The Cabbage Tree Palm (Livistona australis) is an iconic palm species that is well known in the Illawarra, as it is very prominent along the highway in the Kiama and Gerringong areas.

It is the more common of the two local palm species, occurring right across the region, in all kinds of rainforest, eucalypt forests on the escarpment, and also regularly popping up in gardens and parks. There are big old Cabbage Tree Palms right along the escarpment, such as the magnificent group below near Clover Hill road on Macquarie Pass.

The species grows in eastern Victoria and as far north as the misty upland rainforests of Paluma in Queensland, according to Alex Floyd's Rainforest Trees of Mainland South-eastern Australia. 

The other local palm, Bangalow Palm (Archontophoenix cunninghamiana), is much less common, particularly in the south of the region, though seedlings and young trees are appearing in some areas.

The two palms are fairly easy to tell apart by their leaves. Cabbage Tree Palms have circular leaves, formed of about 70 segments that are separated from each other towards their outer extremities; the leaf stalk (petiole) is up to 2.5m long and bears sharp curved spines that can give a nasty cut. The Bangalow Palm has pinnately divided leaves, with the opposite pairs of leaflets giving the leaf, and the whole plant, a feathery look; the leaf stalk is only 20-25cm long, so much shorter than in the Cabbage Palm. 

Cabbage Tree Palms are very significant to local First Nations peoples. They are also immensely important to many fruit-eating birds, particularly but not only local pigeons and doves. For this reason they are a really valuable element of local forests. They are not, however, an ancient or Gondwana species; recent genetic research favours the conclusion that they have moved into Australia from the north relatively recently (see this Science Direct article).

Anyone interested in the history, biology and culture of these trees is welcome to attend the launch of Landcare Illawarra's new project Future Proofing the Cabbage Tree Palm, on Thursday 14th of November, 6pm at Gerringong Library. The project's focus will be on what Kiama locals can do to help ensure that the landscape won't be Cabbage Palm free when the current giant paddock trees of the area die, but there will be a lot of learning and sharing for everyone at the launch event. All are welcome to attend. You can find out more and book via this link.