Wattle

Also known as Gidgee, Boree, Myall, Deadfinish, Mulga, Brigalow. About 800 species grow in Australia. They are widespread in arid, semi-arid and sub-humid regions and have a distinctively different foliage to those of Africa and Asia. They vary from tall trees to prostate shrubs with great variation in leaf and seed shape, though are easily identified by their ball-like yellow flowers. The dark brown hardwood has a narrow band of yellow sapwood and is a hard and heavy timber that takes a high finish. The plants are important for shelter, shade, fodder and increasing soil fertility.

Millettia laurentii

Wenge is an exotic timber from the open forests of Zaire, Cameroon, Gabon, the southern regions of Tanzania, and Mozambique. It is also found in the swampy forests of the Congo region. The tree is described as medium sized, and attains a height of 50 to 60 feet (15 to 18 m). The sapwood is pale yellow or whitish in color, and is clearly demarcated from the heartwood. The heartwood is dark brown, mostly black, with fine, closely spaced, very dark veins and white lines. The combination of white bands against the dark wood with black streaks gives Wenge a very attractive appearance. Generally used by Australian woodworkers as small detail items on furniture and small objects.

Atherosperma moschatum

This distinctive tree grows in high rainfall areas predominantly throughout Tasmania with some growth in Victoria and South Eastern NSW, It is much sought after as furniture timber. The heartwood is a creamy to light grey colour and often has a black stain. This "blackheart" is in demand for turnery and other specialist work and is caused by a bacterial infection. The bark of the Sassafras tree is aromatic and was used for brewing sassafras beer and for making tea.

Flindersia spp.

The Silver Ashes are rainforest hardwoods growing from the Mid North Coast to Far North Queensland. The tree grows up to 35m in height and 1m in diameter. The timber colour varies from almost white to pale yellow to greyish silver and has little or no figuring in the grain. It is a stable timber, reasonably durable, easily worked and steam bends well. It has a natural lustre, finishes well and is a popular timber for furniture making as well as for sporting goods and boat building.

Acer saccharum

Rock Maple is a medium to large non-rainforest hardwood of North-east America and Canada. It can reach heights of up to 40m and up to 1 m in diameter. The heartwood is creamy-white sometimes with a reddish tinge. The sapwood is wide, generally of the same colour. Larger and older trees sometimes have a dark brown heart. The grain is generally straight though sometimes wavy with a "fiddle-back" figuring. It has a naturally high lustre, fine and uniform texture with "Birdseye" figuring present in some trees. The sap of this tree is the source of Maple Syrup.

Ceratopetalum succirubrum

Sycamore is a tree found in various parts of the world. In Australia it is also known Satin Sycamore and Nth Queensland Coachwood. It grows to a height of 30m in the rainforests of NorthenQueensland. The hardwood is pale pinkish brown and the grain is straight to slightly figured with fine texture and lustre. The wood is relatively hard and strong and can be worked to a smooth fine finish. It has been used for joinery, decorative veneer, furniture and carving.

Eucalyptus calophylla

Marri is a medium sized to tall tree that can grow up to 40m in height. Marri is widely distributed in the southwest of Western Australia. Its wood is pale yellow to light brown and is hard, strong and durable.
This strong timber has been used in the past for weatherboard houses, tool handles, sporting goods and fence posts, however these days it is the principle species used for woodchips in Western Australia.