Casino is a town in the

Northern Rivers Northern Rivers is the most north-easterly region of the Australian state of New South Wales, located between north of the state capital, Sydney, and encompasses the catchments and fertile valleys of the Clarence, Richmond, and Tweed rivers. ...

area of

New South Wales ) , nickname = , image_map = New South Wales in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of New South Wales in AustraliaCoordinates: , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = Australia , established_title = Before federation , es ...

, Australia, with a population of 10,914 people at the . It lies on the banks of the

Richmond River The Richmond River is a river situated in the Northern Rivers region of New South Wales, Australia. Course and features The river rises at the northern end of the Richmond Range, near its junction with the McPherson Range, on the Queensla ...

and is situated at the junction of the

Bruxner Highway Bruxner Highway, and its former alignment as Bruxner Way, are a state highway and rural road respectively, located in New South Wales, Australia. The route forms an east–west link from the Northern Rivers coast, across the Northern Tablelands ...

and the

Summerland Way Summerland Way is a 199–kilometre state route, designated B91, in New South Wales. It runs generally north from Grafton to the state border with Queensland just west of Mount Lindesay, and continues from there into Queensland as Mount Lindes ...

. It is located north of

Sydney Sydney ( ) is the capital city of the state of New South Wales, and the most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Located on Australia's east coast, the metropolis surrounds Sydney Harbour and extends about towards the Blue Mountain ...

and south of

Brisbane Brisbane ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the states and territories of Australia, Australian state of Queensland, and the list of cities in Australia by population, third-most populous city in Australia and Oceania, with a populati ...

Overview

Casino is the seat of the

Richmond Valley Council Richmond Valley Council (RVC) is a local government area on the Northern Rivers region of north-eastern New South Wales, Australia. RVC services an area of and draws its name from the Richmond River, which flows through most of the council are ...

, a

local government area A local government area (LGA) is an administrative division of a country that a local government is responsible for. The size of an LGA varies by country but it is generally a subdivision of a State (administrative division), state, province, divi ...

. Settlement of the area began in 1840 when pastoral squatters George Robert Stapleton and his business partner, Mr. Clay, set up a cattle station which they initially called Cassino after

Cassino Cassino () is a ''comune'' in the province of Frosinone, Southern Italy, at the southern end of the region of Lazio, the last city of the Latin Valley. Cassino is located at the foot of Monte Cairo near the confluence of the Gari and Liri rive ...

(near

Monte Cassino Monte Cassino (today usually spelled Montecassino) is a rocky hill about southeast of Rome, in the Latin Valley, Italy, west of Cassino and at an elevation of . Site of the Roman town of Casinum, it is widely known for its abbey, the first h ...

) in Italy. The town now has a

sister city A sister city or a twin town relationship is a form of legal or social agreement between two geographically and politically distinct localities for the purpose of promoting cultural and commercial ties. While there are early examples of inter ...

agreement with the Italian village. Casino is among Australia's largest beef centres. It is the regional hub of a very large

cattle Cattle (''Bos taurus'') are large, domesticated, cloven-hooved, herbivores. They are a prominent modern member of the subfamily Bovinae and the most widespread species of the genus ''Bos''. Adult females are referred to as cows and adult mal ...

industry and positions itself as the "Beef Capital" of Australia, although the city of

Rockhampton Rockhampton is a city in the Rockhampton Region of Central Queensland, Australia. The population of Rockhampton in June 2021 was 79,967, Estimated resident population, 30 June 2018. making it the fourth-largest city in the state outside of the ...

also claims this title. In addition it is the service centre for a rich agricultural area. Each year the town celebrates Casino Beef Week. It was not held in 2007 but since that year, has continued to be held and celebrated with the 2019 one being held from 18 to 28 May. The Richmond River runs through the town separating South Casino from the rest of the town.

Climate

Casino experiences a

humid subtropical climate A humid subtropical climate is a zone of climate characterized by hot and humid summers, and cool to mild winters. These climates normally lie on the southeast side of all continents (except Antarctica), generally between latitudes 25° and 40° ...

