It occurs from Ourimbah, Central Coast (New South Wales) at 33° S to Eungella National Park (20° S) in tropical Queensland.

Other common names include corkwood, rose-leaf marara, brown alder and sugarbark.

The habitat of Ackama paniculosa includes riverine, littoral, tropical, subtropical and warm temperate rainforests.

The trunk is cylindrical with soft corky bark, greyish fawn in colour.

The fruit is a red capsule, containing a few hairy oval flattened seeds, 1 mm long.