Singleton, New South Wales facts for kids
Quick facts for kids SingletonNew South Wales |
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St Patrick's Church
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 Singleton
Location in New South Wales
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| Population | 16,346 (2018) | ||||||||
| Postcode(s) | 2330 | ||||||||
| Elevation | 40 m (131 ft) | ||||||||
| Location |
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| LGA(s) | Singleton Shire Council | ||||||||
| County | Northumberland | ||||||||
| State electorate(s) | Upper Hunter | ||||||||
| Federal Division(s) | Hunter | ||||||||
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Singleton is a town in New South Wales, Australia. It sits on the banks of the Hunter River. Singleton is about 202 kilometers (126 miles) north-west of Sydney. It is also 70 kilometers (43 miles) north-west of Newcastle. In June 2018, about 16,346 people lived in Singleton.
The main parts of Singleton include the town center, Singleton Heights, and Hunterview. There are also smaller villages nearby. These include Broke, Camberwell, and Jerrys Plains. Singleton is in the north-eastern part of the Sydney basin. This area borders the New England region.
Contents
History of Singleton
The original owners of the land around Singleton are the Wonnarua / Wanaruah people. They have lived in the Upper Hunter Valley for over 30,000 years.
Singleton was started in the 1820s. In its early days, it was also called Patrick's Plains. The Main Northern railway line reached Singleton in 1863. This made it easier for people and goods to travel. The town has many old buildings. These include the first courthouse from 1841. There are also large churches and traditional Australian pubs. The countryside has many old mansions. These show how land was given out when the area was first settled. Some famous ones are 'Neotsfield' (1828) and 'Baroona' (1829).
A Telegraph Office opened in Singleton in 1861. This was part of building the first telegraph line to Queensland. In 1942, the town got its first female Telegram Messenger, Miss Daphne Lambkins. She was one of the first in Australia.
Singleton had a big flood from the Hunter River in 1955. This caused a lot of damage. Even though the government tried to build the town in a flood-free area, it grew by the river. After the 1955 flood, a large wall was built. This helps protect the town from future floods.
Historic Homes and Estates
Singleton has several historic homes that show its past.
Baroona Estate
Baroona was built in 1829. It was part of a large property. John Larnach built the house on land owned by his father-in-law, James Mudie. They worked together to create a big farm. They produced wool, meat, and wheat. They used the help of convicts to build and work the farm. In 1893, Baroona got new parts added. These included a spiral staircase and a viewing terrace.
The 1833 Convict Revolt
In November 1833, some convicts at Baroona decided to revolt. They were unhappy with how they were treated. They stole clothes, guns, food, and horses. They held Emily Larnach and some servants hostage. They tried to harm John Larnach, but he escaped. Five of the six men involved were sentenced to death.
Pelerin House
Pelerin was built in the 1830s. It is a two-story stone building. In 1899, a big storm damaged the home. It was rebuilt for D. H. Dight, who kept its original name. The house has 27 rooms. It features cedar wood and high ceilings.
Ardersier House and Garden
This house was built in 1871 by Alexander Munro. He was Singleton's first mayor. He named it Ardersier after his birthplace in Scotland. The property is 1.26 hectares (about 3 acres). In 1981, it was listed by the National Trust of Australia.
Hambledon Hill Estate
Hambledon Hill was finished in 1865. The land was given to the Nowland brothers in 1824. It is a 50-acre property. It has a two-story brick home with a slate roof. It also has a large stone verandah.
Population of Singleton
The 2021 census showed that 17,018 people lived in Singleton's urban area.
- About 8.7% of the people were Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander.
- Most people (85.4%) were born in Australia. Other common birthplaces included New Zealand and England.
- Most people (90.3%) spoke only English at home.
