Fast facts
- Attractive timber-milling town surrounded by rainforest
- Set on the Richmond River at the base of Fairy Mountain
- 760 km north of Sydney and 184 km south of Brisbane on the Summerland Way, population 4,000
Why go there
Kyogle declares itself Gateway to the Rainforests, and indeed the town is surrounded by many natural heritage areas, scenic drives, lookouts, picnic areas and atmospheric villages.
Two spectacular national parks in the region, Border Ranges and Mount Warning, are known for their stunning mountain scenery and rainforests.
History
The name Kyogle is derived from the Aboriginal phrase 'Kaiou gal', meaning 'place of the plain turkey'. European settlement in the region took off in the 1840s, and by the 1860s timber cutters had moved in.
The railway arrived in 1910, and Kyogle grew as a centre for timber and dairy cattle.
Things to do
- Drive the Lions Road, a short and scenic route over the McPherson Ranges.
- Explore the Kyogle Botanical Gardens on the banks of Fawcetts Creek.
- Experience the amazing natural beauty of the region’s World Heritage national parks.
- Follow scenic touring routes to explore the national parks, rainforests, rivers and heritage towns of the surrounding area.
Don’t miss
- The views from Captain Cook Memorial Lookout.
- Toonumbah National Park, a treasury of plant and animal life.
- Tweed Range Scenic Drive, off the Murwillumbah Road.
- The stunning black bean trees of Moore Park Nature Reserve.
- Border Ranges National Park, part of the World Heritage-listed Gondwana Rainforests of Australia.
