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Best Trees for Windbreaks in Coastal Areas

Best Trees for Windbreaks in Coastal Areas

Five proven coastal windbreak trees for Australian properties. Banksia integrifolia, Eucalyptus, Casuarina, Allocasuarina and Westringia create layered, salt-tolerant shelter.
AllocasuarinaAustralian nativeBanksia integrifoliaCasuarinacoastal treescoastal windbreaksEucalyptussalt tolerant treesWestringiawindbreak trees

Coastal windbreaks knock the worst of the salt-laden ocean wind off the back of the property and create a sheltered garden inside. The right native picks handle direct exposure and grow back stronger every year.

The five coastal windbreak picks below are the ones we recommend most often.

Compare at a glance

CultivarHeightWidthFormFoliageBest if you…
Banksia integrifolia
Coast Banksia 		8-15m4-6mUpright, dense, ages into a sculptural canopyLeathery dark green over silver undersideCoastal windbreaks, beach properties, native gardens, bird and pollinator habitat.
Eucalyptus leucoxylon 'Euky Dwarf'
Euky Dwarf 		5-8m3-5mUpright, evenly branched, manageable canopyGrey-green narrow leavesCoastal screens, suburban windbreaks, nectar gardens, street and avenue planting.
Casuarina cunninghamiana
River Sheoak 		10-20m4-6mUpright pyramidal, denseFine soft needle-like foliage that hisses in the windRural windbreaks, large coastal blocks, riparian planting, shelterbelts.
Allocasuarina littoralis
Black She Oak 		6-10m3-5mUpright, slim, evenly branchedFine dark green needle-like foliageSuburban coastal windbreaks, native screens, narrow side gardens.
Westringia fruticosa
Coastal Rosemary 		1-1.5m1-1.5mNaturally rounded, clips into a low hedgeFine grey-green foliage with silver undersideCoastal low hedges, foreground of windbreaks, beach gardens, native borders.
Layer the windbreak
Tall outer line: Banksia, Casuarina. Secondary belt: Waterhousea. Inner low layer: Westringia, Leptospermum.
Spacing
Tall windbreak species at 2 to 3m apart for a dense belt. Low layers at 1m.
Native feeding
Use low-phosphorus native fertiliser only.
Sandy soil prep
Add coarse compost to the planting hole. Mulch heavily.
Banksia integrifolia

1. Banksia integrifolia (Coast Banksia)

Australia's go-to native windbreak. Silvery-green foliage, golden cylindrical flowers and rock-solid coastal performance from frontline beach blocks to inland gardens.

Type
Evergreen native windbreak and feature tree
Height
8-15m
Width
4-6m
Growth rate
Moderate to fast
Foliage
Leathery dark green over silver underside
Flowers
Golden cylindrical flower spikes, autumn through winter
Form
Upright, dense, ages into a sculptural canopy
Conditions
Full sun. Sandy or loam soils. Highly salt and wind tolerant. Drought tolerant once established.
Maintenance
Low. Tip prune young trees to encourage density. Avoid phosphorus fertilisers.
Best for
Coastal windbreaks, beach properties, native gardens, bird and pollinator habitat.

Why choose it

Few trees stand up to salt-laden wind like Coast Banksia. It also feeds honeyeaters and lorikeets through the cold months.

Perfect pair

Pair as a windbreak backbone with a low Westringia fruticosa hedge in front to soften the base.

Tips for planting

Plant in free-draining soil and stake firmly until established. Mass plant in staggered rows for the strongest windbreak.

The reliable native windbreak that also pulls in the birds.

Shop Banksia integrifolia
Eucalyptus leucoxylon 'Euky Dwarf'

2. Eucalyptus leucoxylon 'Euky Dwarf' (Euky Dwarf)

A compact dwarf eucalyptus bred for smaller blocks. Tough, flowering and wind tolerant without the size of a full eucalypt.

Type
Evergreen native flowering tree
Height
5-8m
Width
3-5m
Growth rate
Moderate
Foliage
Grey-green narrow leaves
Flowers
Pink, red or cream gum blossoms across long flowering periods
Form
Upright, evenly branched, manageable canopy
Conditions
Full sun, coastal tolerant, drought tolerant, frost tolerant. Free-draining soil.
Maintenance
Low. Light shaping when young.
Best for
Coastal screens, suburban windbreaks, nectar gardens, street and avenue planting.

Why choose it

All the bird-attracting power of a flowering gum on a tree that suits a normal Australian block.

