The local plants are well equipped to survive if they are not choked out by grasses and weeds in their early years. Mulching the young plants will further improve their performance. 

The most favourable time for planting is in the Autumn after good rain while the soil is still warm. However, Winter and Spring are also very favourable times, and plantings carried out then will normally be sufficiently established to survive their first Summer without watering, particularly when mulched. A dry Spring or Summer would be severe on late Spring planting, and watering would then be needed. In any case, some Summer watering would be beneficial, particularly in the first year.

It is generally agreed that the Drooping She-oak was dominant over the area at the time of the first European settlement. Strongly recommended as a character and as a street tree. Cones on female trees are yellow-brown, very fine flower spikes on male. Grows readily from seed. Grows to 8 m. Hardy in an open, sunny position. 

Coastal Tea-Tree (Leptospermum lævigatum) 

Our predominant tree cover. Grows to 8 m. White flowers September to November. Fast growing, hardy screening tree. Can be pruned heavily when young. An interesting character tree in old age. Easily grown from seed. Self sown seedlings up to 200 mm transplant readily. 

Coast Banksia (Banksia integrifolia) 

A great character and specimen tree to 8 m. Large pale yellow flower spikes, Autumn-Spring, attract honeyeaters. Hard fruiting cones. Likes a sunny position and protection from ocean winds. 

Moonah(Melaleuca lanceolata) 

Widespread and hardy but prefers protection from ocean winds. Spreading bushy shrub or gnarled tree to 8 m. Creamy white flowers February to March. Unlike tea tree, it sprouts readily when cut back to bare stems. Excellent screen tree. Grows readily from seed. 

Sweet Bursaria (Bursaria spinosa) 

A variable woody shrub or tree to 7 m. May be very spiny or almost spineless. Creamy white flower plumes in summer. Tolerates semi-shade. Attracts and protects birds. 

Wirilda (Acacia retinodes var uncifolia) 

Small tree to 7 m. Racemes of pale yellow flowers mainly in summer. Fast growing but is often short lived. 

Boobialla(Myoporum insulare) 

A leafy shrub to small rounded tree to 5 m. Very hardy, suitable for exposed positions. Flowers small, white with purple dots, October to December. Fruit round, purplish. Leaves thick and smooth. 

Giant Hop-bush (Dodonaea viscosa)

Tall shrub or small tree to 5 m. Very small white flowers followed by papery reddish-brown three winged fruits in Spring or Summer. Leaves sticky, thin, narrowed to base. Attractive garden shrub. Ideal as replacement screen for tea tree under street wires. Prefers sunny position. Grow from seed or cuttings. 
 

On exposed coastal sites height may be under 1 m. 

Inland can reach 3-4 m. Creamy yellow flowers in Spring. 

Leaves leathery with rounded tips. Grow from seed. 
 
Coast Beard-heath (Leucopogon parviflorus) (above) 

Widespread. Very hardy shrub or small tree to 4 m. Flowers small, white, Spring-Summer, followed by white bead-like fruits that attract the birds. Responds to pruning. A good under-shrub. Slow grower. 

Pale Turpentine Bush (Beyeria leschenaultii) 

A good undershrub to 2 m. Pointed leaves to 40 mm, (dark green above, whitish beneath. Very small yellow flowers September to December. 

Sea Box (Alyxia buxifolia) 

An attractive small shrub to 1.5 m. Common on ocean cliff tops. Leaves firm, rounded, dark green above, paler green beneath. Flowers white, Spring and Summer. Fruits orange-red. Likes an open sunny position. 

Coast Pomaderris (Pomaderris paniculosa ssp paralia formerly P. oraria) (above) 

Common along bay coast and widespread over the area. Very hardy shrub to 2 m. Flowers small, white pink October-November. Tolerates exposed position to semi-shade. Leaves to 60 mm, dark green above, whitish beneath. 

Common Correa (Correa reflexa) 

A hardy undershrub to 1 m. Yellow-green tubular flowers May to October attractive to honeyeaters. Prune to keep compact. Grow from cuttings. 

White Correa (Correa alba) 

Common along ocean coastline. Grows to 1.5 m. White star-like flowers at any time but mostly June to October. Thick rounded leaves. Hardy all situations and an excellent cover for roadside banks. Propagate by layering or from cuttings. 

Thyme Rice Flower (Pimelia serpyllifolia) 

A very hardy undershrub to 1.5 m. Tiny yellow flowers in Spring-Summer. In shady spots benefits from pruning. A tough fill-in shrub. Seeds freely. Seedlings to 200 mm transplant readily. 

Coast Daisy Bush (Ozothamnus turbinatis formerly Olearia axillaris) 

A soft, grey bushy shrub to 1.5 m. Common on ocean cliff tops. Flower heads yellowish, in Autumn. Open sunny position. Propagate from cuttings. 

