Cessnock - gateway to wine country

Cessnock Suburb Profile  Cessnock is a city in the Hunter Region of New South Wales, about 52 km west of Newcastle and 120km North of Sydney. It is the commercial centre of the area now known as Hunter Valley Wine Country. Cessnock was named after a Scottish Settler named John Campbell in 1826 after his Grandfathers baronial Castle in Ayrshire. 

Cessnock Local Government Area (Cessnock City) covers approximately 1,950 square kilometres within the Hunter Valley of New South Wales and has increased in population between 2001 – 2011 from 45,204 to 50,863 residents. 

Whilst mining was the principal industrial base and source of employment in the Cessnock area 
for the first half of this century, changes to the mining industry, led to the closure of the vast majority of mines in the area. The decline of mining has been paralleled by growth in the wine industry 

The Hunter Valley wine-growing area in the Cessnock LGA is Australia’s oldest wine region and one of the most famous, with around 4,500 acres under vine. The vineyards and wineries of Pokolbin, Rothbury, Lovedale, Mount View, Millfield and Wollombi, are also the focus of a thriving tourism industry. 

Cessnock has begun to develop other tourist ventures beyond the wine industry such as championship golf courses, hot air ballooning, sky-diving, fine restaurants, motels, cabins and guest house accommodation. Wine-related tourism has also created opportunities for other attractions, Wollombi Village and the Richmond Vale Railway. 

There are many shops located in the Cessnock CBD, including major supermarkets such as Woolworths, Coles and Aldi along with numerous retail shops such as Big W, Target and Bunnings plus numerous cafes and restaurants. 

The Cessnock Local Government Area houses Pre schools, Primary Schools, High Schools and a TAFE institute for further education. 

- Cessnock Public School 
- Cessnock East Public School 
- Cessnock West Public School 
- St Patricks Primary School 
- Bellbird Public School 
- Nulkaba Public School 
- Kearsley Public School 
- Cessnock High School 
- Mt View High School 
- St Phillip’s Christian College 

The local bus service is run by Rover Motors which provide services to Maitland, Newcastle and Sydney as well as City Hoppars and School Bus Services. 

Support infrastructure across the City now includes two hospitals, community health services, a range of childcare options, and aged care as well as numerous other community support services.