Eucalyptus Didgeridoo

The most often used eucalyptus tree species for didgeridoo making


The first rock art paintings about didgeridoos originate from Arnhem Land. The interpretation of those paintings is controversial. Some people are seeing bamboo nods on those paintings. And there is a readily available bamboo species suitable for the purpose. But the living tradition, the value given to eucalyptus didgeridoo points in the direction of termite hollowed hardwood, which is also readily available in the area. The abundance of

  •   Darwin stringybark (Eucalyptus tetrodonta),
  •   Darwin woollybutt (Eucalyptus miniata),
  •   swamp blackwood (Acacia melanoxylon) and
  •   scarlet gum (Eucalyptus phoenicea)

    • in the Northern Territory suggests that these are the species the first eucalyptus didgeridoos were made of.

In other parts of the country different species are added to this list:

  •   Ironbark (grey: Eucalyptus paniculate, red: E. crebra),
  •   bloodwood (red: Eucalyptus gummifera, yellow: E. eximia),
  •   yellow box or honey box (Eucalyptus melliodora) and
  •   stringybark, mealy(Eucalyptus cinerea) in Far North Queensland,


  •   mallee (Eucalyptus viridis) in Central Australia


    • and a couple of mallee species from Western Australia. The main species being
  •   snap and rattle (Eucalyptus Celastroides),
  •   gimlet (Eucalyptus Salubris),
  •   Goldfields blackbutt (Eucalyptus Lesoueffi),
  •   sand mallee (Eucalyptus eremophila)... and so on.

Which is the best wood for didgeridoos? The wood itself doesn't make the didgeridoo; every species can produce very good and very bad didgeridoos and every kind in-between. The hardest, thickest the wood is, the sound is more metallic, the resonance is much sharper, the sound clearer. Bloodwood and ironbark didgeridoos are valued very much by some experts. In the Cairns area bloodwood didgeridoos are the most expensive, followed by ironbark didgeridoos, but you can find very good stringybark didgeridoos as well, thanks to the larger number of these to choose from. These are all eucalyptus didgeridoos and you have to be an expert to tell them apart.

Some people would argue that wood species does not matter at all, ... just start this discussion and the arguments will fly passionately for and against any type of wood, or any other material. Tell us your opinion in this matter.

Browse amongst our termite hollowed eucalyptus didgeridoos: