Mallee Gum found along the Nepean River

I am not sure what species of Eucalypt this is, but I do know one thing, it was not listed by the Environmental Consultants who are purported to have "surveyed" the Kangaloon Borefield.

As will be seen from the thin branched structure of this plant, in the other photos, this is clearly a "Mallee" type of Eucalypt, growing happily along side the Nepean River, in Kangaloon.


The most likely species are: Eucalyptus gregsoniana and E. moorei. Neither is recorded (in the general texts) as being found in the Upper Nepean catchment area. They are reported from the Upper Blue Mountains, and, in the case of E. gregsoniana, in the Budawang Ranges.

"The Budawangs" are a small group of rugged hills on the far southern boundary of the Shoalhaven Valley, south east from Sassafras - which puts them between Jervis Bay and Braidwood - but on top of the range. So, they are roughly 50 Kms due south of Robertson, at the opposite end of the Shoalhaven Valley.

The fact that this plant is growing here, unreported, is just another example of how poorly this area has been researched.

I am not a specialist on Eucalypts, but there are people around who are. I hope to get a specimen for these people to examine, in the near future. But meanwhile, here are some photos of the flower, the whole plant, and some shots of it's habitat.

The thin branches leading up to dense clumps of foliage are distinctive of this plant.


It is yet another example of how inadequate has been the scientific studies on which the SCA's proposal to pump the Kangaloon Aquifer is based. I shall provide more information on this species' identity as it comes to hand.

And here is where it was growing - over the Nepean River. The stems of one of these plants are clearly visible in the top left of the screen, hanging out over the river bed.