Hunter Region New South Wales
Hunter Region The location of Newcastle, the major city in the Hunter Region
Population:	632,851 [1]
Coordinates:	32°55′S 151°45′E / 32.917°S 151.75°E / -32.917; 151.75Coordinates: 32°55′S 151°45′E / 32.917°S 151.75°E / -32.917; 151.75
Time zone:  • Summer (DST)	AEST (UTC+10) AEDT (UTC+11)
Location:	120 km (75 mi) N of Sydney
LGA:	Newcastle City Council, Lake Macquarie City Council Cessnock City Council, Maitland City Council, Port Stephens Council Singleton Shire Council, Dungog Shire Council, Great Lakes Council Muswellbrook Shire Council, Upper Hunter Shire Council, Gloucester Shire Council
Localities around Hunter Region: North West Slopes New England Mid North Coast Hunter Region Tasman Sea Central West Central Coast Tasman Sea

The Hunter Region, more commonly known as the Hunter Valley, is a region of New South Wales, extending from approximately 120 km (75 mi) to 310 km (193 mi) north of Sydney, Australia with an approximate population of more than 630,000 people.^[1] More than half of the population live in the coastal cities of Newcastle and Lake Macquarie. There are also numerous other towns and villages scattered across the valley in the eleven Local Government Areas that occupy the region. These eleven LGAs are:^[2]

• Cessnock City Council
• Dungog Shire Council
• Gloucester Shire Council
• Great Lakes Council
• Lake Macquarie City Council
• Maitland City Council
• Muswellbrook Shire Council
• Newcastle City Council
• Port Stephens Council
• Singleton Shire Council
• Upper Hunter Shire Council

The Hunter Region contains the Hunter River and its tributaries with highland areas to the north and south.^[3] The Hunter Valley is one of the largest river valleys on the NSW coast, and is most commonly known for its wineries and coal industry.

Contents 1 Industries 1.1 Tourism 2 Towns and cities 3 Growth 4 See also 5 References 6 External links

[edit] Industries

The Hunter Region is one of Australia's most famous wine-growing regions, known for both its red and white wine varieties. The most important economic activity in the valley is coal mining (through businesses such as Rio Tinto & BHP Billiton), mostly for export. Other major industries include power generation at the Eraring, Bayswater, Liddell, Munmorah, Redbank and Vales Point coal fired power stations, dairy farming and beef cattle farming. The Hunter Valley is Australia's main region for the breeding and rearing of Thoroughbred horses.^[4] The port at Newcastle is the world's largest export facility for coal, most of which is brought to the port via railway.

[edit] Tourism

The Hunter Valley is a major tourist destination in New South Wales and is the 6th most visited place in Australia attracting more than 2.5 million people annually. The Pokolbin area has a large number of vineyards, restaurants, shops, golf courses and country guesthouses. Other parts of the valley including the Wollombi Valley and Broke Fordwich Wine Region are also well known for wine. The Upper Hunter area around Scone is one of the largest horse breeding areas in the world.

There are regular events held in the Hunter for visitors, including the Hunter Valley Steam Trains running the first three Sundays of each month and regular scenic cruises on the Hunter River and Lake Macquarie.

[edit] Towns and cities

Newcastle, situated at the mouth of the Hunter River, is the largest city in the region. Its immediate metropolitan area includes Lake Macquarie, though its statistical division also includes the Maitland, Cessnock and Port Stephens areas. Other major centres of the Hunter Region are Dungog, Forster/Tuncurry, Gloucester, Kurri Kurri, Muswellbrook, Scone and Singleton.

[edit] Growth

The Hunter Region is growing both economically and culturally. New residential areas are being developed throughout the region to accommodate people attracted to the area by employment opportunities, the family-friendly environment and affordable housing prices. The state government is working with local government to plan for further growth which is expected to continue for several decades.

[edit] See also

• Australian wine
• Hunter Valley wine country
• New South Wales wine
• Hunter Valley cannabis infestation
• Hunter Valley Coal Chain

