Cessnock, New South Wales facts for kids
Quick facts for kids CessnockNew South Wales |
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Vincent Street, the main street of Cessnock
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 Cessnock
Location in New South Wales
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| Postcode(s) | 2325 | ||||||||
| Elevation | 80 m (262 ft) | ||||||||
| Time zone | AEST (UTC+10) | ||||||||
| • Summer (DST) | AEDT (UTC+11) | ||||||||
| Location | |||||||||
| LGA(s) | City of Cessnock | ||||||||
| Region | Hunter | ||||||||
| County | Northumberland | ||||||||
| Parish | Cessnock | ||||||||
| State electorate(s) |
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| Federal Division(s) | Hunter | ||||||||
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Cessnock is a city in the Hunter Valley of New South Wales, Australia. It is about 52 kilometres (32 miles) west of Newcastle by road. Cessnock is the main town for the City of Cessnock local government area.
The city was named after a piece of land called Cessnock Estate in 1826. This land was owned by John Campbell. The area used to be known as "The Coalfields" because of its mining history. Today, Cessnock is known as the main entry point to the famous vineyards of the Hunter Valley. These vineyards include places like Pokolbin, Mount View, and Lovedale.
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History of Cessnock
The Wonnarua people are the original traditional owners of the land where Cessnock is located. They have lived there for thousands of years. When Europeans arrived, many Wonnarua people were sadly killed or became sick from new diseases. Others were forced to leave their lands.
Cessnock has many place names that come from Indigenous languages. Some examples are Congewai, Kurri Kurri, Laguna, Nulkaba, and Wollombi.
European settlers started moving into the area in the 1820s. This was between Australia's first settlements like Sydney and Newcastle. A Scottish settler named John Campbell gave Cessnock its name. He named it after his grandfather's Cessnock Castle in Scotland. He hoped the area would become as grand as the castle.
The town of Cessnock began to grow from 1850. It became a service centre where important roads met. These roads connected Sydney to the Hunter Valley, with branches going to Maitland and Singleton.
A big change happened between 1903 and 1923 when the South Maitland coalfields were developed. This led to many people settling in the area. The way the city is built, its roads, and its industrial areas were all shaped during this time. The discovery of the Greta coal seam around 1888 by Professor Edgeworth David really kick-started the coal mining industry. This brought major social and economic changes to the region.
People of Cessnock
The latest count in 2021 showed there were 63,632 people living in the Cessnock local government area.
- About 10.2% of the people were Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. These are the first peoples of Australia.
- Most people, 87.9%, were born in Australia.
- The next most common countries of birth were England (1.9%), New Zealand (1.0%), and the Philippines (0.5%).
- About 90.1% of people spoke only English at home.
- For religion, the most common answers were No Religion (41.1%), Anglican (19.2%), and Catholic (17.7%).
Cessnock's Economy
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Over time, coal mining in the South Maitland Coalfields became less important. At the same time, the wine industry grew a lot. It also became easier for people to travel to other places for work.
The Hunter Valley wine region near Cessnock is Australia's oldest wine area. It is also one of the most famous. There are about 1,800 hectares (4,400 acres) of vineyards. The vineyards in Pokolbin, Mount View, and Allandale have rich volcanic soil. People who own these vineyards are very creative. They have also helped a busy and growing tourism industry.
When the F3 Freeway was extended and finished in the 1990s, it made it easier to get to Cessnock. This led to a boom in property and tourism.
Cessnock has started to offer other fun activities for tourists beyond wine. These include championship golf courses, hot air balloon rides, and sky-diving. There are also many guest houses for visitors to stay in.
The city council has been working to improve the city centre since 2001. They were also one of the first councils in the state to start a recycling program for waste.
Most jobs for people in Cessnock come from the nearby port city of Newcastle. Many also work in the major towns of Maitland and Singleton. Others work in service industries within the local council area. This area includes many smaller towns like Kurri Kurri, Weston, and Pokolbin.
Geography of Cessnock
Cessnock is located in the Hunter Valley, which has very rich soil. This soil is good for farming and was formed by rivers and volcanoes. There are also rich coal seams deep underground in much of the area.
The Brokenback Range, which is part of the Great Dividing Range, is to the west of the city. The Hunter River flows about 20 kilometres (12 miles) north of Cessnock. Cessnock is also part of the Hunter Valley Important Bird Area. This means it is a special place for birds.
