Gum, Mountain Grey

Mountain grey gum is a medium to tall tree growing up to 65 metres in height on favourable sites. It occurs in the Grampian Ranges and around Cape Otway in Victoria, and on the coastal fall of the southern tablelands of New South Wales.

The wood of this species is a pale brown colour, often with pink or yellow tinges. Sapwood is generally paler, but not always visually distinct from the heartwood. Grain is typically straight and close, with occasional interlocking. Texture is moderately coarse and even, and gum veins are common.

Mountain grey gum timber is moderately durable. Untreated heartwood, although lacking termite-resistance, has an aboveground life expectancy of between 15 and 40 years. Untreated sapwood is susceptible to Lyctid borer attack.

Given the timber’s hardness, mountain grey gum is reasonably easy to work by hand or machine.

Common uses of mountain grey gum timber include bridge and wharf construction, general construction applications such as building framework, wheelwright work, sleepers, paneling and flooring. The timber has potential for furniture, joinery and veneer applications, although care is required in the selection of timber suitably free of gum veins.