Kyogle facts for kids
Quick facts for kids KyogleNew South Wales |
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Main street
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 Kyogle
Location in New South Wales
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| Population | 2,751 (2016 census) |
| Established | 1830s |
| Postcode(s) | 2474 |
| Elevation | 72 m (236 ft) |
| Location | |
| LGA(s) | Kyogle Council |
| Region | Northern Rivers |
| State electorate(s) | Lismore |
| Federal Division(s) | Page |
Kyogle (pronounced kye-oh-gul) is a friendly town in the Northern Rivers area of northern New South Wales, Australia. It's part of the Kyogle Council local government area. In 2016, about 2,751 people lived here. Kyogle is often called a "gateway" because it's close to amazing national parks like Border Ranges National Park and Toonumbar National Park.
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History of Kyogle
Kyogle started in the 1830s as a place where people cut down trees for wood. It's located about 758 kilometers (471 miles) north of Sydney. The town is also 32 kilometers (20 miles) north of Casino. It sits along the Summerland Way road, not far from the Queensland border. The Richmond River flows right through Kyogle.
What Does the Name Kyogle Mean?
The name Kyogle comes from the Bundjalung word ‘kaiou-gal’. This word means ‘place of the bush turkey’. A bush turkey, also known as a brush turkey, is a fast bird with long legs. You'll see the bush turkey theme a lot in Kyogle. For example, there's a big statue called the "Big Bush Turkey". Also, the local rugby league team is known as the Kyogle Turkeys!
Flooding in Kyogle
Sometimes, the Richmond River can flood parts of Kyogle. This happens when there's a lot of rain. In January 2008, the river rose very high. It reached about 18.1 meters (59.4 feet) in some areas. This was the second-worst flood ever recorded in Kyogle. The worst one happened back in 1954. During the 2008 flood, the State Emergency Service helped people move to safety.
Kyogle's Economy
The main ways people make a living in Kyogle are through cattle farming and dairy farming. Growing and cutting down trees (called forestry) is also very important. In the past, cutting down trees was the biggest reason people settled here. They especially looked for valuable trees like red cedar and hoop pine.
Train Travel in Kyogle
Kyogle station is on the main North Coast railway line. This line connects Sydney and Brisbane. A train from Sydney to Brisbane stops very early in the morning. A train from Brisbane to Sydney stops later in the morning. These trains only stop if passengers need to get on or off in Kyogle.
The Border Loop
North of Kyogle, near a place called Cougal, is something cool called the Border Loop. This is a special part of the railway track. The track actually loops around in a full circle (360 degrees)! It even passes over itself. This amazing loop was built to help trains climb from the lower areas in New South Wales to the higher areas in Queensland. This climb is needed to get over the McPherson Range mountains.
People of Kyogle
In 2016, the census showed that 3,464 people lived in the Kyogle area.
- About 4.0% of the people were Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander.
- Most people (82.4%) were born in Australia.
- Almost everyone (87.4%) spoke only English at home.
- The most common religions were No Religion (24.1%), Catholic (22.3%), and Anglican (19.1%).
The Big Bush Turkey
Kyogle is home to one of Australia's big things! It's a giant statue called the Big Bush Turkey. You can find it at the southern end of town on the Summerland Way. A local couple, John and Chrystine Graham, built it in 2018. This huge turkey weighs 16 tonnes! It's 8.5 meters (28 feet) wide and 4 meters (13 feet) high. Sometimes people call it the Big Brush Turkey or the Big Scrub Turkey.
Kyogle: A Tidy Town Winner
In 2012, Kyogle won an award at the Australian Tidy Town Awards. They won the "Young Legends" category! A judge named Dick Olesinski praised Kyogle. He said the community works on many different projects. These projects show how much the town cares about keeping Kyogle tidy and beautiful. The Tidy Towns Committee does a great job promoting the town and supporting community activities.
Sporting Clubs in Kyogle
Kyogle has many fun sporting clubs for people of all ages:
- Kyogle Bowling Club
- Kyogle Golf Club
- Kyogle Cockies Rugby Union Club
- Kyogle Netball Association
- Kyogle Pony Club
- Kyogle Turkeys Rugby League Club (for both junior and senior players)
- Kyogle Little Athletics
- Kyogle Turkeys Touch Football Club
- Kyogle Soccer Club
- Kyogle Swimming Club
- Kyogle Tennis Club
- Kyogle District Cricket Association
World Rally Championship
In 2009, a big car race called the 2009 Rally Australia came through the Kyogle area. This race was part of the World Rally Championship.
