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Shortland, New South Wales facts for kids

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This page is about the suburb of Newcastle. For the federal electoral division covering southern Newcastle, see Division of Shortland.
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Shortland
Newcastle, New South Wales
Shortland is located in the Hunter-Central Coast Region
Shortland
Shortland
Location in the Hunter-Central Coast Region
Population 4,537 (2021 census)
 • Density 515.6/km2 (1,335/sq mi)
Postcode(s) 2307
Area 8.8 km2 (3.4 sq mi)
Location
LGA(s) City of Newcastle
Parish Hexham
State electorate(s) Wallsend
Federal Division(s) Newcastle
Suburbs around Shortland:
Hexham Hexham Sandgate
Maryland Shortland Sandgate
Wallsend Birmingham Gardens Callaghan

Shortland is a suburb in Newcastle, Australia. It's about 12 kilometers (7.5 miles) from the center of Newcastle. Shortland is part of the City of Newcastle local government area.

History of Shortland

The Awabakal and Worimi peoples are the traditional owners of the land where Shortland is located. Their history and cultural ties to Newcastle go back thousands of years.

Shortland was named after Lieutenant John Shortland. He was a master's mate on the Sirius, a ship that traveled with the First Fleet to Australia.

Nature and Environment

Hunter Wetlands Centre

The Hunter Wetlands Centre is a special place that opened in 1984. It covers 45 hectares (about 111 acres) of restored wetlands. These wetlands are between Shortland and Hexham Swamp.

The Shortland Wetlands are part of the Ramsar Convention-recognized Hunter Estuary Wetlands. This means they are very important for nature. They provide a home for many different kinds of birds and other wildlife. Visitors can also enjoy fun activities and learn about nature here.

Development and Wetlands

Because of the important wetlands around Shortland, there are limits on how much the area can be developed. This helps protect the natural environment.

Places to Visit and Facilities

Hospitals and Memorials

  • The Hunter Valley Private Hospital is the oldest private hospital in the Hunter area. It started in 1965.
  • The Shortland RSL Memorial Grove is a special place on Conmurra Circuit. It honors those who served in the military.

Sports and Parks

Shortland has many places for sports and fun activities. These include:

  • The Hunter Wetlands Centre (also for recreation)
  • Shortland Waters Golf Course
  • Netball courts
  • Sporting ovals

You can also find parks and reserves like Tuxford Park, Alister Street Reserve, Northcote Park, and Coral Sea Avenue Reserve.

Getting Around Shortland

Main Roads

Sandgate Road is the main road for transport in Shortland. This road goes over the Shortland to Sandgate part of the Newcastle Inner City Bypass. This bypass opened in 2014.

Building this section of the bypass was carefully done to protect the environment. It included:

  • A 1.9-kilometer (1.2-mile) dual carriageway (a road with two lanes in each direction).
  • A 60-meter (197-foot) interchange (where roads connect at different levels).
  • A traffic light intersection.
  • Two bridges over Deepbridge Creek.
  • Two bridges over the Main Northern Railway.

The project also added special basins to control water runoff. These basins also create a home for the endangered green and golden bell frog.

Public Transport

Shortland is served by Newcastle Buses, making it easy to get around. The closest train stations are Sandgate railway station and Warabrook railway station. These stations are on NSW TrainLink's Hunter Line.

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