Prickly Teatree is a low to medium sized, wind swept shrub on the coastal cliff top where it is strongly associated with Coastal Heathland. In contrast to the cliff top soils along Jan Juc which are mostly heavy, clay limestone (marl), the soils further southwest towards Bells are interspersed with generally thin but important layers of sandy loam. These sandier topsoils become more significant as one moves further southwest toward Anglesea where Coastal Heath has become the dominant plant community.

In protected sites Coast Teatree can grow up to 2m in height. In these locations it is an upright, multi-stemmed shrub that often grows in dense copses.
Leaves are small, prickly, rigid and narrow-lanceolate to ovate in shape with the broadest part near the base. The leaf margins are very finely serrated (denticulate).
Flowers are white, typically have 5 petals and are produced in masses from spring to early summer attracting a host of insects as pollinating agents at the same time.
Fruits are spherical, woody and are retained on the branches. Seed-eating species like Crimson Rosellas feed on the seeds in the fruits whilst many small birds and mammals use the dense cover as protective shelter.

Indigenous uses as provided by the Wathaurung Aboriginal Corporation: The foliage of almost all of the Tea trees are used to make medicinal tea or crushed and inhaled for respiratory complaints. Bundles of leaves are placed quickly on a fire then removed and fashioned into a bed for the patient to lay on when suffering from body aches.