Kahibah facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Kahibah Greater Newcastle, New South Wales
Kahibah Location in the Hunter-Central Coast Region
Population	2,603 (2021 census)
• Density	2,000/km2 (5,200/sq mi)
Established	1868
Postcode(s)	2290
Area	1.3 km2 (0.5 sq mi)
Location	9 km (6 mi) WSW of Newcastle 2 km (1 mi) ENE of Charlestown
LGA(s)	City of Lake Macquarie
Parish	Kahibah
State electorate(s)	Charlestown
Federal Division(s)	Shortland
Suburbs around Kahibah: Adamstown Heights Highfields Highfields Charlestown Kahibah Whitebridge Charlestown Charlestown Whitebridge

Kahibah is a suburb in New South Wales, Australia. It's part of the City of Lake Macquarie in the Greater Newcastle area. Kahibah is located about 9 kilometers (5.6 miles) from the center of Newcastle.

History of Kahibah

Kahibah is very close to Glenrock Lagoon. Small creeks like Flaggy and Little Flaggy flow through Kahibah and into the lagoon, which is about 2 kilometers (1.2 miles) to the east.

The Name Kahibah

The name "Kahibah" comes from an Aboriginal word, "Ky-yee-bah." It means "a place for games" or "to be active and eager." The local Aboriginal people, the Awabakal people, used to camp near Glenrock Lagoon. They called that area "Pillapay-Kullaitaran," which means "Valley of the palms."

Early Exploration

In 1842, a famous explorer named Friedrich Wilhelm Ludwig Leichhardt walked through this valley. He wrote about seeing Glenrock Lagoon from a high spot. Today, this viewpoint is called "Leichhardt Lookout" and is part of the Great North Walk.

Township and Railways

The official township of Kahibah was established on February 27, 1894. This is different from an earlier plan in 1865 for a village also named "Kahibah," which was meant to be near the entrance of Lake Macquarie. That older planned village is now where the suburbs of Pelican and Blacksmiths are.

In 1880, a railway line was built to carry coal to Redhead. This line was later extended to Belmont in 1916, and a train station was built in Kahibah. The last passenger train left Newcastle for Belmont via Kahibah on April 8, 1971. The railway line completely closed for coal traffic on December 21, 1992.

The Fernleigh Track

After the railway closed, the old train line was turned into a cycleway called "The Fernleigh Track." The first part of the track, from Adamstown to Kahibah, opened on February 2, 2003. The next part, from Kahibah to Whitebridge, opened on May 7, 2005. This track is now a popular spot for walking and cycling.

Community Buildings

The Memorial Hall in Hexham Street opened on October 21, 1922. It was also known as the "Soldiers' Memorial Hall." Inside, there were special lists of men and women who served in World War I and World War II. These lists are now kept at the Kahibah Public School Memorial Hall. Over the years, the hall was used as a school, a movie theater, a library, and a playgroup. The hall was taken down in 1996 to make space for new homes.

Kahibah Public School

A school first started in the Memorial Hall in 1938. However, Kahibah Public School moved to its current location on October 20, 1954.

The Great North Walk

The Great North Walk is a long walking track that goes from Newcastle all the way to Sydney. It passes through Kahibah. The first 25 kilometers (15.5 miles) of the walk, from Newcastle to Teralba near Lake Macquarie, is known as the Yuelarbah Track.