Brisbane tree guide

Queensland kauri pine

Agathis robusta · also called Kauri pine, Queensland kauri, South Queensland kauri

The Queensland kauri pine is a tall native conifer with a smooth trunk and broad, leathery leaves rather than needles. Its natural range takes in the Wide Bay district of south-east Queensland and the rainforests of the north. Brisbane City Council plants this kauri pine as a street tree on wide verges, where it grows 15 to 25 metres tall, so it suits big blocks and parks rather than small yards.

Native to South East Queensland
15 to 25 m tall

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Queensland kauri pine, from Wikimedia Commons — Photo: Steve Fitzgerald, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Queensland kauri pine at a glance

Height: 15 to 25 m (up to 50 m in the wild)
Leaves: Evergreen
Flowers: Small and easy to miss
Origin: Wide Bay district of south-east Queensland, including K'gari, and north Queensland rainforests
Power lines: Not on the council's list for under power lines
Family: Araucariaceae

How to identify a Queensland kauri pine

A tall conifer, 15 to 25 metres in Brisbane streets, with a smooth trunk and no buttresses at the base. The bark is orange-brown, brown or grey and sheds in broad scales or scattered flakes. Its leaves look nothing like pine needles: they are flat, thick and leathery, 5 to 13 cm long, with fine veins running lengthwise. The female cones are round and 9 to 15 cm long, while the smaller, finger-shaped male cones, 4 to 8.5 cm long, often litter the ground under mature trees.

Growing a Queensland kauri pine in Brisbane

Brisbane City Council lists Queensland kauri pine as a street tree for its higher land and arterial road precincts, but only on verges wider than 5 metres and not under power lines. That tells you how much space it needs. It is native to Queensland, typically a tree of drier rainforest, and its southern population grows in the Wide Bay district, including K'gari, rather than around Brisbane itself. Plant it only where a 15 to 25 metre tree has room.

What to watch out for

This is a very large tree: 15 to 25 metres in Brisbane streets and up to 50 metres in the wild, so think about its full size before planting near the house, fences or services. Mature trees shed male cones 4 to 8.5 cm long that collect under the canopy.

Falling cones. Mature trees shed male cones 4 to 8.5 cm long, which build up on the ground under the canopy.
Size. It reaches 15 to 25 m in Brisbane streets and up to 50 m in the wild, so it needs a lot of room.

Pruning and care

Kauri pines need little pruning. Leave the natural shape and single leader alone, and remove only dead branches or low limbs that block paths, driveways or sight lines. Water young trees through dry spells until they are established. Rake up fallen cones and leaves where they collect on paths or lawns. Because mature trees are so tall, any work in the upper canopy is a job for a qualified arborist with climbing or elevated work gear.

Queensland kauri pine: your questions

Short answers, from the sources below.

Back to the tree guide

How tall does a kauri pine grow?

In Brisbane streets a Queensland kauri pine reaches about 15 to 25 metres, and in its rainforest home it can grow to 50 metres.

Is the Queensland kauri pine native to Brisbane?

It is native to Queensland, but its natural range is the Wide Bay district, including K'gari, and north Queensland rainforests rather than Brisbane itself. Brisbane City Council plants it as a street tree on wide verges.

Is a kauri pine a real pine?

Not in the botanical sense. It is a conifer in the Araucariaceae family, the same family as hoop and bunya pines, and its leaves are broad and leathery rather than needle-like.

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Sources and credits

Photo: Steve Fitzgerald, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

Checked October 2026. Weed listings and council rules change: check the council's and the Queensland Government's pages before you act.