Ironbark (Red)
Botancial Names :Eucalyptus sideroxylon,Eucalyptus creba and Eucalyptus fibrosa
Description
The two most common Red Ironbarks are Mugga Ironbark (Eucalyptus sideroxylon) and Narrow-leaved Red Ironbark (E. creba).
A third Ironbark that also falls into this category is Broad-leaved Red Ironbark (E. fibrosa).
Mugga Ironbark extends from Victoria through the western slopes of NSW into southern Queensland.
Narrow-leaved Red Ironbark is found in the coastal, tablelands and western plains areas of central to northern NSW and extends well up into Queensland in a belt between the coast and the just west of the Great Dividing Range.
Broad-leaved Red Ironbark has a discontinuous distribution from the south coast of NSW to central coastal Queensland
Some Red Ironbark, particularly Mugga and Narrow-leaved Red Ironbark, have a propensity to pipe, where a hollow is formed in the centre of the trunk which can reduce the recovery rates and sectional sizes of sawn timber.
Appearance
The heartwood colour is a deep red. Sapwood is very distinctive, being a pale yellow in colour. Texture is medium and even.
Properties
The material is very hard to work, limiting some applications requiring fine detailing. The heartwood is highly durable (Class 1), allowing for wide range of external applications. Applications include heavy engineering, marine structures, poles, sleepers, framework, flooring and decking.