121 
Following is a note on this timber, written by Mr. Forester J. S. Allan in 
1892 :— 
The timber referred to is locally called “Mountain Gum,” or, in some instances, “ Grey Gum”; the 
botanical name is Eucalyptus goniocalyx. It is found growing along the Coast Range, on the eastern and 
western fall of the Irish Corner and Sugar Loaf Mountains, within forest reserve No. 166, County of 
St. Vincent. The timber is the best procurable in the Braidwood district, and is used locally for bridge¬ 
planking, girders, dray-shafts, poles, and for house-building ; grows on high elevations in open forest 
country, usually sound. 
When the heart-wood is cut out it is a durable timber, fine grained, and free from gum-veins. I 
know several culverts that have been decked with the above timber over nine years, and the planks that 
were free from heart I find are sound yet. The timber is equal to the “ Spotted Gum ” of the coast 
districts. But there is an easily worked timber known as Ribbon Gum (Eucalyptus Gunnii), the timber 
of which is worthless. It resembles the other in colour, and has been very often substituted for “ Mountain 
Gum.” The true Mountain Gum, E. goniocalyx, is well suited for bridge building, but requires care to 
prevent the worthless timber, referred to above, from being substituted in its place. For bridge work the 
trees should be felled when the sap is down; it will last many years longer. 
I reported ns follows on a piece of timber sent by Mr. Baeuerlen: — 
“ Mountain Gum,” from Sugar Loaf' Mountain, Braidwood, where it attains a height 
of 10(»-130 feet, and a diameter of 2-3 feet, has a very hard and tough timber, bad 
to dress, and of a greyish or brownish grey colour. It is apparently suitable for 
fencing, joists, and wheelwrights’ work. In Woods’ Contribution to the Flora 
oj Australia, p. 230, he speaks of E. S/uartiana, var. tong folia, as the “ Yellow 
Gum of Wingecarribbee and other parts of the interior ” {-sic). . 
This gum bears some resemblance to the Grey Gum and Hickory of the County of 
Cumberland.” The former Avas calk’d by Sir William Macarthur ‘‘ Yello\\ r Gum of 
Berrima”* and is E. goniocalyx. 
The Grey Gum or Hickory is E. punctata, DC., as has already been pointed 
out by Mueller in the Kucalyptographia. It Avill be observed that both trees are 
placed by Bentham (B. FI. iii, 214) under a variety longifolia of E. Stuartiana, 
Avhich variety name should be dropped. In the Wingello district, E. goniocalyx is 
known as'Yellow Gum, and following arc some notes that Mr. Crawford of that 
place obligingly gave me :— 
Six feet in diameter, up to 80 or 90 feet of barrel. Found also at Bundanoon ; usually occurs in 
gullies—bottoms or on sides. Fond of good soil. The timber has been passed for Tallow-wood and Box, 
but it is more like Tallow-wood. It is very hard when dry. 
Yellow Gum as posts lias lasted over thirty years. Mr. Crawford has re-used 
some which have been in the ground for this long period. It dries rather hard, and 
nails do not readily drive in it; hence it is not so well-liked for building as the local 
White Mahogany ( E. pilularis, var. Muelleriana) and White Stringybark 
(E. eugenioides). 
* No. 34, N.S. W. Exhibits, London Exhibition, 1862; No. 264, Paris Exhibition, 1855, with the note: “Diameter 
4-40 inches; height, 40-80 feet. Said to be a good timber.” 
