How are we supposed to guess when we don't know where in the world you are located?

Also add details like when was this picture taken, what does the leaf look like, have you seen any flowers or fruit on it ....

From the FAQ at the top of this page...

What details should I include for plant identification?

Pictures are great, but also include the following details:

Location: where is the plant physically located - details like city, state, and country are important; if you donâÂÂt want to say specifically where you live then something like âÂÂin the Atlanta areaâ to give some general idea. Please donâÂÂt just say âÂÂzone 6â or âÂÂmy sisterâÂÂs houseâÂÂ, that is not enough!

Inside plant (house plant) or outside plant?

Garden vs. wild: is this plant growing in a garden or does it seem like someone planted it originally? Is it a wild plant, growing in forest, a nature preserve, on the side of the road? Is the plant in a special environment like a bog or a wetland?

Type of plant: for outside plants, does this seem to be a woody plant like a tree or a shrub or more of an herbaceous plant that will die to the ground come winter? Does it seem like a vine? Have you seen any special characteristics like thorns, fruits or seeds? Look at the back of the leaf - is it colored, hairy or smooth?

Physical characteristics: is it evergreen or deciduous (does it keep itâÂÂs leaves or lose them in the winter)? How are the leaves arranged - are they opposite one another or alternate along the stem? If itâÂÂs a tree, can you describe the bark? Are the stems hairy or smooth ? What is the size/height of the plant? Do the leaves have a distinctive smell if you rub or crush them?

Flowers: have you ever seen flowers and if so can you describe them? What color, how many petals, are they fragrant, growing in clusters or singly? What time of year does it flower?

Fruit/seeds: have you seen any and can you describe it? Please donâÂÂt taste any unknown fruit!

Looks like a gum (Eucalyptus) - but not a large one. Large trees are those on the order of, say, 60' tall or more. Some large trees are more than 300' tall.

I would guess Fraxinus oxycarpa, "Raywood Ash". This is based on the size, bark, number of dead branches, which is something the Raywood ash is known for. The big lump of branches in the center is probably suckers from some limb removal in the past.

Elaine

Wrong twig and branching structure for that, plus tree appears to have the sickle-shaped, simple "leaves" of a gum when you look at sprigs that are against the sky.

If a closer view is shown it will become easier to tell.

Eucalyptus spathulata perhaps?

Will the original poster ever come back and give more information?

Dunno, but you guys are pretty entertaining and informative when the OP's descriptions are sparse.

Leaves look way too narrow for a Euc. More like Casuarina equisetifolia.

The OP has had other posts where he/she has identified as being in S.Australia.
At a guess, the OP has gone to have a BBQ on a beach somewhere over the Xmas holiday.
I know many of you from the Northern Hemisphere, where I came from originally, think we are lucky to have Xmas in the middle of summer. I can tell you though, IT AIN'T NATURAL!!! Xmas should be cold, not 40C+, with snow and log fires (not bushfires). :-))
As for the tree, my original thought was one of the hundreds of different Eucalypts, many of which can be very difficult to positively identify, but the foliage against the sky definately looks more like that of a Casuarina.
So please OP, when you get back from the beach, post some close ups of the leaves and fruit.

Have a good holiday all.

At this point I'm not seeing any Casuarina characters in this tree. In addition to previously mentioned details notice it looks like it has the bluish mature leaf color and brownish new growth of many gums. As with the numerous other posts made asking for identification of plants using fuzzy, too far away (or sometimes too close) pictures it may never be possible to say for sure unless and until better photos appear.