Greta, New South Wales

History

The traditional owners and custodians of the Maitland area are the Wonnarua people. The Greta area was first colonised by Europeans around Anvil Creek in the 1830s.

When the town was surveyed in 1842 it was given the name Greta, possibly after a small river in Cumberland, England. Coal mining was established in the area in 1862 with the development of a railway station.

In 1864, kerosene shale was discovered. By the 1870s, Greta had four hotels, four churches, a school and schools of arts. Geologist Edgeworth David discovered the Greta Coal Seam in 1886. By 1907, ten collieries were in operation. The Whitburn Rail line; which extended off the Hunter line 400 meters to the west of the Greta Railway station connected to the Greta Colliery, Leconfield Colliery and Whitburn Colliery. The line was Closed on the 3rd of October 1957 when the Leconfield Colliery shut down.

At the 2016 census, the town had a population of 2,830. Greta's population increased to 3,349 at the 2021 census.

Vehicle crash

Main article: Hunter Valley bus crash

In June 2023, a roundabout on Wine Country Drive in Greta was the site of a bus crash that killed 10 people. A memorial was built on the junction between the A43 and New England Highway.

Greta Army Camp

Main article: Greta Army Camp

The Greta Army Camp, located on the town's outskirts, was opened in 1939 as a training ground for World War II soldier training, and in 1949 was transferred to the Department of Immigration who transformed it into one of Australia's largest migrant reception and training centres between June 1949 and January 1960 as part of the post-war immigration to Australia. Over 100,000 new migrants seeking a new life in Australia passed through Greta Camp throughout its 11-years in operation.The location is now under private property and there are few remains of the camp on the property

Transport

Greta is located on the New England Highway, approximately 183 km north of Sydney. Access to Sydney will be possible via the Hunter Expressway. NSW TrainLink's Hunter Line passes through Greta railway station, which opened in 1869.

Hunter Valley Buses operates three bus routes through the village of Greta:

• 179: Stockland Greenhills to North Rothbury via East Maitland, Maitland, Rutherford, Lochinvar, Branxton
• 180: Stockland Greenhills to Singleton Heights via East Maitland, Maitland, Rutherford, Lochinvar, Branxton and Singleton
• 180X: Maitland station to Singleton station via Lochinvar and Branxton

Heritage listings

Greta has the Greta railway station.

Images of Greta

File:Greta-Cenotaph.jpg|Greta war memorial cenotaph File:Army Camp Shelter anzac 2004.jpg|Greta rest area shelter File:Welcome to Greta Sign.jpg|The welcoming sign to Greta's Hunter River catchment area File:Childrens Litter PRevention Sign.jpg| A child's litter prevention sign. These signs were commissioned by Greta Tidy Towns to help children understand the importance of maintaining a tidy town

Notes

References

References

1. {{Census 2011 AUS
2. {{Census 2011 AUS
3. "Suburb Search – Local Council Boundaries – Hunter (HT) – Cessnock City Council". [[New South Wales Division of Local Government]].
4. "Suburb Search – Local Council Boundaries – Hunter (HT) – Maitland City Council". [[New South Wales Division of Local Government]].
5. "Greta (suburb)".
6. "Cessnock". [[New South Wales Electoral Commission]].
7. (26 July 2012). "Hunter". [[Australian Electoral Commission]].
8. {{DoL suburb image|name=Greta|access-date=25 September 2012}}
9. (19 October 2017). "Aboriginal and Torres Straight Islander Peoples".
10. "Greta, NSW".
11. "Whitburn Colliery Branch".
12. New South Wales Government, New South Wales Pre-Federation Legislation. (1889). "An Act to enable a Company called the "Greta Coal Company (Limited)" to construct a Railway from the Leconfield Coal-mine to the Great Northern Railway; also a Branch Line in connection therewith".
13. "Greta (NSW) 2016 Census". Australian Bureau of Statistics.
14. "Greta (NSW) 2021 Census". Australian Bureau of Statistics.
15. (12 June 2023). "Ten people die in Hunter Valley bus crash, 25 others taken to hospital". ABC News.
16. Newcastle City Council. "New Lives, New Australians – Snapshots of Greta Migrant Camp, 1949 – 1960". Local Government & Shires Associations of NSW.
17. "Google Maps".
18. "Main North Line". NSWrail.net.
19. "{{!}} transportnsw.info".
20. "{{!}} transportnsw.info".
21. "{{!}} transportnsw.info".
22. {{cite NSW SHR. 5012026. Greta Railway Station group