Best Plants to Use as Windbreaks in Tasmania

Planting windbreaks in Tasmania

Strong winds are part of life here in Tasmania.

Whether you live on the west coast, in the Tamar Valley, on a rural property, overlooking the Huon Valley, or in a suburban backyard in Launceston, wind can dry out soil, damage young plants, reduce crop yields and make your entire garden feel colder than it really is.

The good news? You don't have to fight the wind. You can design around it. Planting windbreaks in Tasmania is almost a necessary part of gardening, particularly along the coastal regions.

A well-planned windbreak doesn't just protect one part of your garden. It creates sheltered microclimates where vegetables grow better, fruit trees produce more reliably and people naturally want to spend time outdoors.

In this guide, we'll look at how windbreaks work, what makes an effective windbreak and some of the best trees and shrubs for Tasmanian gardens.

Why Windbreaks Matter in Tasmania

Gardening anywhere in Australia means working with the weather.

Gardening in Tasmania means learning to work with the wind.

As Australia's southernmost state, Tasmania experiences regular westerly and southerly winds, many originating over the Southern Ocean and Antarctica. These cold, persistent winds can affect gardens throughout the year, particularly during winter and spring, when exposed properties often bear the full force of the weather.

Whether you live on a suburban block in Launceston, a coastal property overlooking Bass Strait or a rural lifestyle block in the Midlands, wind is one of the most influential forces shaping your garden.

It doesn't just bend plants.

It changes the way your entire garden functions.

Strong winds increase evaporation, stripping moisture from both the soil and plant leaves. They can damage young seedlings before they've had a chance to establish, reduce pollination by discouraging insects from flying, knock flowers and fruit from trees, and make your garden feel significantly colder than the air temperature suggests.

Over time, constant wind can even influence the shape of your landscape. Trees may lean away from prevailing winds, shrubs become sparse on their exposed side, and plants that would otherwise flourish spend much of their energy simply surviving.

For many Tasmanian gardeners, improving the soil or installing irrigation seems like the logical first step.

In reality, creating shelter often has a far greater impact.

A well-designed windbreak doesn't just protect individual plants. It creates sheltered microclimates where vegetables grow more reliably, fruit trees produce better harvests, soil stays moist for longer and people naturally spend more time outdoors.

It's one of the few improvements that benefits almost every part of your garden.

Strong winds can:

• 💨 Dry out soil much faster

• 🌱 Damage young seedlings

• 🌸 Reduce pollination

• 🍎 Knock fruit from trees

• ❄️ Increase frost damage

• 🚰 Increase watering requirements

• 🌿 Cause plants to grow unevenly

  
  

Creating shelter often does more for a garden than adding fertiliser.

🌱 Rule of Thumb

Before planting delicate vegetables or fruit trees, create shelter first.

A sheltered garden is usually a healthier garden.

The Biggest Mistake People Make

When people think of a windbreak, they often imagine a solid wall of trees or a tall fence. Ironically, that's one of the least effective ways to stop wind. Solid barriers force wind upwards, creating turbulence behind them. Instead of protecting the area, they can actually make conditions worse.

The best windbreaks are partially permeable. Allowing around 40–50% of the wind to pass through slows it gradually rather than stopping it abruptly. This creates a much larger, calmer area on the sheltered side.

💡 Did You Know?

A good windbreak can protect an area up to 10–15 times its height downwind.

A 5-metre hedge may create useful shelter across 50 metres of garden.

What Makes a Good Windbreak?

The best windbreak plants are usually:

✅ Evergreen

✅ Dense from the ground up

✅ Deep-rooted

✅ Hardy in Tasmanian conditions

✅ Able to tolerate pruning

✅ Resistant to wind exposure

Different situations call for different plants.

Best Windbreak Plants for Tasmania

🌳 1. Lilly Pilly (Syzygium smithii)

🌿 Native Status: 🇦🇺 Australian native (East Coast Australia – not naturally native to Tasmania)

One of Australia's most popular screening plants, Lilly Pilly forms a dense evergreen hedge that's perfect for creating privacy and shelter. It responds exceptionally well to pruning, making it suitable for both formal hedges and more natural plantings.

Best for

• 🏡 Suburban gardens

• 🌳 Privacy screens

• ✂️ Formal hedges

• 💨 Moderate wind protection

  
  

Height: 3–8 metres (depending on variety)

🌿 2. Coast Banksia (Banksia integrifolia)

🌿 Native Status: 🇦🇺 Australian native (naturally occurs in north-east Tasmania)

One of the toughest coastal trees in Australia, Coast Banksia thrives in strong winds, salt spray and poor sandy soils. Its flowers provide an important food source for birds, bees and other pollinators throughout the year.

Best for

• 🌊 Coastal properties

• 🐝 Wildlife gardens

• 🌿 Native landscapes

• 💨 Strong winds

  
  

Height: 6–15 metres

🌲 3. Drooping Sheoak (Allocasuarina verticillata)

🌿 Native Status: 🌿 Tasmanian native

Naturally adapted to exposed landscapes, Drooping Sheoak is one of Tasmania's best shelter trees. Its fine foliage slows the wind without creating excessive turbulence, while its seeds provide food for black cockatoos and other native birds.

