This study aimed to identify the fruit fly attractant in Zieria smithii, an Australian plant reported to attract fruit flies. Essential oils from Z. smithii leaves collected in Queensland and Victoria were extracted and analyzed, revealing 85% O-methyl eugenol, 7% safrole, and 8% (-)-linalool (confirmed by gas-liquid chromatography, infrared spectroscopy, nuclear magnetic resonance, and mass spectrometry). Field cage tests showed Zieria oil did not attract Dacus (Strumeta) tryoni (the originally assumed species), while cue-lure (4-(p-hydroxyphenol)-2-butanone acetate) did. Field experiments found Zieria oil and pure O-methyl eugenol both attracted only male Dacus (Strumeta) cacuminatus (57 and 66 flies, respectively), while cue-lure attracted D. tryoni, Dacus absonifacies, and Callantra aequalis. D. cacuminatus, indigenous to the area of original observation, was likely the species attracted to Z. smithii. The plant's attractancy is attributed to O-methyl eugenol. Z. smithii is not a larval host or adult food source for D. cacuminatus. Similar attraction of the oriental fruit fly to O-methyl eugenol in Hawaiian plants was noted. The mechanism behind O-methyl eugenol attraction remains unclear, possibly a fortuitous resemblance to a male aggregating or sex pheromone used by fruit flies.