Sticky Daisy Bush (Olearia glutinosa) 

A soft bushy shrub to 1.5 m. Grows along ocean cliff tops. Showy, with daisy-like flowers in Spring- Summer. Open position. Benefits from pruning. 

Coast Everlasting (Helichrysum paralium) A shrub to 1.5 m on ocean cliff tops. Green varying to grey foliage. Yellow flowers in crowded heads, February to May. Open position. Propagate from cuttings. 

Cushion Bush (Leucophyta brownii formerly Calocephalis brownii) 

A rounded grey-white shrub to 1 m. Common on ocean cliffs. Thin tangled branchlets. An interesting contrasting shrub. Sunny position. Propagate from cuttings. 

Silky Guinea Flower (Hibbertia sericea) (above) 

Small shrublet to 0.5 m. Widespread. Showy yellow flowers September to December. A useful hardy small plant flowers best in full sun but tolerates shade. Propagate from cuttings. 

Black Anther Flax Lily (Dianetta revoluta) 

Tussocks of thin long leaves to 0.75 m. Very small dark blue flowers on fine wiry stems in Spring. Small blue fruits. A useful hardy contrasting plant. Self seeds. Clumps can be divided. 

Austral Stork's Bill (Pelargonium australe) 

A small, low-growing geranium-type plant. Mauve flowers in Summer. Enjoys some shade. Self-seeds profusely. A useful hardy small plant for filling odd corners. 
 

Bears small light green leaves on thin climbing stems. This rapidly spreading creeper has, in recent years, seriously infested much of our bushland. Once established, it is difficult to eradicate. ALL tubers must be removed using a fork as they cannot be 
pulled by hand. 

Polygala or Myrtle-leaf Milkwort (Polygala myrtifolia) 

Particularly widespread in the Bay coastal areas where much indigenous vegetation has been choked out. It grows to 2 m, forms tangly thickets and bears purple pea flowers in Autumn and Winter. Young plants pull fairly easily, but older plants might require cuts to their roots with a spade. 

Purple Ragwort (Senecio elegans) 

A small perennial with flowering stems to 750 mm bearing purple flowers, not unlike Cineraria flowers, in Summer and Autumn. Plants pull readily, but stems are brittle. Remove the complete plants as they readily sprout from broken stems. 

Italian Buckthorn (Rhamnus alaternus) (above) 

A tall bush or small tree to 5 m. Dark green leaves with lightly serrated edges. Numerous dark red berries in summer are attractive to birds, which are spreading the seeds extensively. Pull with the help of a spade if needed. Large bushes can be cut and painted with herbicide. 

Boxthorn(Lycium ferrocissimum) 

A very large, tough, spiny, tangled shrub that grows to 4 m. White flowers, mainly October to March, are followed by smooth oval orange-red fruits. Removal and burning is the most effective method of control. Follow up by removing any re-growth from broken roots. 

Boneseed(Chrysanthemoides monilifera) 

This is lightly widespread with a few fairly dense areas. It grows to 2 m and bears clusters of bright yellow open-petalled flowers from July to October. The leaves are dull green, 50 70 mm long with irregularly serrated edges. Young plants pull easily, but use a spade to cut the roots of older plants. Cotoneaster (Cotoneaster pannosa) An attractive garden shrub to 3 m bearing clusters of bright red berries in Winter and Spring. Birds spread berries widely, and this tough shrub is overwhelming the natural understorey. Remove plant with help of a spade. Can cut and paint larger stems with herbicide. 

Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare) Erect stems to 2 m bear clusters of very small greenish-yellow flowers above the characteristic fine fernlike foliage. Young plants are easily dug up. Older plants develop a very tough root stock that is extremely difficult to remove. 

Blue Periwinkle (Vinca major) 

A ground cover plant that grows densely as its trailing stems root wherever they touch the soil. Blue flowers in Spring. Tug lightly to remove; follow-up necessary to remove remaining rooted stems. 

Dolichos Pea (Dipogon lignosus)

A strong growing creeper and climber that swamps the foliage of trees and shrubs. Bears purple or white pea flowers in Spring. Dig out plants as roots broken near the surface sprout readily. 

Cape Ivy (Delairea odorata) Another strong-growing creeper and climber that quickly covers other vegetation to a considerable height. Bears masses of yellow flower heads in Winter. The brittle stems and shallow roots are best removed with a fork. 

English Ivy (Hedera helix) 
A tough quick-spreading creeper and climber, forming a dense mat and smothering other plants. Remove all growth, cut main stems climbing trees, and remove any roots sprouting from stems left in the ground. Berries also spread by birds. Follow-up is essential.