As you descend the Hilltop track you will encounter the Shatterwood Tree (Backhousia sciadophora) recognizable by its large buttressed trunk and glossy green foliage high up in the canopy. The name Shatterwood is due to the brittle timber, bark is grey or fawn, with short and rough fibres and it appears to consist of layers. It is also sometimes referred to as the Boomerang tree as it’s buttressed trunk was used to make indigenous Boomerangs.

It is commonly found on sleep slopes of drier rainforest environments and can grow as high as 30m tall. It has numerous, small white flowers from June to July and fruits from May to August.

It’s also excellent host tree for epiphytes (a plant growing on another for support with no attachment, like a staghorn).