A few days later all the leaves turned brown
and I thought it was a gonner 
Closer inspection showed a few inner leaves still had colour
A couple more weeks and there is definitely life. Lots of new shoots growing all along the trunk and branches
I might loose a few smaller twigs but it should come back even more dense than before. I'm pretty sure it is a melaleuca but not certain of the species, possibly M. decussata. Seed came from plants at a deserted mining town in Rushworth forest so it could be a native of that area or may have been brought in by the miners many years ago. Rushworth area is quite dry, sometimes referred to as the 'Ironbark Desert' so this Mel is definitely not one of your swamp loving paperbarks.
