Mystery Tree Identified / Boobialla

I’ve been watching a tree grow close to the house for some time now.
It had completely different foliage from anything around us.

And then it came into flower recently and was, as a result, easier to identify.
Myoporum insulare, also known as the common boobialla, native juniper or blueberry tree is a flowering plant in the figwort family Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to coastal areas of Australia.
It is a shrub or small tree which grows on dunes and coastal cliffs, is very salt tolerant and widely used in horticulture as a fast growing screening plant, hedge or windbreak.

It withstands coastal winds and drought and is hardy in well drained locations.
It is easily propagated from cuttings.
Our tree probably came here as a seed dropped by a passing bird.
At the end of summer this species produces smooth, round, purple fruits up to 1cm in diameter. They’re great for jams, jellies and preserves, but with an astringent sweetness.

Therefore eating berries fresh off the branch might not be everyone’s cup of tea.
Its aromatic, juniper-like qualities makes Boobialla an exciting local botanical for essential oils and gin.

Our attempt to grow screening plants along our western boundary has failed as any new growth has been consumed regularly by our resident kangaroos.

So I may try propagating this one as it seems the ‘roos have left it well alone.