Wet sclerophyll forest

Habitat type: Wet sclerophyll forest

Other key words: Wet eucalypt open forest, tall open forest, moist eucalypt forest, blackbutt, flooded gum, rose gum, brush box, Eucalyptus

Description: Wet sclerophyll forest is the tallest forest type in Australia. Queensland wet sclerophyll forests generally do not grow as tall as those in southern Australia, but the tallest trees can still be over 40 m high. Wet sclerophyll forest in Queensland is composed of very tall eucalypts and their relatives, and an understory of either rainforest plants, or grasses with a sparse shrub layer. The following species are the tallest trees in the forest: flooded or rose gum (Eucalyptus grandis), blackbutt (E. pilularis), blue gum (E. saligna), red mahogany (E. resinifera), turpentine (Syncarpia glomulifera), brush box (Lophostemon confertus) and sometimes bloodwoods (Corymbia spp.). One or more of these tree species may be present. The tallest trees are never close enough together, or have dense enough canopies, to form a closed canopy, with canopy cover varying from 50-80%.

Some animals that use this habitat type: Powerful owl, Eastern bristlebird, northern bettong, yellow-bellied glider (northern subspecies), Hastings River mouse and Fleay’s barred frog.