Yagoona, New South Wales facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Yagoona Sydney, New South Wales
Hume Highway, Yagoona
Yagoona Location in Sydney
Population	18,013 (2016 census)
• Density	4,030/km2 (10,400/sq mi)
Established	1927
Postcode(s)	2199
Elevation	45 m (148 ft)
Area	4.47 km2 (1.7 sq mi)
Location	20 km (12 mi) south-west of Sydney CBD
LGA(s)	City of Canterbury-Bankstown
State electorate(s)	Bankstown
Federal Division(s)	Blaxland
Suburbs around Yagoona: Sefton Birrong Chullora Bass Hill Yagoona Greenacre Georges Hall Condell Park Bankstown

Yagoona is a suburb located about 20 kilometres south-west of the Sydney central business district in New South Wales, Australia. It is part of the City of Canterbury-Bankstown local government area. The name Yagoona comes from an Aboriginal word meaning 'now' or 'today'. This suburb is famous for being the location of the very first McDonald's restaurant to open in Australia back in December 1971.

A Look Back in Time

Before European settlers arrived, the land where Yagoona now stands was home to the Bediagal people.

In the late 1700s, this area was known as Irish Town. This was because many Irish rebels, who had been sent from Ireland, settled here. Land was given to Irish families, and eventually, the suburb of Yagoona was officially created in 1927. A church called St Matthew's Anglican Church was built in 1861. It served as both a church for the local Protestants and a school.

Shopping and Services

Entering Yagoona from Bankstown along the Hume Highway

The main shopping area in Yagoona is found along the Hume Highway, close to Yagoona railway station. In 1963, the Westfield Group built a supermarket here. It started as Coles New World, then became Franklins, and is now an IGA store.

Yagoona was home to Australia's first ever McDonald's restaurant, which opened in 1971. It closed in 1994. However, in 2021, a new McDonald's opened on the exact same spot! This happened just in time for the franchise's 50th birthday in Australia.

Over the past few years, some major banks and shops have moved out of the Yagoona shopping strip. Because of this, many residents now prefer to shop at bigger centres nearby, like Bass Hill Plaza or Bankstown Central. The local council has been working on plans to make the Yagoona town centre better. They are thinking about adding a bigger supermarket, a new community centre, and improving the shopping area.

You can find many different shops and services in Yagoona. These include the IGA Supermarket, a KFC, Australia Post, discount stores, pharmacies, a fruit shop, a bakery, and medical centres.

The main office and animal shelter for RSPCA NSW, which helps animals, is also located in Yagoona.

Getting Around Yagoona

Yagoona railway station

Yagoona railway station is part of the Sydney Trains network, on the Bankstown railway line. There are also many bus services that connect Yagoona to nearby areas like Bankstown and Parramatta.

The Hume Highway runs through Yagoona. It is the main road for getting to Liverpool and Sydney City. Rookwood Road connects to the M5 motorway in the south and the M4 in the north.

In 2006, a special 30-metre pedestrian bridge was built over the Hume Highway. This bridge helps students from Yagoona Primary School cross the busy road safely. It also has lifts, making it easy for everyone, including people with disabilities, to use. The bridge helps traffic flow better by removing old traffic lights.

Schools in Yagoona

Yagoona has three primary schools:

• Yagoona Public School
• Christ the King Catholic School
• Al Sadiq College, which is an Alawite Muslim school for younger students.

There are no high schools directly in Yagoona. Most older students go to high schools in nearby suburbs like Birrong, Bass Hill, or Bankstown.

Parks and Green Spaces

Yagoona has several parks where you can relax or play sports. These include Gazzard Park, George Green Oval, Gillman Reserve, Middleton Park, Graf Park, and O'Neill Park. All these parks have different sports facilities and play equipment.

Places of Worship

Yagoona is home to seven different places of worship:

• Yagoona Anglican Church
• Graceway Church (formerly Yagoona Baptist Church)
• Christ the King Catholic Church
• Yagoona Christadelphian Ecclesia
• Prayer on Wheels Yagoona
• Lutheran Church of Australia
• Christian Mission Fellowship

Who Lives in Yagoona?

According to the 2016 Census, there were 18,013 people living in Yagoona. About half of them (50.6%) were born in Australia. Other common countries of birth included Vietnam (11.8%) and Lebanon (8.3%).

While 29.2% of people spoke only English at home, many other languages are also spoken. These include Arabic (25.9%), Vietnamese (15.9%), and Macedonian (3.5%). The most common religions in Yagoona are Islam (26.3%) and Catholic (24.0%).

Fun and Culture

Yagoona Autumn Fair

For many years, Yagoona used to host an Autumn Fair at Gazzard Park. This fair was a chance for the community to come together, share their goals, and raise money for local projects. The last fair was held around 2009. The fair often included fun activities like raffles, a sausage sizzle by the Yagoona Scouts, free rides, stage shows, and face painting. Sometimes, the fair was even held in Spring instead of Autumn!

Pictures from the 2007 Autumn Fair

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  Stalls

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  Big Slide

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  Jumping Castle

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  Lotus Exige Police Car on Display

Yagoona in Movies

The drama movie Footy Legends is set in Yagoona. It was written by Khoa Do and Anh Do, and Anh Do also starred in it. The movie talks about social issues in the area and follows a rugby league team made up of people facing challenges.

Sports in Yagoona

The local football (soccer) team is the Yagoona Lions [mk]. They are part of the Bankstown District Amateur Football Association and play their home games at O'Neill Park.

There was also once an Indoor Cricket Sports Club on the Hume Highway. Another local team is the Yagoona Schooners, who play Rugby league.

Famous People from Yagoona

• Anh Do, a well-known Vietnamese Australian actor and comedian.
• Khoa Do, an actor, writer, and director (and Anh Do's brother).