Kyabram - Economy

Economy

The district is dependent on the primary industries of dairying and fruit orchards. Henry Jones IXL, a subsidiary of SPC Ardmona, operate a plant in the town, manufacturing IXL jams. The town provides engineering, financial advisors, solicitors and accounting services to the district. Nestlé (Tongala), Southern Processing Ltd and Bonlac (Stanhope) all have food processing plants nearby.

Medical and aged care services in the town include a 46-bed hospital, a 30-bed home for the aged, infant welfare centre, ambulance station, several doctors, dentists and other health practitioners. In education Kyabram has now combined three state schools (Kyabram Secondary College, Dawes Rd and Haslem St Primary Schools) to one P-12 school containing three campuses (Dawes, Haslem and Fisher). Kyabram also has a Roman Catholic primary and secondary school (St Augustine's), two kindergartens and the Kyabram Community & Learning Centre providing community services and adult learning opportunities for the people of Kyabram and the surrounding region. The local newspaper is called the Kyabram Free Press, a part of the McPherson media group in the region, with a circulation of roughly 3300 copies (Victorian Country Press Association 2008).

Surrounding smaller towns include Merrigum (pop. 490), Lancaster, Undera, Cooma, Wyuna, Kyvalley, Girgarre, Stanhope and Tongala.

Attractions include the Kyabram Fauna Park, a 55 hectare reserve housing five hundred species of wildlife. There are free-roaming kangaroos and emus and hides to observe a variety of water birds.