BOTANICAL NAME: Acacia melanoxylon

TREE DESCRIPTION: Australian Blackwood is a medium to tall hardwood with an extensive distribution throughout Eastern Australia including the higher rainfall areas of Tasmania, Victoria, South Australia, NSW and right up to the Tableland areas of North Queensland. The best and largest trees occur in the Cool Temperate high rainfall areas and the tall open forests in North Western Tasmania. The tree is normally 10 to 20m (33ft 66ft) tall and up to 0.5m (20inches)in diameter, but can vary from a small shrub to one of the largest Acacias in Australia, growing to heights of 35m (1-15ft) tall and 1.5m in diameter.

COLOUR: The heartwood varies greatly in colour according to the area of occurrence, though it is generally goldenbrown to darker brown, sometimes with a reddish tint and streaks of reddish colour. Sapwood is pale and up to 10Omm (4inches) wide. Obviously, the name Blackwood does not refer to the colour of the wood. It probably arose from the skin discolouration which occurs when it is handled.

GRAIN AND TEXTURE: The grain is usually straight. Sometimes it is interlocked producing wood with mild to very high fiddleback figure. This, along with its naturally high lustre, makes Blackwood one of Australia’s most decorative timbers. The texture is medium and even.