( Köppen: ''Cfa'', Trewartha: ''Cfal''), with hot, humid summers and mild, comfortably dry winters.

Population

According to the

2016 census Sixteen or 16 may refer to: *16 (number), the natural number following 15 and preceding 17 *one of the years 16 BC, AD 16, 1916, 2016 Films * ''Pathinaaru'' or ''Sixteen'', a 2010 Tamil film * ''Sixteen'' (1943 film), a 1943 Argentine film dir ...

of Population, there were 10,914 people in Casino. * Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people made up 10.5% of the population. * 86.8% of people were born in Australia. The next most common country of birth was England at 1.2%. * 90.9% of people spoke only English at home. * The most common responses for religion were Catholic 25.2%, Anglican 22.8% and No Religion 22.0%.

Transport

Casino railway station Casino railway station is a heritage-listed railway station on the North Coast line in New South Wales, Australia. Opening on 22 September 1930, it serves the town of Casino in the Richmond Valley Shire. It was added to the New South Wales S ...

is situated on the main North Coast railway line between

and

, north of Grafton. A branch line ran via Lismore to

Murwillumbah Murwillumbah ( ) is a town in far north-eastern New South Wales, Australia, in the Tweed Shire, on the Tweed River. Sitting on the south eastern foothills of the McPherson Range in the Tweed Volcano valley, Murwillumbah is 848 km north-eas ...

; that line has since been closed, although lobbying is taking place to re-open it. Casino railway station is the terminus of the daily Casino XPT from Sydney and there is a daily service to and from Brisbane via the Brisbane XPT. In the 1920s, a never completed railway branch line to

Bonalbo Bonalbo, a rural village in the Northern Rivers region of New South Wales, Australia, is located north of Sydney. In the , Bonalbo and the surrounding area had a population of 371. The town's name derives from the Gidabal word ''bunawalbu'' m ...

was started. A line was also proposed from Casino via Tabulam and even a line all the way to Tenterfield, A Miniature Railway is situated next to the Casino Golf Club. The railway operates on Sundays between 10am and 4pm on a 2.5km stretch of track, with a museum at the end. A round trip is usually 25 minutes however on busier days it can vary. Casino is serviced by

Lismore Airport Lismore Airport is a regional airport located south of Lismore, New South Wales, Lismore in the Northern Rivers region of New South Wales, Australia. It features a modern terminal building, with some secure parking facilities. The airport sus ...

with several daily flights to Sydney. Northern Rivers Buslines operates rural services to Lismore (670) and Kyogle (675) each weekday, with one return service to Tenterfield available on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Casino Bus Service operates local town loops, including a loop service to Gays Hill. Among its many schools are the main ones: Casino High School, Casino Public School, Casino West Public School, St. Mary's Primary School, St. Mary's Catholic College School and Casino Christian Community School.

Heritage listings

Casino has a number of heritage-listed sites, including: * 102 Barker Street: Casino Post Office * Casino-Murwillumbah railway: Old Casino railway station * North Coast railway:

Location for filming

The 2014 drama series ''

The Gods of Wheat Street ''The Gods of Wheat Street'' is an Australian television drama series that screened on ABC TV from 12 April 2014. The six-part series tells the stories of the Freeburn clan, an Australian Aboriginal family. Synopsis Odin Freeburn, head of the f ...

'' was set and partly filmed in Casino.

Notable people

Ian Callinan Ian David Francis Callinan Order of Australia, AC King's Counsel, KC (born 1 September 1937) is a former Justice of the High Court of Australia, the highest court in the Australian court hierarchy. Education Born in Casino, New South Wales, Cal ...

(born 1937), High Court judge *

Pat Darling Pat Darling (31 August 1913 in Casino, New South Wales, Australia – 2007) was an Australian servicewoman and nursing sister with the 2/10th Australian General Hospital. Early life Born as Janet Patteson Gunther, her great grandfather, Archdeaco ...

