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Not to be confused with Muswellbrook Shire.
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Muswellbrook
New South Wales
Muswellbrook Steeple - panoramio.jpg
Hope City Church
Muswellbrook is located in New South Wales
Muswellbrook
Muswellbrook
Location in New South Wales
Population 16,000 (2021)
Established 1833
Postcode(s) 2333
Elevation 220 m (722 ft)
Location
LGA(s) Muswellbrook Shire
State electorate(s) Upper Hunter
Federal Division(s) Hunter

Muswellbrook is a town located in the Upper Hunter Region of New South Wales, Australia. It is about 243 km (151 mi) north of Sydney and 127 km (79 mi) north-west of Newcastle.

Muswellbrook is found in the northern part of the Sydney basin, close to the New England area.

This town is famous for its coal mining and horse breeding. It has also become well-known for its delicious food and wine. In 2021, Muswellbrook had a population of 12,272 people. South of the town, you'll find two large power stations, Liddell and Bayswater. These stations started operating in the 1970s and 1980s and provide jobs for about 500 local people.

Muswellbrook's Past: A Look at History

Before Europeans arrived, the Wonnarua and Gamilaroi peoples lived on this land. The first European to explore the area was John Howe in 1819. The first white settlers came in the 1820s.

The town of Muswellbrook was officially named on 23 October 1833. To the south, a place called "Forbestown" was started in 1842. Its name was changed to "South Muswellbrook" in 1848. This was done to avoid confusion with another town called Forbes.

What's in a Name? The Story of Muswellbrook

The name "Mussel Creek" (now called "Muscle Creek") was first given by surveyors. They found mussels in the small stream while camping there a long time ago. The current spelling of Muswellbrook has two main ideas about where it came from:

  • Some historians believe the name comes from the Muswell Hill area in London, England. This might be because Sir Francis Forbes's wife, Amelia, was born and went to school there.
  • Another idea is that the name slowly changed from the original "Musclebrook." People used the new spelling so often that it became the official one.

Who Lives in Muswellbrook? Population Facts

The 2021 census showed that 12,272 people lived in Muswellbrook.

  • About 13.1% of the people were Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander.
  • Most people (84.7%) were born in Australia.
  • The most common countries of birth for others were New Zealand (1.5%), England (1.0%), and the Philippines (0.9%).
  • Most people (86.9%) spoke only English at home.
  • When asked about religion, 35.6% said they had no religion. Anglican was 23.0%, and Catholic was 20.2%.
Historical population
Year Pop. ±%
1921 2,789 —    
1933 3,984 +42.8%
1947 3,939 −1.1%
1954 5,635 +43.1%
1961 5,717 +1.5%
1966 6,486 +13.5%
1971 8,125 +25.3%
1976 7,805 −3.9%
1981 8,548 +9.5%
1986 9,988 +16.8%
1991 10,140 +1.5%
1996 10,541 +4.0%
2001 10,010 −5.0%
2006 10,222 +2.1%
2011 11,042 +8.0%
2016 10,404 −5.8%
2021 10,901 +4.8%
Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics data.

Getting Around: Transport in Muswellbrook

The New England Highway runs through Muswellbrook. A plan for a bypass road was chosen in 2006, but the project was stopped in 2008. Denman Road connects to the Golden Highway.

Train Travel: Muswellbrook Railway Station

Muswellbrook railway station serves both local trains (from Newcastle to Scone) and longer-distance trains (from Sydney to Armidale and Moree). Buses also stop at the station.

Muswellbrook is where the Main Northern railway line meets the Merriwa line. This makes it an important train junction. It also serves many coal mining areas nearby.

Fun Times: Annual Events in Muswellbrook

Muswellbrook hosts many exciting events throughout the year:

  • Blue Heeler Film Festival
  • Muswellbrook Carnivale
  • Muswellbrook and Upper Hunter Eisteddfod
  • Muswellbrook Creative Arts Fair
  • NAIDOC Week Art Awards
  • Rock'n The Brook
  • The Muswellbrook Show
  • Noisy Heerler Music Festival (October)
  • St Heliers Heavy Horse Field Days

Staying Connected: Media in Muswellbrook

Television Channels

You can watch all the main digital TV channels in Muswellbrook. These include:

  • Seven (and its channels like 7two, 7mate, 7Bravo, 7flix)
  • Nine (and its channels like 9Go!, 9Gem, 9Life)
  • 10 (and its channels like 10 Bold, 10 Peach)
  • ABC (and its channels like ABC TV Plus, ABC Kids, ABC Me, ABC News)
  • SBS (and its channels like SBS Viceland, SBS World Movies, SBS WorldWatch, SBS Food, NITV)

Radio Stations

Muswellbrook has three local radio stations:

  • ABC Upper Hunter on 105.7 FM and 1044 AM
  • Power FM on 98.1 FM
  • 2NM on 981 AM

Other radio stations you can listen to include:

  • Radio National on 1512 FM
  • ABC NewsRadio on 104.9 FM
  • KIX Country on 94.5 FM
  • hit106.9 Newcastle on 106.9 FM

Local Newspaper

The town's local newspaper is The Muswellbrook Chronicle.

Learning Places: Schools in Muswellbrook

Muswellbrook has several schools for different age groups:

  • Muswellbrook South Public School
  • Muswellbrook Public School
  • St James Muswellbrook
  • Muswellbrook High School
  • Muswellbrook Pre School Kindergarten
  • Pacific Brook Christian School
  • Little Kindy Muswellbrook

Muswellbrook's Role in World War II

During World War II, Muswellbrook was home to a special fuel depot for aircraft. This was called RAAF No.5 Inland Aircraft Fuel Depot (IAFD). It was built in 1942 and closed in 1944. These depots stored fuel for the RAAF (Royal Australian Air Force) and the US Army Air Forces.

Famous Faces: Notable People from Muswellbrook

Many talented people have come from Muswellbrook:

  • Kurt Barnes (born 1981), a professional golfer.
  • Brooke Boney (born 1987), an entertainment reporter on the TV show Today.
  • James Clifford (1936–1987), an artist.
  • Tommy Emmanuel AM (born 1955), a very skilled guitarist.
  • Jamie Feeney (born 1978), a rugby league footballer.
  • Wayne Harris (born 1960), a jockey who won the 1994 Melbourne Cup.
  • Shayne Hayne (born 1967), a rugby league football referee.
  • Donald Horne AO (1921–2005), an author and journalist.
  • Simon Orchard (born 1986), an Australian hockey player and Olympic medalist.
  • Brydie Parker (born 1999), a rugby league footballer for the Sydney Roosters NRLW team.
  • Fletcher Baker (born 1999), a rugby league footballer for the Sydney Roosters NRL team.

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