Beresfield, New South Wales facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Beresfield Newcastle, New South Wales
Beresfield Location in the Hunter-Central Coast Region
Population	3,181 (2016 census)
Postcode(s)	2322
Location	22 km (14 mi) NNW of Newcastle 12 km (7 mi) SE of Maitland
LGA(s)	City of Newcastle City of Maitland
Parish	Alnwick
State electorate(s)	Wallsend
Federal Division(s)	Paterson
Suburbs around Beresfield: Thornton Woodberry Woodberry Thornton Beresfield Tarro Buttai Black Hill Black Hill

Beresfield is a suburb located in the northwest of Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia. It's about 22 kilometers (13.7 miles) from Newcastle's main city area. This suburb is part of the City of Newcastle local government area.

Who Lives in Beresfield?

In 2016, a survey showed that 3,181 people lived in Beresfield. About 5.6% of these people were Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Most people, 86%, were born in Australia. Also, 89.4% of people spoke only English at home. When it came to religion, the most common answers were No Religion (25.5%), Anglican (25.2%), and Catholic (24.9%).

Where is Beresfield Located?

Beresfield is built on a low ridge. This ridge rises out of the flat lands and wetlands of the Hunter River. Other nearby suburbs like Tarro, Woodberry, and Thornton are also on similar ridges.

Beresfield is split in two by a road called Anderson Drive. This road used to be known as Maitland Road. The northern part of Beresfield has the main shopping center and the train station. South of Anderson Drive, you'll find the bowling club, swimming pool, sports oval, and a golf course. The Newcastle Memorial Park cemetery and crematorium are also in this southern area.

A Look at Beresfield's Past

Beresfield has been an important place for industry for a long time. This is because it has a good source of coal mining. Over the years, this suburban community has grown a lot from being a more rural area.

The Beresfield railway station first opened its doors on July 31, 1925. This was a big step for transport in the area.

Beresfield gained a lot of attention on October 23, 1997. On that day, a coal train went through a red signal. This caused a huge accident where another coal train derailed. Three large diesel locomotives were badly damaged in the crash.

Getting Around Beresfield

Beresfield has its own train station, which started operating in 1925. This station is part of the NSW TrainLink's Hunter line. The suburb is also crossed by the New England Highway, a major road.

What Can You Do in Beresfield?

Beresfield has many facilities for its residents.

Schools and Learning

The first public school in Beresfield was Upper Hexham Public School. Today, it is located on the grounds of Beresfield Public School. For older students, the closest public high school is Francis Greenway High School.

Shopping and Services

There is a small shopping center in Beresfield. Here you can find a post office and banks. There's also a Food for Less (Woolworths) supermarket and a newsagent. You can also find physiotherapists, doctors' offices, and petrol stations. There are also places to get take-away food and other shops. The suburb also has a branch of the Newcastle Region Library.

Sports and Recreation

Beresfield offers many ways to stay active. It has a swimming pool and a bowling club. There's also a golf course, which was ranked as one of the best in Australia in 2020 and 2022. You can also find a cricket oval, and fields for rugby and soccer.

Churches and Community Groups

The Anglican church of St Pauls held its first service in 1949. The first wooden St Pauls church and its hall were built in 1955. A new brick church was built in 1980 after a fire.

In the 1970s, a new Roman Catholic church, Our Lady of Lourdes, was built in Beresfield. The original church for the area was in Tarro.

Many clubs and groups are active in Beresfield. These include local Scouting and Girl Guides groups. There are also Lions and Rotary Clubs. The Beresfield Thornton Girl Guide District is very active. They help the community by taking part in Clean Up Australia Day. They also raise money for charities and collect items for people who need help.

Beresfield is also home to the Newcastle Memorial Park cemetery and crematorium.

Sports Teams in Beresfield

Beresfield has many different sports clubs. These include the Thornton-Beresfield Bears Rugby League Club. There's also the Beresfield Memorial Cricket Club, and Beresfield Football & Senior Soccer Clubs. Other clubs are Beresfield Touch Football, Beresfield Netball Club, and Beresfield Golf Club.

Local Industries

For a long time, many fathers in Beresfield worked in the mining industry in Newcastle. The Kent Colliery, a coal mine, was located in Beresfield. In the 1940s, people looked into complaints about the ground sinking because of the mining.

A big employer in the area has been the Baiada/Steggles poultry processing plant.

Images for kids

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  First public school in Beresfield, 1881

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  Beresfield Post Office