Fauna
Plant

Hoop Pine

Araucaria cunninghamii

Also known as Colonial Pine, Queensland Pine, Moreton Bay Pine, Dorrigo Pine

Hoop pines dominate the skyline above subtropical rainforests and dry vine thickets, often emerging high above the surrounding canopy with tiered, asymmetrical branches. The species earns its common name from the thick, dark grey bark that splits into distinctive horizontal hoops and rings rather than vertical plates. Surviving trees can endure for centuries, relying on wind to carry pollen across forest canopies to fertilize woody seed cones that shatter upon maturity.

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Hoop Pine reference1 / 7
(c) Shaun Swanepoel, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Shaun Swanepoel · cc-by
—observations
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Least ConcernConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXLeast ConcernRed List categories, explained →
Key facts
Diet & preyPhotoautotrophic
Predators
  • Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoo
  • Hoop Pine Jewel Beetle
  • Sulphur-crested Cockatoo
ThreatsHistorical over-harvesting for timber, localized land clearing, and intense wildfires
HabitatsDry rainforests, subtropical rainforest margins, riverine corridors, and rocky gorges
Life span400–450 years
Classification
  1. FamilyAraucariaceae
  2. SpeciesAraucaria cunninghamii
Range & activity
Range data is not available yet.
Safe observation
Interaction riskLow
  1. Low
  2. Moderate
  3. High
  4. Very high
Why interaction risk is low
Safe to observe at a normal distance.
Responsible observation
  • Bark Identification: Look closely at the trunk for horizontal ringing and peeling strips resembling barrel hoops.
  • Canopy Scanning: Scan high above the broadleaf rainforest canopy to spot its tufted, dark green branch tips.
Related species
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