There are two species of Scrub-robin in Australia. The southern one has a widespread distribution in drier regions across the southern inland, whereas Northern Scrub-robins in Australia are restricted to the rainforests of Cape York south to about the Rocky River. They are also widespread in New Guinea and on Aru Island. Not much is known about the life history of the Northern Scrub-robin - very few nests have ever been described. They can certainly be located in the same places year after year so it seems likely that they live as pairs in permanent territories.

Northern Scrub-robins seem to prefer a lighter, brighter type of rainforest tending towards vine thicket. One territory I know of is situated on the RHS of the track into Rainforest camping area at Iron Range National Park. The other place I had no difficulty in finding them was in the Lockerbie Scrub up near the tip of Cape York.