[2] The leaves, bark, and litter of A. cambagei produce a characteristic odour, vaguely reminiscent of boiled cabbage, gas or sewage that accounts for the common name of 'stinking gidgee'.

Confined to regions between 550 and 200 mm annual rainfall,[3] A. cambagei is found primarily on flat and gently undulating terrain on heavy and relatively fertile clay and clay-loam soils in the eastern part of it range, and often forms mixed communities with brigalow which favours the same soil types.

In drier regions, gidgee is found primarily on red earths and loams in wetter depression and low-relief areas.

Eucalyptus cambageana, E. populnea, Corymbia terminalis, Eremophila mitchellii and Geijera parviflora are typical woody species associated with gidgee communities.

[4][5] Fire in any gidgee woodland would be a rare event under natural circumstances, since pasture is at best sparse in these communities, consisting of Chloris, Setaria (syn.