Branxton, New South Wales facts for kids
Quick facts for kids BranxtonNew South Wales |
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New England Highway at Branxton
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 Branxton
Location in New South Wales
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| Population | 2,255 (2021 census) |
| Postcode(s) | 2335 |
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| Region | Hunter Region |
| State electorate(s) |
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| Federal Division(s) | Hunter |
Branxton is a town in the Hunter Region of New South Wales, Australia. It's about 171 kilometers (106 miles) north of Sydney. You can get there by taking the Pacific Motorway and the New England Highway. Branxton is mostly in the City of Cessnock, but a small part is in Singleton Shire.
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A Look at Branxton's History
Branxton is located on the traditional lands of the Wonnarua people. In 1801, William Paterson (explorer) was the first European to see this area. He traveled up the Hunter River.
After European settlement began, the town was first called Black Creek. But in 1848, its name was changed to Branxton. The person developing the town thought "Black Creek" wouldn't attract buyers.
As more settlers arrived, the town grew. It became an important stop for traders heading north. By 1860, Branxton was a village with 500 people. It had a steam mill, a post office, and four hotels. The main road was also built that year. A Methodist church was built in 1865. St John's Anglican Church followed in 1871. The police station was finished in 1880.
Who Lives in Branxton?
In 2021, the population of Branxton was 2,255 people. Most of them, about 2,025, were born in Australia. Also, 151 people identified as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islanders.
When it comes to religion, the most common answers were Catholic (22.4%) and Anglican (11.9%). The number of people saying they had "No Religion" grew quite a bit. It went from 21.4% in 2016 to 32.8% in 2021.
Back in 2016, Branxton had a population of 1,991 people.
Getting Around Branxton
Branxton is located on the New England Highway. This highway connects Maitland and Singleton. While the highway goes through the town center, most cars now use the Hunter Expressway to bypass it.
You might see a famous road sign near Branxton that says, "two cemeteries no hospital." This sign was put up by the local Lions Club. It's meant to remind drivers to be careful and follow the rules.
Branxton is also on the Main Northern railway line. It has its own railway station. You can catch trains from here on the Hunter line, run by NSW TrainLink.
Local buses also serve Branxton. Hunter Valley Buses operates three routes through the town:
- 179: From Stockland Greenhills to North Rothbury.
- 180: From Stockland Greenhills to Singleton Heights.
- 180X: From Maitland station to Singleton station.
Branxton's Wine Story
The Branxton area is known as one of the places where Australian wine began. It's at the northern end of Wine Country Drive. This makes it the northern entrance to the famous Hunter Valley wine region. This region includes places like Pokolbin and Rothbury.
A winemaker named James Busby is often called the "father" of the Australian wine industry. He planted his first grapevines on his property called "Kirkton." This property was in the Branxton area. Later, he sold 600 vines to George Wyndham. George arrived in 1827 and bought 2000 acres of land. This land was next to the Hunter River.
George Wyndham's original home, Dalwood House, is still preserved today. It's part of the modern Wyndham Estate complex. This estate is about five kilometers east of Branxton. George's son, John, later took over the business. He made it even bigger and more famous. Their wines won awards at shows around the world. This included the Paris International Exhibition in 1867. The Wyndhams even named some of their wines after local Aboriginal words.
Local Facilities and Fun
Branxton is a busy town with many services. It has a supermarket, a medical center, a swimming school, and an art school.
The town also has several different sports clubs. These include:
- Greta-Branxton Colts Rugby League Football Club
- Greta-Branxton Wildcats Soccer Club
- Greta-Branxton United Cricket Club
- Branxton District Netball Club
Branxton also has places for tennis, croquet, golf, and athletics.
There are two primary schools in Branxton: Branxton Public School and Rosary Park Catholic School. The town does not have a high school. Most students go to high schools in nearby towns like Maitland, Singleton, or Cessnock.
Historic Places
Branxton has a few sites that are listed as heritage places. This means they are important to history. These include:
- Main Northern railway: Branxton railway station
- Dalwood Road: Dalwood House
