Kelso, Queensland facts for kids
Quick facts for kids KelsoTownsville, Queensland |
|||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
|||||||||||||||
 Kelso
Location in Queensland
|
|||||||||||||||
| Population | 10,599 (2021 census) | ||||||||||||||
| • Density | 616.2/km2 (1,596/sq mi) | ||||||||||||||
| Postcode(s) | 4815 | ||||||||||||||
| Area | 17.2 km2 (6.6 sq mi) | ||||||||||||||
| Time zone | AEST (UTC+10:00) | ||||||||||||||
| Location |
|
||||||||||||||
| LGA(s) | City of Townsville | ||||||||||||||
| State electorate(s) | Thuringowa | ||||||||||||||
| Federal Division(s) | |||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||
Kelso is a suburb located in the City of Townsville, Queensland, Australia. It's a place where over 10,000 people live! In 2021 census, Kelso had a population of 10,599 people.
Contents
Kelso's Location
Kelso is one of three suburbs found along Riverway Drive. It is special because it's the only suburb on this road where houses are built right next to the beautiful Ross River. Riverway Drive, also known as Garbutt–Upper Ross Road, runs through the eastern part of Kelso.
A Look Back at Kelso's History
Kelso was named after Mary and James Kelso, who were Scottish immigrants. In 1878, they owned a large cattle property called Laudham Park. This property was located on Five Head Creek.
How the Ross River Dam Changed Kelso
In 1970, a big change happened for Laudham Park. The Townsville City Council needed land to build the Ross River Dam. They took over 1620 hectares of the property's best grazing land. At its biggest, Laudham Park covered more than 40,000 hectares! It stretched along both sides of the Upper Ross River.
Today, much of what was Laudham Park is now underwater because of the dam. The rest of the land became the suburb of Kelso. The very first residential blocks, where people could build homes, started selling in 1966.
Kelso State School Opens
Kelso State School, which teaches students from Prep to Year 6, first opened its doors in 1963.
Who Lives in Kelso?
In 2021 census, Kelso had a population of 10,599 people. Let's look at some facts about the people living there:
- About 12% of the people are Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander.
- Most people (82.4%) were born in Australia.
- Other common birthplaces include England and New Zealand, both at 2.2%.
- About 88.4% of people speak only English at home.
- The most common religions are No Religion (29.1%), Catholic (25.9%), and Anglican (17.2%).
Education in Kelso
Kelso State School is a government primary school for students from Prep to Year 6. It is located on Yvette Street (19°23′19″S 146°43′35″E / 19.3886°S 146.7264°E). In 2018, the school had 549 students and 35 teachers.
There are no high schools directly in Kelso. The closest government high school is Thuringowa State High School. It is located in Condon, which is to the north of Kelso.
Getting Around Kelso
Kelso is connected to Townsville by bus services. These services are provided by the Kinetic Group.
