{{About|the local government area established in 1979|the local government area called Muswellbrook Shire between 1907 and 1968|Denman Shire}} {{Use dmy dates|date=August 2021}} {{Use Australian English|date=August 2011}} {{Infobox Australian place | type = lga | name = Muswellbrook Shire | state = nsw | image = Muswellbrook LGA NSW.png | caption = Location in New South Wales | coordinates = {{coord|32|16|S|150|54|E|type:city_region:AU-NSW|display=inline,title}} | pop = 16357 | pop_year = {{CensusAU|2021}} | pop_footnotes = <ref name="Census2021">{{Census 2021 AUS|id=LGA15650|name=Muswellbrook |accessdate=11 May 2025|quick=on }}</ref> | density = | density_footnotes = | established = {{start date|1979|7|1|df=y}} | area = 3405 | area_footnotes = <ref name=abs2011pop>{{Census 2011 AUS|id=LGA15650|name=Muswellbrook (Local Government Area)|accessdate=7 October 2012|quick=on}}</ref> | timezone = AEST | utc = +10 | timezone-dst = AEDT | utc-dst = +11 | mayor = Jeffrey Drayton | dir1 = | location1 = <!-- Sydney --> | dist2 = | dir2 = | location2 = <!-- Newcastle --> | seat = Muswellbrook<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.dlg.nsw.gov.au/dlg/dlghome/dlg_CouncilContactDetails.asp?slacode=5650|title=Muswellbrook Shire Council|publisher=New South Wales Division of Local Government|access-date=7 October 2012}}</ref> | region = Hunter<ref name=lga>{{cite web|url=http://www.dlg.nsw.gov.au/dlg/dlghome/dlg_Regions.asp?regiontype=2&slacode=5650®ion=HT|title=Suburb Search – Local Council Boundaries – Hunter (HT) – Muswellbrook Shire Council|publisher=New South Wales Division of Local Government|access-date=7 October 2012}}</ref> | stategov = Upper Hunter<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.elections.nsw.gov.au/District-profiles/upper-hunter|title=Upper Hunter|publisher=New South Wales Electoral Commission |access-date=23 November 2019}}</ref> | fedgov = New England<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.aec.gov.au/profiles/files/2025/NSW%20Division%20Finder%202025.pdf|title=Division Finder|publisher=Australian Electoral Commission|date=2025|access-date=11 May 2025}}</ref> | url = http://www.muswellbrook.nsw.gov.au | near-n = Upper Hunter | near-ne = Upper Hunter | near-e = Singleton | near-se = Singleton | near-s = Singleton | near-sw = Mid-Western | near-w = Mid-Western | near-nw = Upper Hunter }} '''Muswellbrook Shire''' is a local government area in the Upper Hunter region of New South Wales, Australia. The Shire is situated adjacent to the New England Highway and the Hunter railway line.
Muswellbrook Shire was established on 1 July 1979 from the amalgamation of the Municipality of Muswellbrook with the adjacent Denman Shire,<ref>{{Gazette NSW| title = Local Government Act 1919. Proclamation| issue = 79| page = 2887| date = 15 June 1979| url = https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/219969403| access-date = 14 February 2020| via = National Library of Australia}}</ref> which had been called Muswellbrook Shire between 1907 and 1968.<ref>{{Gazette NSW |title=Local Government Act 1906. Proclamation |issue=31 |page=1644 |date=6 March 1907 |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/223089468 |access-date=14 February 2020 |via=Trove}}</ref><ref>{{Gazette NSW |title=Local Government Act 1919. Proclamation |issue=53 |page=1535 |date=19 April 1968 |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/220060373 |access-date=14 February 2020 |via=Trove}}</ref>
The mayor of the Muswellbrook Shire Council is Cr. Jeffrey Drayton.
