Abstract The essential oil composition from the aerial parts of Eryngium paludosum (Moore et Betche) P.W.Michael, an endemic species from eastern Australia, has been analyzed by GC and GC/MS. Thirty six compounds have been identified representing more than 90% of the total oil. The main constituents of the oil were found to be γ-terpinene (12.9%) and β-bisabolene (12.2%). Other representative compounds of the oil were identified as germacrene D (7.6%), myrcene (7.3%), β-caryophyllene (7.0%), limonene (6.0%) and α-humulene (5.1%). The sesquiterpene fraction (56.9%) was predominant in the oil of this species; most of these were hydrocarbons (52.9%). This is the first published study outlining the chemical composition of this Australian species.