Singleton

Singleton is a city of 24,577 (2021) in the Hunter region of New South Wales. It is northwest of Newcastle.

Understand
Before European settlement, the Wonnarua Koori people lived in the Singleton region. The fledgling colony of NSW discovered the area around 1820 and it was originally named St Patricks Plains. Major industries include coal mining, power generation, dairy farming, and viticulture. See the Singleton Information Centre.

By car
Singleton is a 45-minute drive from Newcastle on the New England Highway and Hunter Expressway. Singleton is almost exactly 200 km north of Sydney by road via the Pacific Motorway, Hunter Expressway and New England Highway.

The Putty Road, a picturesque route through Wollemi National Park, connects Singleton to Sydney's western suburbs.

A little further off the beaten track is the Wollombi Road which follows sections of the original Great North Road into the region, now also known as the Convict Trail, this links to Sydney and the Central Coast via areas such as Peats Ridge, St Albans and Wiseman's Ferry. Parts of the route have a compressed gravel surface, passable (with care) by a normal 2WD vehicle.

A bypass has been proposed that will form a southern bypass around Singleton. The two-lane freeway will have various exits that enter various different parts of Singleton. Construction is set to begin in 2023 and open in 2026.

By train
NSW TrainLink provides both Intercity and Regional services that stop at Singleton on the Hunter Line. When catching trains from Newcastle, be sure to board a Hunter line train bound for Scone (those headed for Dungog divert at Maitland and will not pass through Singleton). These trains run at regular intervals throughout the day, but are infrequent, so check the timetables.

By bus
Hunter Valley Buses operates route 180X which goes from Maitland station to Singleton station. There are 14 services per week in each direction.

Do

 * Each year, Singleton plays host to the Festival of Wine and Roses.
 * See the Singleton Art Prize, held over several days in early July each year.
 * See the Singleton Art Prize, held over several days in early July each year.

Cope

 * Singleton's local newspaper is the Singleton Argus.

Stay safe
Avoid the flying foxes, which may harbour the harmful lyssavirus.

Go next

 * The village of Broke is a short drive from Singleton, and is located within one of the Hunter Valley's main grape-growing areas.
 * Visit Lake St Clair (also known as Glennies Creek Dam), a 1540 ha dam completed in 1983. There are various recreational facilities, including camping sites, picnic-barbecue areas and a boat ramp.