== Main towns and villages ==
The Shire includes Muswellbrook, Denman, Baerami, McCullys Gap, Martindale, Muscle Creek, Sandy Hollow, Widden and Wybong.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.muswellbrook.nsw.gov.au/About-Muswellbrook-Shire/Index.htm|title=About Muswellbrook Shire|publisher=Muswellbrook Shire Council|access-date=28 August 2009}}</ref>
== Coal mining == Muswellbrook started as coal mining town in late 1800s and began open cut mining in 1944. The oldest coal was opened in 1906.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Coal Industry – Muswellbrook Shire Council|url=https://www.muswellbrook.nsw.gov.au/index.php/industry-profile/coal-industry|access-date=2020-09-16|website=muswellbrook.nsw.gov.au}}</ref>
==Heritage listings== The Muswellbrook Shire has a number of heritage-listed sites, including: * Denman, 4883 Jerrys Plains Road: Merton<ref name=nswshr-159>{{cite NSW SHR|5045618|Merton|hr=00159|fn=S90/06231 & HC 32033|access-date=18 May 2018}}</ref> * Muswellbrook, Denman Road: Rous Lench<ref name=nswshr-211>{{cite NSW SHR|5045629|Rous Lench|hr=00211|fn=S90/05440 & HC 32806|access-date=18 May 2018}}</ref> * Muswellbrook, 132 Bridge Street: Weidmann Cottage<ref name=nswshr-260>{{cite NSW SHR|5045128|Weidmann Cottage|hr=00260|fn=S90/05877 & HC 32432|access-date=18 May 2018}}</ref> * Muswellbrook, 142-144 Bridge Street: Loxton House<ref name=nswshr-185>{{cite NSW SHR|5045633|Loxton House|hr=00185|fn=S90/05895 & HC 32411|access-date=18 May 2018}}</ref> * Muswellbrook, 178, 180-188 Bridge Street: Eatons Group<ref name=nswshr-331>{{cite NSW SHR|5045132|Eatons Hotel & St Vincent De Paul Group|hr=00331|fn=EF11/20060; S90/5350; 11/20060|access-date=18 May 2018}}</ref> * Muswellbrook, 710 Denman Road: Edinglassie<ref name=nswshr-170>{{cite NSW SHR|5045625|Edinglassie|hr=00170|fn=S90/05833 & HC 32464|access-date=18 May 2018}}</ref> * Muswellbrook, Hunter Terrace: St Alban's Anglican Church<ref name=nswshr-458>{{cite NSW SHR|5045125|St. Alban's Anglican Church|hr=00458|fn=S90/05526, NEP90 342, HC 32968|access-date=18 May 2018}}</ref> * Muswellbrook, Main Northern railway: Muswellbrook railway station<ref name=nswshr-1208>{{cite NSW SHR|5012118|Muswellbrook Railway Station and yard group|hr=01208|fn=EF14/5014|access-date=18 May 2018}}</ref>
==Demographics== At the 2011 census, there were {{formatnum:15791}} people in the Muswellbrook Shire local government area, of these 51.7 per cent were male and 48.3 per cent were female. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people made up 5.4 per cent of the population, which was significantly higher than the national and state averages of 2.5 per cent. The median age of people in the Muswellbrook Shire was 34 years, which was lower than the national median of 37 years. Children aged 0 – 14 years made up 22.8 per cent of the population and people aged 65 years and over made up 10.6 per cent of the population. Of people in the area aged 15 years and over, 47.0 per cent were married and 11.8 per cent were either divorced or separated.<ref name=abs2011pop/>
Population growth in the Muswellbrook Shire between the 2001 census and the 2006 census was 3.25 per cent; and in the subsequent five years to the 2011 census, population growth was 3.64 per cent. When compared with total population growth of Australia for the same periods, being 5.78 per cent and 8.32 per cent respectively, population growth in the Muswellbrook Shire local government area was approximately half the national average.<ref name="Census2001"/><ref name="Census2006"/> The median weekly income for residents within the Muswellbrook Shire was marginally higher than the national average.<ref name=abs2011pop/>
