| Singleton New South Wales |
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Singleton
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| Population: | 13,665[1] | ||||||
| Postcode: | 2330 | ||||||
| Elevation: | 40 m (131 ft) | ||||||
| Location: |
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| LGA: | Singleton Shire Council | ||||||
| State District: | Upper Hunter | ||||||
| Federal Division: | Hunter | ||||||
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Singleton is a town on the banks of the Hunter River in New South Wales, Australia. Singleton is 197 kilometres (122 mi) northwest of Sydney, and 80 kilometres (50 mi) northwest of Newcastle.[2] At the 2006 census, Singleton had a population of 13,665 with 21,937 including the surrounding rural district.[1]
Singleton's main urban area includes the town centre, Singleton Heights, Dunolly, Darlington, The Retreat and Hunterview. Surrounding rural villages include Broke, Camberwell, Jerrys Plains and Belford.
Singleton is located on the north-eastern part of the geological structure known as the Sydney basin, which borders the New England region.[3] The town is located at the junction of the New England Highway and Putty Road. The Golden Highway bypasses the town to the south. Singleton is also served by Cityrail and Countrylink rail services. Singleton Railway Station is located at the southern end of the town centre. There are also bus services, both intercity and local.
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Singleton was established in the 1820s by Benjamin Singleton. In its early years, it was also called Patricks' Plains.[4] The Main North Railway line reached Singleton in 1863 and was the end of the line until 1869. The town retains many historic buildings, including the original court house built in 1841, various large churches and many traditional Australian pubs. The countryside surrounding Singleton contains an unusual number of fine old mansions, reflecting the aristocratic nature of land grants when the area was settled. They include 'Neotsfield' (1828), the elaborate 'Baroona' (1829), 'Abbey Green' (1865) and stunning 'Minimbah' (1877).
Singleton was subject to the major flooding of the Hunter River in 1955, causing extensive damage to the town. When the area was being settled, the government originally attempted to create a town at Whittingham in a flood-free area, but the town grew by the river nonetheless. An embankment was constructed following the 1955 floods to help protect the town against any future flooding.
In 1999, the town's army barracks became a temporary home to a large number of Kosovar refugees.
Singleton has a humid subtropical climate with hot humid summers and cool drier winters.
| Climate data for Singleton | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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) |
| Average high °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) |
| Average low °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 (52.0) |
| 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 (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) |
| Precipitation mm (inches) | 70.2 (2.764) |
107.6 (4.236) |
75.1 (2.957) |
38.3 (1.508) |
37.8 (1.488) |
31.7 (1.248) |
41.7 (1.642) |
27.6 (1.087) |
44.1 (1.736) |
32.8 (1.291) |
59.2 (2.331) |
86.6 (3.409) |
649.4 (25.567) |
| Avg. precipitation days | 10.1 | 10.1 | 9.1 | 7.1 | 8.1 | 8.4 | 7.1 | 6.8 | 8.3 | 6.6 | 10.5 | 9.9 | 102.1 |
| Source: [5] | |||||||||||||
Major industries near Singleton include coal mining, energy generation, light industry, vineyards, horse breeding and cattle production. Dairying was once a mainstay in the area, but has declined.
The Lone Pine army barracks is located 8 kilometres (5.0 mi) south of Singleton.
Being the largest town in the Upper Hunter, Singleton is an important commercial centre. The town centre boasts three small shopping centres, a cinema complex, homemaker centre as well as a traditional 'main street'. Major stores include Woolworths, Big W, Franklins, IGA and most conventional high street stores. People also will often travel to nearby Maitland and Newcastle for large regional shopping centres.
Singleton residents have a higher than average median income due to the nearby coal mines. At the 2006 census, the median individual income was $62,036.[1]
Singleton Shire contains a number of buildings and other sites that are on the Register of the National Estate[6]
Singleton is home to a number of educational facilities. These include Public and Denominational schools at both Primary and Secondary levels, as well as a TAFE Campus and a number of pre-schools.
Hunter Institute of TAFE maintains a Campus in Singleton. It provides training and further education as well as collaborating with secondary schools for students completing Senior years.
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