Karuah, New South Wales facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Karuah New South Wales
Bridge over the Karuah River
Karuah Location in New South Wales
Population	1,411 (2016 census)
• Density	19.145/km2 (49.59/sq mi)
Postcode(s)	2324
Elevation	16 m (52 ft)
Area	73.7 km2 (28.5 sq mi)
Time zone	AEST (UTC+10)
• Summer (DST)	AEDT (UTC+11)
Location	192 km (119 mi) NNE of Sydney 52 km (32 mi) NNE of Newcastle 27 km (17 mi) NE of Raymond Terrace 112 km (70 mi) SSW of Forster/Tuncurry
LGA(s)	Port Stephens Council Mid-Coast Council
Region	Hunter, Mid North Coast
County	Gloucester
Parish	Tarean
State electorate(s)	Port Stephens
Federal Division(s)	Lyne
Mean max temp Mean min temp Annual rainfall 23.0 °C 73 °F 10.3 °C 51 °F 1,145.6 mm 45.1 in
Suburbs around Karuah: Limeburners Creek Limeburners Creek The Branch Twelve Mile Creek Karuah The Branch, North Arm Cove Twelve Mile Creek Swan Bay, Port Stephens Port Stephens, Tahlee, Carrington

Karuah (pronounced "ka-ROO-uh") is a small town in New South Wales, Australia. It's located where the Karuah River meets Port Stephens. The name "Karuah" is believed to come from an Aboriginal word meaning 'native plum tree'. This town is special because it's split between two different local government areas: Port Stephens Council and Mid-Coast Council.

Karuah's Past: A Journey Through Time

The story of Karuah began a long time ago. In 1790, five convicts escaped from Sydney and settled in this area. Later, in 1795, the Karuah River was explored and mapped.

In 1811, Governor Lachlan Macquarie decided to name the area "the Clyde". By 1816, people were given permission to cut cedar trees here. In 1824, a big company called the Australian Agricultural Company bought a huge piece of land to create a town. The name of the area was officially changed to Karuah in 1907.

Where is Karuah?

Karuah is unique because it sits across two different local government areas. Most of the town, about 51%, is in the Port Stephens Council area. The main village of Karuah is also mostly within Port Stephens Council.

The Karuah River flows through the middle of Karuah. This river actually forms the boundary between the two councils in this area. Karuah is located at the top-left corner of Port Stephens, which is where the Karuah River flows into the larger bay.

Who Lives in Karuah?

According to the 2016 census, there were 1,411 people living in Karuah.

• About 14.6% of the people were Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
• Most people, 80.1%, were born in Australia.
• Also, 89.8% of people spoke only English at home.
• When it came to religion, the most common choices were Anglican (26.7%), No Religion (25.0%), and Catholic (19.9%).

The main part of Karuah is the village itself. It's located on the old Pacific Highway and is split by the Karuah River. Most of the village is in the Port Stephens area. This village is home to the largest Aboriginal community in the Port Stephens area.

Getting Around Karuah

A very important bridge, the Karuah Bridge, was built and opened in December 1957. This bridge helped people cross the river easily.

Later, in 2004, the Karuah Bypass was opened. This new road helps cars and trucks travel faster past the town. While it made journeys quicker, it also meant less traffic went directly through the town.

Karuah's Famous Oysters

Karuah village has been well-known for its delicious oysters for a long time. You can still find several oyster shops along the old Pacific Highway in the town. They are a big part of Karuah's local identity!