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Later on I wrote :- ' The characteristics of Red Gum are its red colour, its 
strength and durability, resistance to fungus diseases, white ants, teredo, &c. In 
common with many of its congeners, it is very hard to work up when dry. A drawback 
to this admittedly valuable timber is some tendency to shell off, which limits its use 
for such purposes as flooring and decking. 
Its durability causes it to be largely used for posts and piles in damp ground. 
It is largely employed in Victoria for railway sleepers, for which purpose it is undoubtedly 
valuable, though inferior to ironbark. It is an excellent girder-wood. It is a good 
timber for wood-paving, though inferior to some others by reason of its tendency to 
warp and shrink during the process of seasoning." 
It is an excellent wood for lasting in water. 
Mr. J. Stead Parry says : 
Red gum is recognised as one of the best Australian hardwoods, being heavy, hard, and extremely 
durable, either above or under ground, or under water. The Government of Vict6ria use it very extensively 
in the construction of bridges, piers, jetties, and weirs ; and for railway sleepers and other purposes. It 
is also used in the deep quartz mines of Victoria, and in building steamers and barges. 
Much of it has a handsome grain and takes a good polish ; it has about the same specific gravity 
as English oak. Red gum is one of the best white-ant resistant woods in this district, where these insects 
are very destructive ; and it is largely used for studs and joists and house blocks. Some millions of feet 
are now being used in Melbourne and suburbs for street paving blocks. 
Aboriginal Implements. A correspondent, " Bushman," writes as follows 
to the Traralgon (Victoria) Record of 5th June, 1917. I am obliged' to my friend, 
Mr. W. G. Piper, for the reference. 
The evidence that connects our time with that of the aboriginal is rapidly vanishing, and in another 
generation or two will have entirely disappeared, at least as far as our forest relics are concerned. 
The relics in stone will probably endure for all time, and are still fairly plentiful, even in this district, 
where the native population was never very large. Occasionally a " Mogo " or native axe is found, and 
spear flakes, scrapers, and skimming knives in red or grey quartzite can easily be found by the " seeing 
eye " for such things. The absence of " Kitchen middens " may be taken as good evidence that this part 
of Victoria was never largely used by the aborigines as a dwelling place, but we have ample evidence in the 
traces remaining that wandering parties used it from time to time in their hunting expeditions, or when 
the resistless call to the '' walk about " came upon these restless people. 
The statement that the aboriginal did not use the bark of the Red Gum tree for canoe making is 
an error. There were probably more canoes made from this particular specimen of the Eucalyptus family 
than any other, for the simple reason that Eucalyptus rostrata was generally to be found when it was most 
required for such purposes near to water and the aborigines made the best use of the material at hand, 
thus unwittingly carrying out the first principles of engineering. Down the whole length of the Murray 
River, from Tintaldra to the Goolwa, canoe trees, i.e., Red Gum tree, from which bark has been removed 
to make canoes, are very numerous, also along the lower Goulburn. particularly from Shepparton to Echuca, 
they are very plentiful. 
Even to-day, three or four can often be seen from one position sometimes two or more have been 
removed from the same tree, one above the other. After the Red Gum, the Stringybark (E. macrorrJiyncha. 
J.H.M.) was the most used, particularly about the Tambo, Nicholson, and Upper Mitchell Rivers, and in 
fact, wherever- that particular tree was found near to the larger waterways. 
About Old South Gippsland, comprising Tarraville, Port Albert, Welshpool, end Corner Inlet, I 
believe the Stringybtirk was exclusively used for the same reason. 
B 
