LGA information

Living in Singleton

Located at the gateway to the famous Hunter Valley vineyards and surrounded by untouched national parks, Singleton offers a unique blend of rural living with big city benefits. Founded on agriculture, driven by coal and sustained by the Hunter River, the Singleton local government area played an important role in the colonisation of NSW and continues to have State significance as an economic powerhouse.

Find your perfect place with a range of lifestyle choices including quaint established neighbourhoods, large acreages with vistas of rolling hills and babbling creeks, or take advantage of the availability of new land to build your dream home.

There’s no need to compromise on modern facilities for friendly, small town charm: Singleton offers all the conveniences of 21st century living including a hospital and medical services, a choice of education facilities including a TAFE campus, boutique retail and dining, a state-of-the-art gym, pool and recreation facilities. Get involved in our active community through an abundance of recreation pursuits from team sports to arts and culture.

And of course, you’ll be just a stone’s throw from NSW’s second biggest city in Newcastle, and with easy access to Sydney and the North Coast, the biggest decision you’ll have to make is what to do next.

Population

Singleton is home to 23,496 people and has a growing population when comparing 2016 ABS Census results to the 2011 Census figure of 16,135. Of the people who live in Singleton, 50.9% are male and 49.1% are female. The median age is 36. Data shows 5.7% of the population are Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people.

More than half of the population is married, and the average family comprises four people and two vehicles. The majority of people in Singleton are working age (30 to 64 years), representing 46.1% of the overall population. However, the single largest age cohort is 5 to 9 years with 1,759 people representing 7.65% of the population.

Employment

Of the Singleton population, 57.7% are employed full-time and 30.4% have part-time work. The most common occupations in Singleton include technicians and trades workers (17.8%), machinery operators and drivers (17.3%), professionals (12.3%), community and professional service workers (11.3%) and managers (11%).

A total of 22% of people in Singleton work in coal mining. Other major industries of employment include Defence (4.2%), takeaway food services (2.6%), primary education (2%) and cafes and restaurants (1.8%).

Education

Singleton’s families are spoilt for choice for education opportunities in Singleton. The community has access to eight public schools and two private schools covering primary and secondary education. A TAFE NSW Campus and community college are also available for students embarking on their career path or undertaking a career change. And to top it off, Singleton is in proximity to the University of Newcastle.

What people love about living in Singleton

Food and wine: With an abundance of incredible local produce, Singleton is a food lover’s haven set in the pastoral paradise of Hermitage Road and the peaceful hamlet of Broke Fordwich, where you’ll find the largest organic vineyard in the Hunter, a chef-hatted restaurant, sprawling olive groves and award-winning cellar doors.

Natural wonders: Wonder out yonder and find the walking and water sports territory that is beautiful Lake St Clair, where water skiing and fishing are the top two agenda items. But fresh air isn’t limited to the hilltops: an incredible 40 per cent of Singleton is made up of the world-heritage-listed Wollemi, Yengo and Mount Royal national parks.

Diverse industries: Singleton is a melting pot of industries, stemming from agricultural production that dominated the economy for the first 100 years of Singleton’s history, through to the abundance of natural resources that fuelled Singleton’s status as the State’s largest producer of coal. You’ll also find the long-established Lone Pine Barracks, home of the School of Infantry; a bustling mix of retail and services in the Singleton Town Centre; and a vibrant tourism economy supported by award-winning vineyards and restaurants.

History: Singleton has a long history as the home of the Wanaruah, Wonnarua People before Europeans arrived in 1820, naming the area St Patrick’s Plains and settling rapidly with 300 land grants allocated to 206 settlers within five years. Remnants of those early settlers still exist through historic homesteads and buildings, and are preserved in the Singleton Historic Society & Museum.

Arts and culture: Singleton has strong ties to the traditional owners through the Wanaruah, Wonnarua People, and celebrates a diverse community from a range of backgrounds and religious affiliations. There’s also an abundance of inspiration to be had as the home of Australia’s oldest Town Band, the Singleton Writers Group, choirs, dance groups and the Singleton Amateur Theatre Society (to name a few).

Sport and recreation: Singleton boasts high levels of participation in sport, with strong competition in netball, rugby league, rugby union, cricket, soccer, athletics, touch football, BMX, and AFL. It is particularly prosperous for junior talent as home to a range of sporting identities including Toby Price, Steve Merrick, Kerrod Holland, Cody Heffenen, and Steve Simpson.

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