Moving to the Upper Hunter Shire

Overview

The Upper Hunter Shire is located in the Hunter Region, approximately 250km from Sydney. It is a large, rural shire of over 8,000km2 with a relatively small population, so there is a lot of fresh air, nature and open spaces. At the time of the 2016 Census there were 14,112 people in the Shire. The Shire is located immediately north of the coal mining centre of Muswellbrook, an easy drive for workers and businesses. 

There are four main towns and their populations, including their surrounding districts, are Scone with over 5600 people, Aberdeen with over 2000, Merriwa with over 1700, and Murrurundi with over 1000.

Aberdeen, Scone and Murrurundi are located on the New England Highway and are accessible by train on the Northern Rail Line, while Merriwa is on the Golden Highway. The smaller towns and villages are Gundy (200), Cassilis (300), Blandford (180), Bunnan (100), Ellerston (130), Moonan Brook (20), Parkville (300), Rouchel (150), Timor (50) and Wingen (320). 

Across the Shire there are many historic and heritage-listed buildings including beautiful old hotels, and interesting shops, galleries and museums to browse. The Shire is predominantly rural and changes from the rugged ranges in the north bordering Liverpool Plains, to the natural wonders of Lake Glenbawn and the Barrington Tops in the east, the fertile alluvial flats of the Dartbrook area in the south, and the Goulburn River National Park and the wide expanses of golden plains in the west. 

The relatively inexpensive land provides great opportunities for businesses, families or individuals to move to the Shire. There is industrial land available in a range of lot sizes in Scone. Council and privately owned residential land developments provide affordable housing in all the towns.

With approval for the Kyoto Energy Park (a 35 wind turbine and large solar farm) near Scone and the Liverpool Range Windfarm (288 turbines) being considered for approval to the western side of the shire, there are great opportunities for industries related to clean energy production to locate and expand in this thriving region. 

The Upper Hunter Shire’s economic base is centred on equine and agriculture industries including cattle and sheep grazing lands, cereal cropping, and horse studs. The Shire is a major cattle, crop, pig, poultry and sheep producer, and supports a cattle abattoir in Scone which supplies the Australian and overseas markets. Artisan produce enterprises include a vineyard and an olive oil producer around Merriwa and a dairy product enterprise in Scone. 

The area is also the single largest producer of thoroughbred horses in Australia. 

Scone, known as the Horse Capital of Australia, has the largest equine veterinary practice in the southern hemisphere, an equine focused TAFE and Equine Research Centre and is the home of the Australian Stock Horse Association.

Many famous horses have been bred at horse studs the Upper Hunter and a number of successful Australian Polo players come from the Upper Hunter.  Merriwa is known as the birthplace of the pony club.