It has brown or black "ironbark" on the trunk and main branches, dull bluish grey lance-shaped to egg-shaped adult leaves, flower buds in groups of seven, white flowers and barrel-shaped or conical fruit.

[3][5][6] Eucalyptus caleyi was first formally described by Joseph Maiden in 1906 and the description was published in Volume 2 of his book The Forest Flora of New South Wales.

[4] Caley's ironbark grows on low hills, ridges and broad undulating valleys in dry forest and woodland.

It grows from near Denman and the Goulburn River through the Northern Tablelands of New South Wales to the Millmerran area in south-eastern Queensland.

[3][5][6] Ovenden's ironbark, (subspecies ovendenii) is restricted to more elevated sites to the west of Tenterfield.