Coolamon | Durobbi

Scientific name: Syzygium moorei

Common names: coolamon, watermelon tree, durobby, robby, rose apple.

Status: Vulnerable in NSW and Commonwealth

Coolamon - Durobbi factsheet(PDF, 176KB)

The Coolamon is a large tree found only within subtropical and riverine rainforest at low altitudes within the Tweed and surrounding valleys. Large white fruit that appear in autumn are juicy and edible but with little flavour. The fruit are a traditional food source for Aboriginal people; leaves and bark are also used for medicinal purposes.

Growing to 40 metres tall, the tree’s large white fruit and showy pink fluffy flowers are borne on the upper trunk and major branches, rather than on new growth and shoots. This unusual form of flowering is called cauliflory.

Key threats to the species include habitat fragmentation and clearing, weed infestation of its preferred rainforest habitats, grazing and trampling of seedlings by livestock, and illegal collection for horticulture. Species with naturally low numbers and highly restricted distributions such as the Coolamon are particularly vulnerable to these and other threats.

Nearby examples of mature trees can be found outside the Tweed Shire Council Civic and Cultural Centre on Tumbulgum Road, Murwillumbah.