Cessnock's Climate
Cessnock has a humid subtropical climate. This means it has hot summers and cool winters. It is similar to places like Penrith near Sydney. Summers can sometimes be dry because Cessnock is inland. However, humid days are also common. Winters are usually dry with cold nights, and it can sometimes be frosty.
| Climate data for Cessnock Airport (32º47'S, 151º20'E, 67 m AMSL) (1994–2020 normals, extremes 1968-2024) | |||||||||||||
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| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 45.1 (113.2) |
46.8 (116.2) |
39.3 (102.7) |
35.2 (95.4) |
29.2 (84.6) |
25.6 (78.1) |
25.3 (77.5) |
30.0 (86.0) |
35.7 (96.3) |
38.6 (101.5) |
44.5 (112.1) |
43.6 (110.5) |
46.8 (116.2) |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 30.6 (87.1) |
29.6 (85.3) |
27.4 (81.3) |
24.3 (75.7) |
20.9 (69.6) |
17.9 (64.2) |
17.6 (63.7) |
19.5 (67.1) |
22.8 (73.0) |
25.4 (77.7) |
27.3 (81.1) |
29.1 (84.4) |
24.4 (75.9) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 24.0 (75.2) |
23.4 (74.1) |
21.2 (70.2) |
17.6 (63.7) |
14.2 (57.6) |
11.9 (53.4) |
10.9 (51.6) |
12.0 (53.6) |
15.1 (59.2) |
17.7 (63.9) |
20.3 (68.5) |
22.3 (72.1) |
17.6 (63.6) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 17.3 (63.1) |
17.1 (62.8) |
15.0 (59.0) |
10.8 (51.4) |
7.5 (45.5) |
5.9 (42.6) |
4.2 (39.6) |
4.4 (39.9) |
7.3 (45.1) |
10.0 (50.0) |
13.3 (55.9) |
15.4 (59.7) |
10.7 (51.2) |
| Record low °C (°F) | 7.6 (45.7) |
8.0 (46.4) |
5.0 (41.0) |
−1.2 (29.8) |
−3.5 (25.7) |
−4.3 (24.3) |
−6.5 (20.3) |
−6.7 (19.9) |
−2.8 (27.0) |
0.9 (33.6) |
2.8 (37.0) |
3.2 (37.8) |
−6.7 (19.9) |
| Average precipitation mm (inches) | 71.1 (2.80) |
99.0 (3.90) |
76.8 (3.02) |
56.1 (2.21) |
40.0 (1.57) |
61.2 (2.41) |
32.4 (1.28) |
31.4 (1.24) |
43.7 (1.72) |
53.1 (2.09) |
71.5 (2.81) |
75.1 (2.96) |
709.9 (27.95) |
| Average precipitation days (≥ 1.0 mm) | 6.5 | 7.7 | 7.4 | 5.8 | 4.9 | 6.0 | 4.3 | 3.8 | 5.4 | 6.0 | 7.2 | 7.3 | 72.3 |
| Average relative humidity (%) | 46 | 53 | 53 | 52 | 53 | 55 | 50 | 41 | 42 | 44 | 47 | 46 | 49 |
| Average dew point °C (°F) | 14.6 (58.3) |
16.3 (61.3) |
14.7 (58.5) |
11.6 (52.9) |
8.9 (48.0) |
7.2 (45.0) |
5.3 (41.5) |
4.1 (39.4) |
6.4 (43.5) |
8.6 (47.5) |
11.6 (52.9) |
13.3 (55.9) |
10.2 (50.4) |
| Source: Australian Bureau of Meteorology (1991-2020 normals, extremes 1968-2024) | |||||||||||||
| Historical population | ||
|---|---|---|
| Year | Pop. | ±% |
| 1933 | 14,385 | — |
| 1947 | 13,029 | −9.4% |
| 1954 | 14,417 | +10.7% |
| 1961 | 13,833 | −4.1% |
| 1966 | 15,332 | +10.8% |
| 1971 | 16,160 | +5.4% |
| 1976 | 16,256 | +0.6% |
| 1981 | 16,916 | +4.1% |
| 1986 | 17,506 | +3.5% |
| 1991 | 17,932 | +2.4% |
| 1996 | 17,540 | −2.2% |
| 2001 | 17,791 | +1.4% |
| 2006 | 18,316 | +3.0% |
| 2011 | 20,013 | +9.3% |
| 2016 | 21,725 | +8.6% |
| 2021 | 23,211 | +6.8% |
| Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics data. | ||
Education in Cessnock
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Media and Entertainment
Cessnock has several local newspapers, radio stations, and television channels.
