[1] It grows as a tree to 15 metres (49 ft) high, with dark grey or black stringy bark and blue-grey foliage.

The small tree has a single stem[4] which is layered with dead bark[5] and an umbrella shaped habit.

[4] The species was first formally described by the botanist Joseph Maiden in 1920 as part of the work Notes on Acacias, No.

IV, with descriptions of new species as published in the Journal and Proceedings of the Royal Society of New South Wales.

[4] The species name honours John Shirley, an educationist and scientist, who also served on the council of the Royal Society of Queensland for 33 years and was twice President.

[10] The tree is found in temperate and semi-arid parts of north eastern Australia in the state Queensland and the Northern Territory and covers an area of around 1,400,000 square kilometres (540,543 sq mi).

[1] In Queensland it is found to the north and east from around Toowoomba and eastwards into the Northern Territory to around the Victoria River.

[5] It is also found in low open forests or mixed savannah woodlands and can form dense stands.