- The most common religions were No Religion, Anglican, and Catholic.
| Historical population | ||
|---|---|---|
| Year | Pop. | ±% |
| 1921 | 3,270 | — |
| 1933 | 3,668 | +12.2% |
| 1947 | 3,940 | +7.4% |
| 1954 | 4,506 | +14.4% |
| 1961 | 4,519 | +0.3% |
| 1966 | 6,188 | +36.9% |
| 1971 | 7,187 | +16.1% |
| 1976 | 7,917 | +10.2% |
| 1981 | 9,572 | +20.9% |
| 1986 | 10,990 | +14.8% |
| 1991 | 11,861 | +7.9% |
| 1996 | 12,519 | +5.5% |
| 2001 | 12,495 | −0.2% |
| 2006 | 13,665 | +9.4% |
| 2011 | 13,961 | +2.2% |
| 2016 | 13,214 | −5.4% |
| 2021 | 14,229 | +7.7% |
| Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics data. | ||
Climate in Singleton
Singleton has a humid subtropical climate. This means it has hot summers and mild winters. It gets about 652.7 millimeters (25.71 inches) of rain each year. More rain falls during the summer. The highest temperature ever recorded was 43.6 °C (110.5 °F) in January 2001. The lowest was –4.2 °C (24.4 °F) in August 1994.
| Climate data for Singleton Water Board, New South Wales (1991–2002 normals and extremes); 40 m AMSL | |||||||||||||
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| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 43.6 (110.5) |
40.0 (104.0) |
41.0 (105.8) |
34.7 (94.5) |
28.2 (82.8) |
25.4 (77.7) |
26.0 (78.8) |
30.4 (86.7) |
33.0 (91.4) |
39.0 (102.2) |
43.0 (109.4) |
41.4 (106.5) |
43.6 (110.5) |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 30.6 (87.1) |
29.6 (85.3) |
27.7 (81.9) |
25.4 (77.7) |
21.1 (70.0) |
18.3 (64.9) |
18.0 (64.4) |
20.1 (68.2) |
23.1 (73.6) |
26.0 (78.8) |
27.6 (81.7) |
29.7 (85.5) |
24.8 (76.6) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 24.0 (75.2) |
23.4 (74.1) |
21.5 (70.7) |
18.3 (64.9) |
14.9 (58.8) |
12.0 (53.6) |
11.4 (52.5) |
12.6 (54.7) |
15.6 (60.1) |
18.4 (65.1) |
20.6 (69.1) |
22.8 (73.0) |
18.0 (64.3) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 17.3 (63.1) |
17.2 (63.0) |
15.2 (59.4) |
11.1 (52.0) |
8.6 (47.5) |
5.6 (42.1) |
4.8 (40.6) |
5.0 (41.0) |
8.0 (46.4) |
10.7 (51.3) |
13.5 (56.3) |
15.9 (60.6) |
11.1 (51.9) |
| Record low °C (°F) | 9.6 (49.3) |
9.6 (49.3) |
7.5 (45.5) |
2.5 (36.5) |
0.4 (32.7) |
−2.0 (28.4) |
−3.9 (25.0) |
−4.2 (24.4) |
0.4 (32.7) |
2.5 (36.5) |
5.0 (41.0) |
8.1 (46.6) |
−4.2 (24.4) |
| Average precipitation mm (inches) | 70.2 (2.76) |
107.6 (4.24) |
75.1 (2.96) |
38.3 (1.51) |
37.8 (1.49) |
31.7 (1.25) |
41.7 (1.64) |
27.6 (1.09) |
44.1 (1.74) |
32.8 (1.29) |
59.2 (2.33) |
86.6 (3.41) |
649.4 (25.57) |
| Average precipitation days (≥ 1.0 mm) | 7.4 | 7.5 | 7.3 | 3.9 | 5.6 | 4.6 | 4.7 | 4.2 | 5.8 | 5.0 | 7.6 | 6.8 | 70.4 |
| Average afternoon relative humidity (%) | 49 | 52 | 54 | 51 | 60 | 57 | 54 | 44 | 43 | 43 | 46 | 47 | 50 |
| Average dew point °C (°F) | 15.6 (60.1) |
16.5 (61.7) |
15.2 (59.4) |
12.3 (54.1) |
10.9 (51.6) |
8.0 (46.4) |
6.5 (43.7) |
5.3 (41.5) |
7.4 (45.3) |
9.6 (49.3) |
11.6 (52.9) |
14.1 (57.4) |
11.1 (52.0) |
| Source: Australian Bureau of Meteorology (temperature, precipitation, humidity- 1991–2002 extremes) | |||||||||||||
Getting Around Singleton
Singleton is where the New England Highway and Putty Road meet. The Golden Highway also starts nearby. A new bypass for the New England Highway began construction in July 2024.
