Australian Ferns - photos

Fern Trees	Fern Trees	Ground Ferns	Fern Trees
Fern Leaf	Young Fern	Ground Fern	Fern Frond

About Australian Ferns

There are around 390 native species of fern in Australia, with 10% or 39 being endemic, with a further 10 species being naturalised. Most of Australia's fern species reside in the 'Wet Tropics' of Queensland (around 65%) with the remainder in subtropical to temperate rainforests on Australia's east coast, in southern Victoria, and in the island state of Tasmania.

Some of Australia's rainforests and ferns are relics from ancient Gondwanaland and one can imagine dinosaurs inhabiting these forests. In Tasmania, ferns make up part of the native forests with Mount Field being particularly scenic due to its waterfalls and streams are framed by fern trees.

Epiphytic ferns are common in rainforests in Australia and grow on the trunks and limbs of trees. The forest floor in some rainforests can often be covered in ground fern species with tall tree ferns jutting out skyward in shaded gullies, valleys, and other areas of high rainfall and low light. Ferns can also be found next to rivers and waterfalls where water spray is common. However, there are always exceptions and the Little Aussie Larrikin' fern grows in the full sun.