Kariong, New South Wales facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Kariong Central Coast, New South Wales
Kariong Location in New South Wales
Population	6,485 (2021 census)
Postcode(s)	2250
Elevation	192 m (630 ft)
Location	7 km (4 mi) WSW of Gosford 70 km (43 mi) N of Sydney 13 km (8 mi) N of Woy Woy
LGA(s)	Central Coast Council
Parish	Patonga
State electorate(s)	Gosford
Federal Division(s)	Robertson
Suburbs around Kariong: Peats Ridge Somersby West Gosford Calga Kariong Point Clare Mooney Mooney Creek Brisbane Water National Park Tascott

Kariong is a suburb located on the Central Coast of New South Wales, Australia. It sits west of Gosford and is found along the Central Coast Highway. Kariong is part of the Central Coast Council area, which is a local government body.

History of Kariong

The first British person to settle in Kariong was W.H. Parry in 1901. A special school for boys, called the Mt Penang Training School, opened in 1911. Many of the boys came from a training ship named Sobraon.

The small village, mostly made up of families who worked at the training school, was first known as Kendall Heights. Later, it was called Penang Mountain. The name Kariong was officially given to the area around 1947.

In 2010, Kariong Mountains High School opened its doors in Kariong, providing a local high school for students.

What Does Kariong Mean?

The name Kariong has a special meaning. According to the Geographical Names Board, Kariong means "meeting place" in the local Aboriginal language.

Geography and Nature

Kariong's borders include a large part of the beautiful Brisbane Water National Park to the south. This park is a great place to explore nature. The area also features the Mount Penang Parklands, which are known for their lovely native gardens.

Kariong is often seen as the main entry point to the Central Coast. This is because it is right next to the Pacific Motorway M1.

Community and Population

At the last count in 2021, Kariong had a population of 6,485 people. Here are some interesting facts about the community:

• About 4.2% of the people living in Kariong are Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander.
• Most residents, about 78.8%, were born in Australia.
• The next most common countries of birth were England (4.4%) and New Zealand (2.0%).
• About 86.0% of people in Kariong speak only English at home.
• When it comes to religion, 42.2% of people said they had no religion. Other common responses were Catholic (20.5%) and Anglican (14.6%).

Culture and Arts

Kariong is home to the NAISDA Dance College. This is a special performing arts training college for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people from all over Australia. It is located within the Mount Penang Parklands.

The Gosford Glyphs

In the Kariong area, there is a group of about 300 carvings. These carvings look a lot like Egyptian hieroglyphs. They are carved into two parallel sandstone walls. A local surveyor named Alan Dash first reported seeing them in 1975. However, experts today generally believe these carvings are not ancient Egyptian and are likely a hoax.

Getting Around Kariong

You can easily get to and from Kariong by bus. Regular bus services connect Kariong with Gosford. These bus routes, including routes 32, 33, and 34, are operated by Busways.