You can travel to Singleton by train. NSW TrainLink offers local and long-distance services. Singleton railway station is at the south end of town. There are also local bus services by CDC NSW.
Singleton's Economy
The main jobs in Singleton are in coal mining and electricity generation. Other industries include light manufacturing, vineyards, and raising horses and cattle. Dairying used to be very important, but it has become less common.
Coal mining is the biggest employer. It provides jobs for 24% of the town's workers. The defense industry is the second largest. It employs almost 4% of the workforce. The Lone Pine Barracks is a military base located 8 kilometers (5 miles) south of Singleton.
Media and News
Singleton has its own local news and media.
Print Media
The Singleton Argus is a newspaper that comes out twice a week. It started in 1874. The Hunter Valley News is another weekly newspaper for the area. Both are owned by Australian Community Media. The Newcastle Herald is a daily newspaper also published by them. The Hunter River Times started in 2020. It provides news for the Singleton area.
Radio and Television
You can listen to radio stations from Newcastle and the Hunter Valley in Singleton. Singleton is part of the Newcastle–Hunter Region TV market. It gets five TV networks. These include three commercial and two national channels.
Fun Things to Do in Singleton
- Sundial: Singleton has one of the world's largest sundials. A local coal mine gave it to the town in 1988.
- Wineries: The town is close to the famous Pokolbin wine region. There are also many wineries around Broke.
- Boating: Lake St Clair is a man-made lake north of town. It has places for boating and camping.
- National Parks: Wollemi and Yengo National Parks are south of Singleton. Barrington Tops National Park is to the north.
- Museums: Singleton has three main museums. These are the Singleton Historic Society Museum, the Royal Australian Infantry Corps Museum, and the Mercy Convent Museum.
Heritage Sites
Singleton has several places listed for their historical importance:
- 25 Dangar Road: Singleton District Hospital
- 25–27 George Street: Singleton Post Office
- 88 George Street: Ewbank
- Main Northern railway: Singleton railway station
- Queen Street: St Patrick's Roman Catholic Church Cemetery
Education in Singleton
Singleton has many schools. These include public schools run by the NSW Department of Education. There are also two private schools. You can find primary and secondary schools. Singleton also has a TAFE campus for further education.
Schools run by the NSW Department of Education include:
- Broke Public School
- Jerrys Plains Public School
- King Street Public School
- Milbrodale Public School
- Kirkton Public School
- Mount Pleasant Public School
- Singleton Heights Public School
- Singleton Public School
- Singleton High School
St Catherine's Catholic College teaches students from kindergarten to year 12. Australian Christian College also teaches from pre-kindergarten to year 12. The Hunter Institute of TAFE campus in Singleton offers training and further education. It also works with high schools for older students.
Famous People from Singleton
Many notable people have connections to Singleton:
- Joseph Burnett – Born in Singleton in 1899. He was the Captain of the HMAS Sydney, which was lost in 1941.
- Dale Frank – An artist who was born and lives in Singleton.
- Kerrod Holland – A rugby league player.
- Joy McKean – An Australian country music star, born in Singleton in 1930.
- Cherie Nowlan – A TV and film producer, born in Singleton.
- Toby Price – The 2016 Dakar Rally champion, who lives in Singleton.
- Wendy Richardson OAM – A playwright, born in Singleton in 1933.
- Sean Rudder – A rugby league player.
- Josh Valentine – A rugby union player.
- Sir Charles Wade – A former premier of New South Wales, born in Singleton.
- Jimmy Crute – A professional mixed martial artist in the UFC, born in Singleton.
Sister City
Singleton has a sister city relationship with Takahata, Yamagata, Japan.
Images for kids
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Singleton High School
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All Saints' Anglican Church
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All Saints' Church Rectory
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St Patrick's Catholic Church, Queen Street
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Convent of the Sisters of Mercy
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St Catherine's College
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Aboriginal painting, Baiame Cave, Milbrodale
