The red-backed fairywren is endemic to Australia and can be seen along rivers and the coast from Cape Keraudren in northern Western Australia through the Kimberleys, Arnhem Land and the Gulf Country and into Cape York, with the Selwyn Range and upper reaches of the Flinders River as a southern limit.
It is also found on the nearby offshore islands Groote Eylandt, Sir Edmund Pellew, Fraser, Melville and Bathurst Islands.
Its range extends all the way down the east coast east of the Great Dividing Range to the Hunter River in New South Wales,  preferring wet, grassy tropical or sub-tropical areas, with tall grasses such as bladygrass (Imperata cylindrica), species of Sorghum, and Eulalia.
It is not a true migrant, although it may be locally nomadic due to changes in vegetation, and may leave its territory after the breeding season.
The species will retreat to fire-resistant cover at times of fire.

The red-backed fairywren avoids arid habitats, and is replaced to the south of its range by the white-winged fairywren.
The red-backed fairywren is endemic to Australia and can be seen along rivers and the coast from Cape Keraudren in northern Western Australia through the Kimberleys, Arnhem Land and the Gulf Country and into Cape York, with the Selwyn Range and upper reaches of the Flinders River as a southern limit. It is also found on the nearby offshore islands Groote Eylandt, Sir Edmund Pellew, Fraser, Melville and Bathurst Islands. Its range extends all the way down the east coast east of the Great Dividing Range to the Hunter River in New South Wales,  preferring wet, grassy tropical or sub-tropical areas, with tall grasses such as bladygrass (Imperata cylindrica), species of Sorghum, and Eulalia. It is not a true migrant, although it may be locally nomadic due to changes in vegetation, and may leave its territory after the breeding season. The species will retreat to fire-resistant cover at times of fire.
The red-backed fairywren avoids arid habitats, and is replaced to the south of its range by the white-winged fairywren.
Red-backed fairywren