After The Tathra Fire – Plants for Landscaping

and Fire Proofing Your Garden

Following the Fires in Tathra in March 2018, I thought it important to dig out some of the work I’ve been involved with over the years including the consulting work I did in Victoria after the Black Saturday fire around Marysville. The plants listed below are Native plants that have been found to provide some degree of protection during bushfires.

Design and soil hydration play a huge role in plants part in a fire and this subject is a complete new blog that looks at a drying climate and how people in there gardens and in land are perpetuating that by not paying attention to soil.

The lists were compiled by Mr Neil Marriott based on the experiences of Australian Plant Society  Victoria members, many of whom have properties in fire-prone areas which have been affected by bushfires.

Please note that this information is of a general nature and is provided for domestic use only and some plants may not suit the coastal humidity that Tathra gets in summer. We are happy to work with people in Tathra to compile new lists that suit our climate.

During extreme bushfire events neither these nor other plant types will protect your property.
Good design, soil hydration and use of the plants listed will, however, reduce the chance of being burnt out even the inclusion of european plants and trees.

Simple test to gauge the fire vulnerability of the trees and shrubs in your garden:

When fire restrictions permit burning off, throw a small sample of foliage from each tree and shrub onto a fire and see how much it flares up.

Consider removing or replacing plants with foliage which flares fiercely.

Fire Resistant Plants. Plants that will not burn in the face of continued flame:

In this photo the fire approached from the top left of the picture down to the house surrounded by European trees that retarded the fire and it moved passed with no effects on the house within. Notice the design of the sweeping band of poplar trees above the house, now thats good design.

Fire Retardant Plants. Plants that will not burn in the first wave of a bushfire, but may burn once dried out:

We service from Eden to Pambula, Merimbula to Tura Beach and Tathra, Kalaru to Bermagui  west to the great divide.