14. River Red Gum

Eucalyptus camaldulensis

NON-INDIGENOUS USE:

Suitable for heavy construction work, sleepers and fence posts.

INDIGENOUS USE:

The bark was used for making shields, roofing for huts and sheets of bark were also used to bury the dead.

DESCRIPTION:

Large spreading tree grows to 40m. Grows mainly in heavy clay soil areas on river and creek banks, also on floodplains.

BARK:

Dark and rough on lower trunk, smooth, white or ash coloured upper trunk and limbs.

LEAVES:

Alternate, lanceolate with pointy tip to 22cm long, blueish green with new growth being a pinkish colour.

FLOWERS:

Cream flowers grow in groups of 5-10, flowering from December through February. One of the most widespread eucalypts. Frost hardy, known koala food tree, only grazed by stock under duress, older trees with hollows are invaluable to bird life as nesting places.