River red gum  is the most widely distributed of all eucalypt species, occurring in all mainland states from 12.5 - 38 0 S. It is typically found along permanent and ephemeral watercourses. It grows under a large range of environmental conditions - from sub-humid to semi-arid - and the mean annual rainfall range is mostly within 250 - 600 mm. It is a large-boled medium-to-tall sized tree.

As expected with a species with such a broad geographic distribution, provenance differences are marked, and the sub-tropical and tropical provenances are not suitable for farm forestry use in dryland southern Australia. While the timber is useful for heavy construction, flooring, framing and fencing, the species often suffers from form problems, making utilisable logs hard to produce. Studies conducted by CALM and others indicate that Lake Albacutya and Laura from South Australia may be the best provenance selections for overall form and growth.