would take none but Ironbark sleepers (so it thought), but I knew there was no 
In.nlKirk in the district, but plenty of Grey Gum. As I thirsted for knowledge, the 
sleeper-getters told me, in response to enquiry, that these were "fine Ironbark 
sleepers " and said other things. I obtained proof that the sleepers were Grey Gum. 
In about a fortnight I returned to Sydney and gave a railway engineer an 
account of what I had seen, and the precise locality. Shortly afterwards he told me 
that he had made inquiries, and that sleepers from the locality I had mentioned were 
purchased by the Department as Red Ironbark. He added that officially they only 
bought Ironbaik, but that the Department should in future get the extra profit through 
the lower price of Grey Gum, and that the incident would help him in a course of 
action with which he had long been sympathetic, and that is to use sleepers on the 
railways on their merits. Not long afterwards tenders were called for sleepers of 
various valuable timbers other than Ironbark, and the recognition of Grey Gum as a 
useful substitute for Ironbark contributed to this end. 
Now the attitude of various Government Departments for the utilization of 
our timbers on their merits is a sympathetic one, which was by no means the case, as 
a very general rule, a quarter of a century ago. 
Si/<'. Ti"<- , . r> toot in diameter and with a height of 120 feet are not 
uncommon, and may be exceeded, but the average height is rather less. 
Habitat. This species is confined to eastern New South Wales and Queensland, 
usually at no great elevation above the sea. In the former State it is not known further 
south than the Hawkesbury River. It occurs in both States not far from the coast 
in New South Wales, ascending the slopes of the escarpment of the tableland. In 
Queensland its range has been less carefully worked out; we do not know how far it 
extends along the North Coast Railway. 
It is frequently found on poor sandy or sandstone country, but sometimes on 
better soil. Its relations to spils and soil-rnoisture have only been imperfectly 
worked out. 
Following are some New South Wales localities : 
Wyong Distript (J. L. Boorman, and J.H.M.); Yarramalong (W. A. W. de 
Beuzeville); Sandgate, Newcastle (A. Murphy); Sandgate to Waratah (R. H. Cambage, 
No. 730); Paterson River (J. L. Boorman); Dungog-Stroud road (A. Rudder); " Red 
Gum," Dungog (W. F. Blakely); Taree (E. H. F. Swain); Port Macquarie (Q, R. 
Brown); JJeechwood, Rolland's Plains, Hastings River (J. L. Boorman); Bellinger 
River (F. R. Mecham); Woolgoolga (E. H. F. Swain); Woodburn, Richmond River 
(W. Baeuerlen); Murwillumbah, Tweed River (E. H. F. Swain); Acacia Creek, 
Macpherson Range, New South Wales-Queensland border (W. Dunn). 
The following notes on Grey Gum were made during a North Coast trip by road 
in 1895, and are arranged geographically. They are copied from my note book without 
alteration, and some of the remarks will supplement those already made in regard to 
the properties of the timber. 
