A NSW Government website

River red gum reflections

The river red gum is an iconic tree species of the Australian landscape.

 

For anyone who has grown up along our inland rivers, this majestic tree has provided the backdrop for a myriad of childhood memories. We have climbed its branches, collected its leaves and gumnuts, played, and rested in its shade.

Beneath the canopy of river red gum, these forests and connected wetlands are biodiversity hotspots, home to many native plant and animal species, supplying essential ecosystem services for surrounding landscapes, communities and farms.

River red gums are an important cultural species providing shelter, materials, food, and medicine for Aboriginal people.

Since colonisation, river red gums have provided a source of building materials, railway sleepers, firewood and charcoal.

There is much more to the river red gum than meets the eye.

Spend a moment enjoying their beauty and reflecting on their important role in the landscape.

River red gum tree with long, drooping branches covered in clusters of creamy-white flowers reflected in the water below.

Flowering river red gum (Eucalyptus camaldulensis) in the Macquarie Marshes