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• Hunter Region at the New South Wales Department of Local Government - Local Council Boundaries
• Hunter Region Botanical Gardens
• Hunter Economic Development Corporation
• Broke Fordwich Wine Region
• Wollombi Valley

v • d • e Significant places and items of interest in the Hunter Region of New South Wales Commercial Shopping • Charlestown Square • Hunter Street • Stockland Green Hills • Westfield Kotara Other • National Stock Exchange of Australia Defence No. 26 Squadron RAAF • RAAF Base Williamtown Education Primary • Hunter Valley Grammar School • Kahibah Public School • Newcastle Grammar School Secondary • Hunter Valley Grammar School • Irrawang High School • Lambton High School • Maitland Grossmann High School • Maitland High School • Newcastle Grammar School • Newcastle High School • Tomaree High School Tertiary • Avondale College • University of Newcastle Electricity Generation Bayswater power station • Eraring power station • Lake Liddell • Liddell power station • Redbank power station • Vales Point power station Entertainment, Sport & Culture Broadmeadow Basketball Stadium • Newcastle Civic Theatre • Newcastle Entertainment Centre • Newcastle International Sports Centre • Newcastle Number 1 Sports Ground • Newcastle Regional Show Geography Broughton Island • Burning Mountain • Cape Hawke • Glenrock Lagoon • Lake Macquarie • Myall Lakes • Mount Royal Range • Mount Sugarloaf • Port Stephens • Stockton Beach • Tops to Myall Heritage Trail Historical Air transport • Broadmeadow Aerodrome Defence • No. 2 Fighter Sector RAAF • Fort Scratchley General • History of Newcastle, New South Wales • Hunter Valley cannabis infestation • Lake Macquarie Petrified Forest • Maitland Gaol • Nobbys Head • Royal Newcastle Hospital • Tahlee historic property Industry • Cockle Creek Smelter • South Maitland coalfields • South Waratah Colliery • State Dockyard • Walka Water Works • Wangi Power Station Maritime • Bluebell Collision • Cawarra shipwreck • Maianbar shipwreck • Sygna shipwreck Natural disasters • 1989 Newcastle earthquake • June 2007 Hunter Region and Central Coast storms • Seaham bushfires (1939) People • Henry Dangar Rail • Allandale railway station • Antiene railway station • Belford railway station • Belmont railway line • Blackalls Park railway station • Dingadee railway station • Farley railway station • Fernleigh Track • Grasstree railway station • Hunter Valley Steamfest • Minimbah railway station • Murulla rail accident • Nundah railway station • Ravensworth railway station • Richmond Vale Railway • South Maitland Railway • Toronto railway line • Toronto railway station • Trams in Newcastle • Whittingham railway station Wine making • Lindemans (wine) World War II • HMAS Assault • Belmont Anti-Tank Ditch • Newcastle Covering Force • RAAF Base Rathmines • Shelling of Newcastle Hospitals John Hunter Hospital Industry Darley Stud • Hunter Valley Coal Chain • Kia-Ora stud • Kooragang Island • Newcastle Port Corporation • Tomago aluminium smelter Media Maitland Mercury • NBN Television • Newcastle Herald National Parks Barrington Tops National Park • Booti Booti National Park • Ghin-Doo-Ee National Park • Mount Royal National Park • Myall Lakes National Park • Tomaree National Park • Towarri National Park • Wallingat National Park • Watagans National Park Other Cessnock Correctional Centre Religion Christ Church Cathedral Rivers Avon River • Barrington River • Hunter River • Karuah River • Manning River • Myall River • Paterson River • Williams River Transport Road • Bus routes in Newcastle, New South Wales • Bucketts Way • Golden Highway • Hunter Expressway • New England Highway • Newcastle Inner City Bypass • Pacific Highway • Putty Road • Sydney-Newcastle Freeway • Tea Gardens-Hawks Nest Bridge • Thunderbolts Way Rail • Aberdeen railway station • Adamstown railway station • Awaba railway station • Beresfield railway station • Booragul railway station • Branxton railway station • Broadmeadow railway station • Cardiff railway station • Civic railway station • Cockle Creek railway station • Dora Creek railway station • Dungog railway station • East Maitland railway station • Fassifern railway station • Glendale railway station • Greta railway station • Hamilton railway station • Hexham railway station • High Street railway station • Hilldale railway station • Hunter railway line • Kotara railway station • Lochinvar railway station • Main North railway line • Maitland railway station • Martins Creek railway station • Metford railway station • Mindaribba railway station • Morisset railway station • Muswellbrook railway station • Newcastle and Central Coast railway line • Newcastle railway station • Paterson railway station • Sandgate railway station • Scone railway station • Singleton railway station • Tarro railway station • Telarah railway station • Teralba railway station • Thornton railway station • Victoria Street railway station • Wallarobba railway station • Warabrook railway station • Waratah railway station • Wickham railway station • Wirragulla railway station • Wyee railway station Air • Cessnock Airport • Newcastle Airport • Scone Airport Water supply Chichester Dam • Glenbawn Dam • Lostock Dam • Tillegra Dam Wine making Hunter Valley wine country