Hunter Valley

The Hunter River, named after John Hunter, the second colonial Governor of NSW, has its beginnings in the peat moss of Barrington Tops National Park. As it winds its way down from its mountainous source it passes through rich agricultural and grazing land. This is where many first-class racing legends are born, as the area is home to several horse studs.

Coal mining and power generation are important industries in the Hunter and they don't always sit easily with their viticultural neighbours. Underground mining has caused a great deal of subsidence in the area and many locals are not happy about the way that mining is impacting on their lifestyle and livelihoods.

Liddell and Bayswater power stations produce about 40% of the power consumption of NSW. This is sold on the national wholesale market and supplies homes and industries throughout the eastern states of Australia.

The Hunter River, having started as a trickle of water high up in the mountains, transforms into a major waterway after winding its way for hundreds of kilometres through farm and grazing land and finds its way to the ocean at Newcastle.

Newcastle is a major port and was once a steel town. Now it is home to one of the most respected regional universities on the east coast of Australia. Newcastle is a city that is passionate about football and is represented in the National Rugby League by the Newcastle Knights.