Kearsley, New South Wales Explained

Type:	suburb
Kearsley
State:	nsw
Coordinates:	-32.8569°N 151.3969°W
Postcode:	2325
Pop:	861
Elevation:	56
Timezone:	AEST
Utc:	+10
Timezone-Dst:	AEDT
Utc-Dst:	+11
Dist1:	145
Dir1:	N
Location1:	Sydney
Dist2:	48
Dir2:	W
Location2:	Newcastle
Dist3:	28
Dir3:	SW
Location3:	Maitland
Lga:	City of Cessnock
Region:	Hunter
County:	Northumberland
Parish:	Cessnock
Stategov:	Cessnock
Fedgov:	Hunter

Kearsley is a village in the City of Cessnock, in the Hunter Region of New South Wales, Australia. Kearsley is located 5.7 kilometres south-east of the town of Cessnock, NSW and is adjacent to Werakata National Park. The village was named after William Kearsley, a prominent member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly and official in the miner's union.

At the heart of the town from its foundation in 1912 until closure in 1964 was J & A Brown & Abermain Seaham Collieries mine, the Abermain No.2 Colliery, the first mechanised pit in the Cessnock coalfield. Coal was shipped out via the South Maitland Railways.

Population

According to the 2016 census of Population, there were 861 people living in Kearsley.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people made up 9.1% of the population.
89.8% of people were born in Australia. The next most common countries of birth were England 0.7%, New Zealand 0.7% and Germany 0.5%.
93.5% of people spoke only English at home.
The most common responses for religion were No Religion 30.0%, Anglican 28.6% and Catholic 15.4%.

Notable people

Maree Callaghan, first female mayor of the City of Cessnock
Arthur Francis CSC OAM, former Regimental Sergeant Major of the Australian Army
Oscar Hillery MM, World War I hero and recipient of the Military Medal
George Jeffery MM, World War I hero and recipient of the Military Medal
Reg Lindsay OAM, country music singer
Bob Pynsent, longest serving mayor of the City of Cessnock
Bill Rorke, soccer player

External links

https://livinghistories.newcastle.edu.au/nodes/view/86278 An oral history from Bill Kearney a resident of Kearsley recorded on the 1st December 1984 as a part of Voices of Hunter Collection he discusses the history of Kearsley.