© irene waters 2015
Melaleuca have over 200 different species in the family of which most are endemic to Australia. There are three main types – the tea trees whose roots colour any nearby water brown. As a kid we used to swim at Lake Ainsley at Lennox Head and everyone would be there with their shampoo washing their hair. The tea tree was great for softening the hair.
© irene waters 2015
Honey myrtles are a smaller variety but very common whilst the paper barks are known for the bark which comes off in sheets. This is a tree that you feel like hugging the bark has such a soft texture.
© irene waters 2015
The paperbarks are well known for thriving in wet areas and suck up swamp water. One species was imported to Florida to help drain swamp lands and as happens when you move things to where they shouldn’t be (prickly pear, rabbit, possum in NZ to name a few) the paperbarks are now declared a noxious pest having not only quadrupled in number in ten years but also pose a huge fire risk as they are highly flammable.
© irene waters 2015
In Australia though, I just love them.
This is linked to Shadow Shot Sunday2
Reflections and Nightmares- Irene A Waters (writer and memoirist) 
Great photos. I like the last one best. The tree is waiting for someone to touch or even lean against. Very sinuous looking.
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Me too. We have oodles of them here and I want to hug them all.
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So can the bark be used to write on! Amazing texture – I want to touch it!
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Noelle it feels beautiful. You can write on it and it is often used for paintings. You’d love to touch it. This is a tree you really want to hug.
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Interesting post and lovely photos Irene. I do love the papery bark of these trees. BTW you forgot to mention the cane toad!!
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How could I forget the cane toad. The nasty critters lie in wait for me when I do the final dog walk of a night and in the dark it is so difficult to make sure the dogs don’t touch them. I believe that is why many houses are walled up here – not to keep humans out but rather the cane toad.
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This so takes me back to eight days in Katherine and Kakadu with the family. Our guide was a tree lover and fascinated us with all things arboreal. That and snakes which the Lawyer loved too. Thanks, makes me want to do it all again
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Glad I’ve brought back your time in our north. Sounds like your guide had his priorities right. I’ve been to Katherine but not Kakadu but would love to make the trip.
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Very inviting. Love the dappled sunlight and shadow.
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Definitely inviting. Thanks Colleen
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Those are some gnarly trees! Great shots!
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Thanks so much.
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Great shots. Wonderfully informative post.
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Thanks Rajesh
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that tree has a beautiful trunk. 🙂
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It sure has. 🙂
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I love tea tree oil but have never seen the tree before!
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Same with me. I don’t know how that happened.
Love all of these photos!
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Thanks Sarah
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Lovely photos. 😀
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Thanks Raewyn 🙂
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So that’s where tea tree oil comes from? I’ve never seen the actual tree before! Lovely photos, makes me feel like going for a walk with you right now through that forest. Are you ready? And great point about putting things where they don’t belong. Like the grey squirrel here – but the red squirrel is making a come back! I like the sound of the soft bark though…enough to make a tree hugger out of anyone, I would have thought 😉 Love your humour Irene, always enjoy your little gems tucked in your posts 🙂
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You’d love to take a walk here Sherri. Perhaps we might just do that next week. Time I got out and about. So glad you enjoy them Sherri cause I enjoy doing them. 🙂 Have a good week. ❤
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