Megalong Bottlebrush

This is the Melaleuca megalongensis, aka the Megalong bottlebrush.
Bottlebrushes are a common native plant in Australia, but apparently this one is quite rare. They are primarily restricted to shrub swamps in the immediate vicinity of Nellies Glen Road in the eastern Megalong Valley of the western Blue Mountains. We have quite a few growing on our farm, despite the kangaroos which have obviously had a good feed on the lower branches.
Most bottlebrushes are a deep red, but this one is pink. (According to a local farmer, they are red if the soil is fertile enough - who knows? certainly not me). They can only be positively identified when flowering from mid-November to early December.