Print Media
- The Cessnock Advertiser: This newspaper is published every Wednesday.
- Maitland Mercury
- Newcastle Herald
Radio Stations
Radio stations you can listen to include:
AM stations
- 2HD (commercial radio)
- ABC Newcastle (public radio)
- 2HRN (commercial radio)
- Sky Sports Radio (sports news)
FM stations
- KOFM 102.9 FM (commercial)
- Hit106.9 Newcastle 106.9 FM (commercial)
- New FM 105.3 FM (commercial)
- 2NUR 103.7 FM (community radio)
- 2CHR (Central Hunter Radio) 96.5 FM – (community radio)
- Rhema FM Newcastle 99.7FM (Christian radio)
Digital Media
In 2020, Cessnock was in the news for a video game called Cessnock.Life. This game is a fictional simulation game based in the city.
Performance Arts Culture Cessnock (PACC)
The PACC is a theatre owned by the local government. It hosts concerts, plays, and community events. It first opened in 2008 as the Cessnock Performing Arts Centre. It often features comedians, tribute bands, and musicals. It also holds other events like drama lessons.
Sport in Cessnock
The city has many places for sports. Cessnock teams compete in several regional sports. The Cessnock Goannas play in the Newcastle-based rugby league competition.
Some very successful sports players grew up in this area. These include Australian Rugby League players and brothers Andrew and Matthew Johns. Famous golfer and TV commentator Jack Newton is also from Cessnock. His yearly golf tournament for young players has found many talented golfers. It is held on the local championship golf courses in Pokolbin.
Cessnock was also the training base for the Japan national football team during the 2015 AFC Asian Cup.
Transport in Cessnock
For 100 years, Cessnock was connected by the South Maitland Railway network. This railway was first built for the coal industry. But it also had many passenger trains that ended at Cessnock railway station. There was even a direct train to Sydney called the Cessnock Flyer.
The Sydney–Newcastle Freeway has an exit for Cessnock at Freemans Waterhole. This is one of the main ways to get to Cessnock from Sydney. You pass through The Gap, a path through the Watagan Mountains.
Before the Hunter Expressway opened in 2014, traffic going through the region had to pass through Cessnock. The Hunter Expressway now links the New England Highway at Branxton and the Sydney-Newcastle Freeway.
The local airport is just north of the city, at the start of the Vineyard District. It has a small terminal for public passengers. It is also a base for aviation training schools. These include Avondale College's School of Aviation and Hunter Valley Aviation. The airport does not have regular passenger flights. To fly into the region, people use Newcastle Airport at Williamtown, which is about 53 kilometres (33 miles) away.
Local bus services are run by Rover Coaches. They provide services to Maitland, Newcastle, and Morisset. They also run school bus services.
Famous People from Cessnock
- Douglas N. Daft, a businessman who was the CEO of Coca-Cola
- Joel Edwards, a rugby league player
- Andrew Johns, a rugby league player
- Matthew Johns, a rugby league player
- Gavin King, a journalist and newspaper writer
- Bruce Litchfield, an architect
- Kenneth Neate, an opera singer
- Jack Newton, a professional golfer
- Bill Peden, a rugby league player
- Frank Rickwood, a business leader in the oil industry
- Don Schofield, a Rugby League Player
- Simon Whitlock, a professional darts player
- Rod McCormack, a musician who has won many awards
- Jeff McCormack, a musician who has won many awards
Important Historical Sites
The greater Cessnock area has many buildings and sites listed on the Register of the National Estate. This means they are important to Australia's history and heritage.
Some of these sites include:
- Court House, Branxton
- Police Station and Residence, Branxton
- Former Court House, Greta
- Kurri Kurri Hotel, Lang and Hampden Streets, Kurri Kurri
- Richmond Main Colliery, Mulbring Rd, Pelaw Main
- Laguna House, Laguna
- Post Office, Wollombi
- Endeavour Museum (former Court House), Wollombi
- Public School, Wollombi
- St Michael's Catholic Church, Wollombi
- St John the Evangelist Anglican Church, Wollombi
- Stanford Main No.2 Colliery Pit Head Building, Brick Cottages
- Aboriginal Rock Carvings Site, also known as Baiame Cave, Milbrodale Area
See also
In Spanish: Cessnock (Nueva Gales del Sur) para niños
