Banksia menziesii
Nyungar: boolkaala

The late summer flowering Banksia menziesii is one of four species found in the threatened ecological community Banksia woodlands of the Swan Coastal Plain. Only about 60% of the original woodland remains, the majority fragmented into blocks of less than 10ha. Burning cones and bark of different banksia species were used by Nyungar people to transport fire between camps, the name boolkaala meaning many fires.  Settlers continued to use this species for fuel into the 20th century with a 1921 advertisement in the Fremantle Herald calling for tenders for ‘3000 cords of banksia firewood’ (about 9000 cubic meters). Today firewood banksia is a critical species for the survival of black cockatoos.