(1913–2007), nurse and author * John Elford (born 1946),

rugby league Rugby league football, commonly known as just rugby league and sometimes football, footy, rugby or league, is a full-contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular field measuring 68 metres (75 yards) wide and 112 ...

player *

Jeff Fatt Jeffrey Wayne Fatt, AM (born 21 July 1953) is an Australian musician and actor. He was a member of the children's group The Wiggles from its founding in 1991 to 2012, and was also in the 1980s and 1990s pop band The Cockroaches. He was the old ...

(born 1953), musician and actor, one of

The Wiggles The Wiggles are an Australian children's music group formed in Sydney in 1991. The group are currently composed of Anthony Field, Lachlan Gillespie, Simon Pryce and Tsehay Hawkins, as well as supporting members Evie Ferris, John Pearce, Ca ...

* Thomas George (born 1949), politician *

Clark Irving Clark Irving (1 January 1808 – 13 January 1865) was an Australian merchant pastoralist and politician. He was a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly from 1856 until 1864. Early life Irving was the son of a Cumberland farmer. He ...

(born 1808), early settler (pastoralist) and politician * Ben Kennedy (born 1974), rugby league player *

Matt King Matthew or Matt King may refer to: Matthew * Matthew King (composer) (born 1967), British composer and pianist * Matthew King (cricketer) (born 1977), Australian cricketer * Matthew Yang King (born 1974), American actor, voice actor, director, prod ...

(born 1980), rugby league player *

Tess Mallos Tess Mallos (née Anastasia Calopades) (25 January 1933 – 31 July 2012) was an Australian food and cooking writer, journalist, author, and Pundit (expert), commentator. She wrote a number of books on Greek cuisine, Greek and Middle Eastern c ...

(1933–2012), food journalist and author *

Chris Munce Chris Munce (born 17 May 1969) is a highly successful Thoroughbred horse racing jockey, having won both the Melbourne Cup and the Cox Plate. He is now a highly successful trainer of horses in Brisbane Queensland heading up a family based operat ...

(born 1969), horse racing

jockey A jockey is someone who rides horses in horse racing or steeplechase racing, primarily as a profession. The word also applies to camel riders in camel racing. The word "jockey" originated from England and was used to describe the individual ...

Michael Robotham Michael Robotham (born 9 November 1960) is an Australian crime fiction writer who has twice won the CWA Gold Dagger award for best novel and twice been shortlisted for the Edgar Award for best novel. His eldest child is Alexandra Hope Robotham, ...

(born 1960), crime novelist * David Russell, (born 1982), racing driver * Brian Smith (born 1954), rugby league player and coach (attended Casino High School) * Tony Smith (born 1967),

coach Coach may refer to: Guidance/instruction * Coach (sport), a director of athletes' training and activities * Coaching, the practice of guiding an individual through a process ** Acting coach, a teacher who trains performers Transportation * Co ...

, brother of Brian Smith, grew up in Casino attending Casino High School *

Albert Torrens Albert Torrens (born 1 July 1976) is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1990s and 2000s. He played for the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles, Northern Eagles and St. George Illawarra Dragons in the NRL and in ...

(born 1976), rugby league player * Cody Walker (born 1990), rugby league player *

Henry Wallace Browning Henry Wallace "Wal" Browning Order of Australia, OAM (born 9 May 1928) is an Australian bowls, lawn bowls sportsman. Wal holds the record for the "Oldest Outdoor Bowls IBD World Champion (Male)" with Guinness World Records. Wal retired from IBD ...

O.A.M. (born Casino 1928), lawn bowler, IBD World Champion 2007 Guinness World Record 2008 Hall of Fame Bankstown Casino High School 1940 to 1943 *

Damien Wright Damien Geoffrey Wright (born 25 July 1975) is an Australian cricket coach and former first-class cricketer who coached Hobart Hurricanes cricket team. Wright made his debut for Tasmanian Tigers, Tasmania in 1997, playing with the team until swi ...

(born 1975),

cricket Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of eleven players on a field at the centre of which is a pitch with a wicket at each end, each comprising two bails balanced on three stumps. The batting side scores runs by striki ...

player

References

External links

General travel information on Casino from ''The Sydney Morning Herald''Casino – Visit NSW
{{authority control Towns in New South Wales Northern Rivers Richmond Valley Council