Best for

• 🚜 Rural properties

• 🌬️ Shelter belts

• 🐦 Wildlife habitat

• 💨 Very windy sites

  
  

Height: 8–12 metres

🌳 4. Silver Banksia (Banksia marginata)

🌿 Native Status: 🌿 Tasmanian native

Tasmania's only naturally occurring banksia, this hardy tree is perfectly suited to local conditions. It produces striking yellow flower spikes that attract birds, bees and insects while providing excellent year-round shelter.

Best for

• 🐝 Pollinator gardens

• 🌿 Native landscapes

• 💨 Windy properties

• 🐦 Wildlife habitat

  
  

Height: 4–10 metres

🌿 5. Pittosporum (Pittosporum tenuifolium)

🌿 Native Status: 🇳🇿 New Zealand native

Fast-growing and exceptionally dense, Pittosporum is a favourite for privacy hedging and suburban windbreaks. It tolerates regular pruning and quickly forms an attractive evergreen screen.

Best for

• 🏡 Urban gardens

• 🌳 Privacy hedges

• ✂️ Formal screening

• 💨 Moderate wind protection

  
  

Height: 4–8 metres

🌳 6. Tasmanian Blue Gum (Eucalyptus globulus)

🌿 Native Status: 🌿 Tasmanian native

Tasmania's floral emblem and one of Australia's tallest native trees. While too large for most suburban gardens, it makes an outstanding long-term shelter tree for farms and larger rural properties.

Best for

• 🚜 Rural properties

• 🌾 Farms

• 🌬️ Shelter belts

• 🌳 Large landscapes

  
  

Height: 30–55 metres

🌺 7. Bottlebrush (Callistemon / Melaleuca species*)

🌿 Native Status: 🇦🇺 Australian native (some species naturally occur in Tasmania)

Bottlebrushes make excellent lower-layer windbreaks, producing dense foliage and spectacular flowers that attract nectar-feeding birds and beneficial insects. They're ideal beneath taller shelter trees or as standalone hedges.

Best for

• 🐦 Bird-friendly gardens

• 🐝 Pollinator gardens

• 🏡 Smaller properties

• 🌿 Layered windbreaks

  
  

Height: 2–6 metres

🌳 8. Blackwood (Acacia melanoxylon)

🌿 Native Status: 🌿 Tasmanian native

Blackwood is one of Tasmania's most versatile native trees. Fast-growing, hardy and tolerant of exposed conditions, it provides excellent shelter while also supporting wildlife with its flowers and dense canopy.

Best for

• 🚜 Rural properties

• 🌬️ Shelter belts

• 🐦 Wildlife habitat

• 🌳 Larger gardens

  
  

Height: 10–20 metres

🌿 9. Coastal Tea Tree (Leptospermum laevigatum)

🌿 Native Status: 🇦🇺 Australian native (native to south-eastern Australia, naturalised in parts of Tasmania)

An exceptionally hardy shrub that thrives in coastal winds, poor soils and salt spray. Its dense growth makes it an excellent living windbreak, while its white flowers attract bees and other pollinators.

Best for

• 🌊 Coastal properties

• 🌬️ Strong winds

• 🐝 Pollinator gardens

• 🌿 Informal screening

  
  

Height: 3–6 metres

🌼 10. Golden Wattle (Acacia pycnantha)

🌿 Native Status: 🇦🇺 Australian native (not native to Tasmania)

Australia's national floral emblem grows quickly and provides valuable early shelter while slower-growing species establish. Its brilliant golden flowers are highly attractive to insects and birds.

Best for

• 🌱 Establishing new gardens

• 🐝 Wildlife habitat

• 🚜 Larger properties

• 🌿 Mixed shelter plantings

  
  

Height: 4–8 metres

Plant	Property Size	Wind	Coastal	Wildlife	Native	Growth Rate	Mature Height
🌿 Drooping Sheoak	🚜 Large	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐	⭐⭐⭐⭐	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐	🌿 Tasmanian	Medium	8–12 m
🌿 Blackwood	🚜 Large	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐	⭐⭐⭐	⭐⭐⭐⭐	🌿 Tasmanian	Fast	10–20 m
🌿 Silver Banksia	🏡 Medium–Large	⭐⭐⭐⭐	⭐⭐⭐⭐	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐	🌿 Tasmanian	Medium	4–10 m
🇦🇺 Coast Banksia	🏡 Medium–Large	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐	🇦🇺 Australian	Medium	6–15 m
🇦🇺 Lilly Pilly	🏡 Small–Medium	⭐⭐⭐	⭐⭐	⭐⭐⭐	🇦🇺 Australian	Fast	3–8 m
🇳🇿 Pittosporum	🏡 Small–Medium	⭐⭐⭐⭐	⭐⭐⭐	⭐⭐	🇳🇿 New Zealand	Fast	4–8 m
🌺 Bottlebrush	🏡 Small–Medium	⭐⭐⭐	⭐⭐⭐	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐	🇦🇺 Australian	Medium	2–6 m
🌿 Coastal Tea Tree	🏡 Medium	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐	⭐⭐⭐⭐	🇦🇺 Australian	Fast	3–6 m
🇦🇺 Golden Wattle	🏡 Medium–Large	⭐⭐⭐⭐	⭐⭐⭐	⭐⭐⭐⭐	🇦🇺 Australian	Very Fast	4–8 m
🌿 Tasmanian Blue Gum	🚜 Very Large	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐	⭐⭐⭐	⭐⭐⭐	🌿 Tasmanian	Very Fast	30–55 m

Layer Your Windbreak

One of the biggest mistakes people make when planting windbreaks in Tasmania is thinking in a single line.

