Symplocos thwaitesii, or the buff hazelwood, is a rainforest tree growing in eastern Australia.

The range of natural distribution is from Orbost (37° S) in the state of Victoria up the east coast of New South Wales to the Atherton Tableland (17° S) in tropical Queensland.

Flowers are relatively large, 9 to 15 mm long, giving rise to an alternative common name large-flowered hazelwood.

Another distinguishing feature is that the flowers of the similar white hazelwood are on panicles, not racemes as is the case in this species.

The fruit is a drupe, 12 to 14 mm long, purplish-black and egg-shaped, maturing in January to March.