The many qualities of Redgum were recognised early on by many early settlers and the commercial production of it's timber became a significant industry for Echuca Moama. The redgum timber was taken from surrounding forests including Barmah-Millewa Forest and used to build and fuel many paddlesteamers, for the construction of the Echuca Wharf, for railway sleepers, mine shafts, the Melbourne tramways route to Richmond and in paving some Melbourne streets.

The timber industry provided an income for many settlers in Echuca Moama. There were those that fell the trees, those who provided transport to Echuca via outrigger barges pulled by paddlesteamers to the mills and those that worked at the mills. Of course there were also those involved in the loading and transport of the timber once it had been processed by the mills.

The first sawmills were located on the Moama side of the river  and during the 1860's much of it's production was used as sleepers on the Bendigo - Echuca Railway line. By 1875 there were seven sawmills in Echuca - Moama, including Mackintosh, Blair & McGrouther, McCulloch & Company, Henry Luth and Edward Whiteley. Together they employed some 400 men and cut approximately 400 trees per week.