Kin Kin

History

There has long been debate over the origin of the name Kin Kin. It is most widely believed to mean "plenty black ants" after the small black ants very common in the area. This is reflected in the local school newsletter "Kin Kin ANTics" and the large ant sculpture outside the Kin Kin General store, home of Black Ant Gourmet. Some sources suggest the name comes from the Aboriginal kauin kauin meaning red soil. Timber-getters moved into the area in the late 1870s. Kin Kin State School opened on 26 May 1909 with the arrival of the first teacher Kathleen Storer. In 1917 it was renamed Kin Kin Junction State School (to avoid confusion with the school in the town of Kin Kin, now known as Kin Kin State School). It closed on 18 August 1981. It was at 984 Pomona Kin Kin Road (). Moran Group Provisional School opened on 7 March 1910. On 1 September 1914 it became Moran Group State School. It closed on 17 August 1952. It was located at 502 Gympie Kin Kin Road () and is now Wahpunga School Park. Kin Kin School of Arts opened on Friday 14 July 1911. It comprised a reading room, a library room, and a hall. The building as a whole was with a small stage, furnished with a piano by Mr. Sedgeman of Gympie. Kin Kin Methodist Church opened on 10 December 1916. In 1977 with the amalgamation of the Methodist Church into the Uniting Church in Australia, it became Kin Kin Uniting Church (also known as Kin Kin Junction Uniting Church). It closed as a church in April 2002. It was at 980 Pomona Kin Kin Road (). The building is still extant, but in private ownership. Kin Kin Township Provisional School opened on 18 October 1916, with classes initially held in the School of Arts hall. An unused school building was moved from Crawford (near Kingaroy) to Kin Kin and classes commenced in the…

Geography

Kin Kin lies between Pomona to the south, and Gympie to the north, in South East Queensland. The town is a hub for recreational activities related to nearby Lake Cootharaba and the Great Sandy National Park. Kin Kin is in the Noosa Biosphere, Queensland's first UNESCO Biosphere. In the west of Kin Kin is Woondum National Park and Woondum Forest Reserve. The hills and mountains in this area are covered by eucalypt forest and rainforest.

Most-observed species

• Rainbow Lorikeet

  Trichoglossus haematodus (Linnaeus, 1771) · Aves
  3,940
• Lewin's Honeyeater

  Meliphaga lewinii (Swainson, 1837) · Aves
  3,601
• Torresian Crow

  Corvus orru Bonaparte, 1850 · Aves
  3,226
• Bar-shouldered Dove

  Geopelia humeralis (Temminck, 1821) · Aves
  3,090
• Australian Magpie

  Gymnorhina tibicen (Latham, 1802) · Aves
  2,539
• Laughing Kookaburra

  Dacelo novaeguineae (Hermann, 1783) · Aves
  2,501
• Eastern Whipbird

  Psophodes olivaceus (Latham, 1802) · Aves
  2,455
• Australasian Figbird

  Sphecotheres vieilloti Vigors & Horsfield, 1827 · Aves
  2,417

Most recent

• M 4.9 — 2025-08-15
  12 km ESE of Cherbourg, Australia