Plants and Animals Index

River Red Gum

Scientific name: Eucalyptus camaldulensis

Other common names: Botany Bay Kino, Creek Gum, Murray Red Gum, Red Gum, Red Gum Kino, River Gum

The River Red Gum is an icon of the Murray-Darling Basin.

The River Red Gum is found along rivers throughout inland Australia. They provide shade in the very hot temperatures of inland areas, they help keep river banks stable, and dead branches fall into the river creating ‘snags’ in which many animals shelter.

River Red Gums need regular flooding cycles throughout the year to survive – to germinate and disperse their seeds. As there have been changes to river flows due to regulating water, there are fewer flooding cycles and many River Red Gums are dead, dying or struggling to survive.

River Red Gums have had many uses by Indigenous Australians, particularly for providing bark for canoes. Also, the flowers of River Red Gums provide nectar and pollen for bees to make honey, and many apiarists (beekeepers) are keen to be around these trees.

The River Red Gum gets its name from the red colour of its wood, rather than any colour on the outside of the tree.