwood (Rhodamnia arquentea) - Qld rainforests
Maple, Queensland (P) (Flindersia brayleyana) - nthn Qld, PNG
Maple, Rose (Cryptocarpa erythoxylon) Pigeonberry Ash - NSW, Qld
Mararie (Pseudoweinmannia lachnocarpa) - NSW, Qld
Marri (Eucalyptus callophylla) - occurs in Jarrah and Karri forests of sth-West W.A.; principal species woodchipped in W.A.
Messmate (P) (Eucalyptus obliqua) Messmate Stringybark, Tasmanian Oak, Peppermint - Tas, Vic, NSW, sthn Qld
Messmate, Gympie (P) (Eucalyptus cloeziana) - Qld
Myrtle, Tasmanian (Nothofagus cunninghamii) Myrtle Beech - Rainforests of Tas & Vic.
Oak, Tasmanian (see Alpine Ash &/or Mountain Ash &/or Messmate)
Oak, White (Stenocarpus sinuatus) Firewheel Tree - East Coast rainforests
Onionwood (Owenia cepiodora) - nthn NSW
Pine, Brown (Podocarpus elatus) - rainforests of NSW and Qld
Pine, Bunya (P) (Araucaria bidwilli) - Sth-East Qld
Pine, Celery Top (Phyllocladus asplenifolius) - Tas
Pine, Hoop (P) (Araucaria cunninghamii) - nth NSW, Qld, PNG
Pine, Huon (Dacrydium franklinii/Lagarostrobus franklinii) Macquarie Pine - Sth-West Tas
Pine, King William (Athrotaxis selaginoides) - West Tas
Quandong, Silver (Elaeocarpus grandis) Blueberry Ash, Blue Fig - NSW, Qld
Rosewood (Dysoxylum fraseranum) Rose Mahogany - rainforests of Central Coast NSW to Sth-East Qld
Sassafras (Dyophora sassafras) Yellow Sassafras, Golden Deal - NSW, Qld
Sassafras, Southern (Atherosperma moschatum) Tasmanian Sassafras - Tas, small areas in Vic, NSW
Satinay (OS) (Syncarpia hillii) Fraser Is. Turpentine - Fraser Is. (sthn Qld)
Silkwood (Flindersia pimenteliana) Maple Silkwood - nthn Qld
Silkwood, Bolly (Cryptocarya oblata) Tarzali Silkwood, Mazlin's Beech - nthn Qld
Silkwood, Silver (Flindersia acuminata) Putts Pine - nthn Qld
Silky Oak, Northern (Cardwellia sublimis) Bull Silky Oak - central & nthn Qld (OK if from suburbia)
Silky Oak, Southern (P) (OS) (Grevillea Robusta) - NSW, Qld (OK if from suburbia)
Teak, Australian (see Crows Ash)
Teak, NSW (see Crows Ash)
Tulip Oak, Red (Argyrodendron peralatum) - nthn Qld
Turpentine, Fraser Is. (see Satinay)
Walnut, Queensland (Endiandra palmerstonii) Black Walnut, Australian Walnut, Oriental Wood - nthn Qld
Walnut, NSW (Endiandra virens) - nthn NSW
Walnut, Blush (Beilschmeidia obtusifolia) - NSW, Qld
Walnut, White (Cryptocarya obovata)
Walnut, Yellow (Beilschmedia bancroftii) Canary Ash - nthn Qld
Wattle, Silver (Acacia dealbata) - all eastern states. (See also Salvaged Timber from Urban & Rural Sources).
(P) = Plantation Sources Available
(OS) = Also Overseas-grown
(R) = rainforest species
Certain species, as noted in the table, are also available in limited quantities from plantations, but please make doubly sure that the timber is from a plantation source before you contemplate purchasing any of them.
A prime example of this is Hoop pine, which is available in abundance from plantations in northern NSW and throughout Queensland. Unfortunately, there are quantities of old growth forest Hoop pines being taken from private landholdings in Queensland, as are other rainforest species. Old growth Hoop pine is most readily discernible by the presence of knots and the overall larger formats (dimensions) of the timber. Plantation Hoop is generally knot-free, due to its having been silviculturally treated during its growth cycle. (See also Australian Grown Plantation Species)
There is a general moratorium on the logging of public land rainforest in NSW and Queensland. However, rainforest trees are routinely illegally felled after being misclassified as non-rainforest species (and many private landowners are only too happy to convert their trees to cash).
Brushbox and Tallowwood trees for instance, grow as a Eucalypt emergents in rainforest. This type of forest is then re-classified as sclerophyll forest; so, what is really rainforest is destroyed to gain access to the Brushboxes and Tallowwoods.
1. NB: Much of this species information comes from Wood in Australia by Keith Bootle, A Glossary of Wood by Thomas Corkhill, and Horticultural Information by Jones.
2. NB: Both Alpine Ash (Eucalyptus delegatensis) and Mountain Ash (Eucalyptus regnans) both share the alternative name of 'Tasmanian Oak'. In fact, Corkhill (see above) says 'Mountain Ash' can refer to either E. delegatensis or E. regnans. Both are very similar woods. Corkhill also says 'Tasmanian Oak' may refer to Messmate (E. obliqua).
3.