The palm type trees are native tree ferns or ponga . There are two main types , a black one and a brown one , both tend to grow in the same areas here anyway . They are different to your grass tree things in that they have very hard , scaley trunks with a soft pith type core to them . They tend to be an understorey tree in the forest , although often you get whole hillsides covered in them .

Ponga have large fronds with spore type seeds undernesth the fronds. They make pretty good shelter if you are caught out in the bush over night - build a frame of supplejack vines , cover with fronds , use a stack more for a bed and it can almost be comfortable .

We do have native palms as well but they have fairly specific climatic and soil type requirements .