Nature rarely works that way.

Walk through the edge of a Tasmanian forest and you'll notice it isn't made up of one row of identical trees. Instead, it's made up of layers, each performing a different role.

Tall canopy trees slow the strongest winds high above the ground.

Smaller trees and shrubs filter the remaining airflow.

Dense understorey plants protect the soil, reduce evaporation and provide habitat for wildlife.

Groundcovers help stabilise the soil, suppress weeds and retain moisture.

Together, these layers create a gradual transition rather than an abrupt barrier. As the wind passes through each layer, it loses energy, creating calmer conditions throughout the rest of the garden.

This layered approach also makes your windbreak healthier and more resilient.

Different species support different insects, birds and pollinators. Deep-rooted trees draw nutrients and moisture from lower in the soil, while smaller plants protect the surface from drying out. Fallen leaves become mulch, improving the soil beneath and helping the entire planting establish over time.

Rather than thinking about individual plants, think about the role each one plays.

A tall tree provides shelter.

A flowering shrub feeds pollinators.

A dense hedge filters the wind.

Groundcovers protect the soil.

When every plant contributes something, your windbreak becomes much more than a barrier.

It becomes a thriving ecosystem.

🌱 Rule of Thumb

Think in layers, not lines. The most effective windbreaks are built like natural bushland—with trees, shrubs and groundcovers all working together.

💡 Did You Know?

Wind doesn't suddenly stop when it reaches a windbreak—it gradually loses energy as it moves through layers of vegetation. This is why a mixed planting of trees and shrubs often provides better shelter than a single row of tall trees.

Planting your windbreak

🪵 Should You Build a Fence Instead?

Sometimes.

A fence can provide immediate shelter, particularly in new gardens where trees may take years to mature.

But while fences block the wind, they don't always manage it well.

Solid fences force the wind upward, creating turbulence on the sheltered side. If you've ever noticed leaves swirling around behind a tall fence on a windy day, you've seen this effect in action. In some cases, the air immediately behind a solid fence can be almost as turbulent as the wind in front of it.

Living windbreaks behave differently.

Because air can pass gently through the foliage, the wind slows gradually instead of crashing into a solid barrier. This creates a much larger area of calm while placing less stress on the plants themselves.

There's also the question of practicality.

On a typical suburban block, installing a fence may be a simple and effective solution.

On a one, five or twenty-acre lifestyle property, however, fencing every exposed boundary quickly becomes expensive—and often impractical. Hundreds of metres of fencing can cost tens of thousands of dollars, require ongoing maintenance and still provide little ecological benefit beyond reducing the wind.

In situations like these, living windbreaks often become the smarter long-term investment.

Rows of trees and shrubs can protect paddocks, orchards, vegetable gardens and livestock while also providing habitat for wildlife, improving biodiversity, reducing erosion and creating a far more attractive landscape. Unlike a fence, a well-designed windbreak becomes more valuable as it matures.

That doesn't mean fences don't have a place.

For many gardens, the best solution is actually a combination of both.

A fence can provide immediate shelter and privacy around entertaining areas, vegetable gardens or young fruit trees while surrounding trees and shrubs establish. Over time, those plants gradually become the primary windbreak, softening the appearance of the fence and creating a healthier environment throughout the rest of the property.

Rather than asking whether you need a fence or a hedge, ask how each can solve a different problem.

🌱 Rule of Thumb

Use fences where you need instant shelter. Use plants where you want long-term shelter. The best gardens often combine both.

💡 Did You Know?

Research has shown that a permeable windbreak—one that allows around 40–50% of the wind to pass through—can protect an area up to 10–15 times its height. A living hedge or shelter belt often provides calmer conditions across a much larger area than a solid fence of the same height.

Choosing the Right Windbreak for Your Property

Ask yourself:

• Is your property coastal?

• How much space do you have?

• Do you want privacy as well?

• Do you want habitat for wildlife?

• Will the windbreak shade other parts of the garden?

• How tall do you want it to become?

• Can you maintain it?

  
  

The best windbreak isn't the tallest one.

It's the one that suits your property for the next twenty years.

Final Thoughts

Strong winds are part of gardening in Tasmania. But they don't have to define your garden. With a little planning, the right plants and a thoughtful design, even the most exposed backyard can become a sheltered, productive space. Like almost everything in gardening, the goal isn't to fight nature. It's to work with it.

🌱 Rule of Thumb

The best time to plant a windbreak was five years ago. The second-best time is this planting season.