Perfect pair

Pair as a feature flowering tree with a row of Banksia integrifolia behind for layered wind protection.

Tips for planting

Plant in a sunny spot with good drainage. Avoid heavy clay and overwatering once established.

A coastal windbreak that flowers like a feature tree.

Shop Eucalyptus leucoxylon 'Euky Dwarf'
Casuarina cunninghamiana

3. Casuarina cunninghamiana (River Sheoak)

Fast-growing, hardy and naturally upright. The fine needle-like foliage filters wind and the dense canopy creates instant screening.

Type
Evergreen native windbreak tree
Height
10-20m
Width
4-6m
Growth rate
Fast
Foliage
Fine soft needle-like foliage that hisses in the wind
Form
Upright pyramidal, dense
Conditions
Full sun. Tolerates a wide range of soils including damp ground and coastal exposure.
Maintenance
Very low. Self-shaping.
Best for
Rural windbreaks, large coastal blocks, riparian planting, shelterbelts.

Why choose it

One of the fastest dense native windbreak trees you can plant. Looks elegant doing it.

Perfect pair

Pair as a tall back-row windbreak with Allocasuarina littoralis at the front for a layered native shelter.

Tips for planting

Plant in staggered double rows 3-5m apart for the strongest shelter. Water deeply through the first year.

Fast, tough, beautiful in the wind.

Shop Casuarina cunninghamiana
Allocasuarina littoralis

4. Allocasuarina littoralis (Black She Oak)

A smaller-scale sheoak with a softer silhouette. Brilliant for windbreaks where a full Casuarina is too large.

Type
Evergreen native screening tree
Height
6-10m
Width
3-5m
Growth rate
Fast
Foliage
Fine dark green needle-like foliage
Form
Upright, slim, evenly branched
Conditions
Full sun. Coastal tolerant, drought tolerant once established. Wide soil tolerance.
Maintenance
Very low.
Best for
Suburban coastal windbreaks, native screens, narrow side gardens.

Why choose it

Gives you sheoak texture and bird food at a more manageable size for smaller blocks.

Perfect pair

Pair as a screen with Banksia integrifolia at the back and Westringia at the front for a full coastal layer.

Tips for planting

Plant 2-3m apart for a dense windbreak. Excellent for sandy coastal soils.

Coastal toughness in a slimmer package.

Shop Allocasuarina littoralis
Westringia fruticosa

5. Westringia fruticosa (Coastal Rosemary)

The classic hardy coastal shrub. Forms a dense rounded hedge that softens the base of any windbreak.

Type
Evergreen native hedging shrub
Height
1-1.5m
Width
1-1.5m
Growth rate
Moderate
Foliage
Fine grey-green foliage with silver underside
Flowers
Small white flowers most of the year
Form
Naturally rounded, clips into a low hedge
Conditions
Full sun. Highly salt and wind tolerant. Hardy in sandy soils.
Maintenance
Low. Clip lightly twice a year to keep dense.
Best for
Coastal low hedges, foreground of windbreaks, beach gardens, native borders.

Why choose it

Where larger windbreak trees stop the wind, Westringia fills the lowest layer and stops scour at ground level.

Perfect pair

Pair as a front-row hedge under Banksia integrifolia or Casuarina cunninghamiana windbreaks.

Tips for planting

Plant 60-80cm apart for a fast low hedge. Avoid heavy clay and overwatering.

The toughest low coastal hedge in Australia.

Shop Westringia fruticosa

How to plant and care for them

Pick the position
Full sun on the windward side of the property.
Prepare the planting trench
Dig a trench along the windbreak line, twice the rootball width.
Plant level
Rootball level with surrounding soil.
Stake every tree
Firm staking through the first year is essential for coastal exposure.
Mulch heavily
75 to 100mm of organic mulch.
Water through the first two summers
Deep watering through establishment.

Frequently asked questions

How close together should I plant a windbreak?
Two to four metres apart in staggered rows. Closer spacing builds density faster but increases competition.
How tall does the windbreak need to be?
A windbreak protects roughly ten times its height downwind. A 6m row shelters about 60m of garden behind it.
Are these trees safe in salty wind?
Yes. All five are proven salt-tolerant once established, with Banksia integrifolia and Westringia fruticosa among the toughest frontline coastal plants in Australia.

The wrap up

Layer the windbreak — tall native outer line, soft secondary belt, low silver inner layer. The layered planting reads as garden rather than barrier.

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