At the 2011 census, the proportion of residents in the Muswellbrook Shire local government area who stated their ancestry as Australian or Anglo-Saxon exceeded 81 per cent of all residents (national average was 65.2 per cent). In excess of 68% of all residents in the Muswellbrook Shire nominated a religious affiliation with Christianity at the 2011 census, which was considerably higher than the national average of 50.2 per cent. Meanwhile, as at the census date, compared to the national average, households in the Muswellbrook Shire local government area had a significantly lower than average proportion (4.3 per cent) where two or more languages are spoken (national average was 20.4 per cent); and a significantly higher proportion (89.7 per cent) where English only was spoken at home (national average was 76.8 per cent).<ref name=abs2011pop/>
{| class="wikitable" |- !colspan=6|Selected historical census data for the Muswellbrook Shire local government area |- !colspan=3|Census year !!2001<ref name="Census2001">{{Census 2001 AUS|id=LGA15650 |name=Muswellbrook (A) |accessdate=23 December 2013 |quick=on}}</ref>!!2006<ref name="Census2006">{{Census 2006 AUS|id=LGA15650 |name=Muswellbrook (A) |accessdate=23 December 2013 |quick=on}}</ref>!!2011<ref name=abs2011pop/> |- |rowspan=4 colspan="2"|Population ||Estimated residents on Census night ||align="right"|{{formatnum:14756}} ||align="right"|{{formatnum:15236}} ||align="right"|{{formatnum:15791}} |- |align="right"|LGA rank in terms of size within New South Wales ||align="right"| ||align="right"| ||align="right"| |- |align="right"|% of New South Wales population ||align="right"| ||align="right"| ||align="right"|0.23% |- |align="right"|% of Australian population ||align="right"|0.08% ||align="right"|{{steady}} 0.08% ||align="right"|{{loss}} 0.07% |- !colspan=3|Cultural and language diversity !! !! !! |- |rowspan=5 colspan=2|Ancestry,<br />top responses ||Australian||align="right"| ||align="right"| ||align="right"|36.2% |- |English||align="right"| ||align="right"| ||align="right"|30.4% |- |Irish||align="right"| ||align="right"| ||align="right"|8.1% |- |Scottish||align="right"| ||align="right"| ||align="right"|6.6% |- |German||align="right"| ||align="right"| ||align="right"|2.9% |- |rowspan=5 colspan=2|Language,<br />top responses<br />(other than English) ||Shona||align="right"|n/c ||align="right"|{{steady}} n/c ||align="right"|{{gain}} 0.2% |- |Cantonese||align="right"|0.1% ||align="right"|{{steady}} 0.1% ||align="right"|{{gain}} 0.2% |- |Italian||align="right"|0.1% ||align="right"|{{steady}} 0.1% ||align="right"|{{steady}} 0.1% |- |Thai||align="right"|n/c ||align="right"|{{gain}} 0.1% ||align="right"|{{steady}} 0.1% |- |Mandarin||align="right"|n/c ||align="right"|{{gain}} 0.1% ||align="right"|{{steady}} 0.1% |- !colspan=3|Religious affiliation !! !! !! |- |rowspan=5 colspan=2|Religious affiliation,<br />top responses ||Anglican||align="right"|40.3% ||align="right"|{{loss}} 37.5% ||align="right"|{{loss}} 35.6% |- |Catholic||align="right"|28.0% ||align="right"|{{loss}} 27.7% ||align="right"|{{loss}} 26.1% |- |No Religion||align="right"|7.6% ||align="right"|{{gain}} 11.0% ||align="right"|{{gain}} 13.9% |- |Uniting Church||align="right"|5.2% ||align="right"|{{loss}} 4.4% ||align="right"|{{loss}} 3.9% |- |Presbyterian and Reformed||align="right"|3.8% ||align="right"|{{loss}} 3.2% ||align="right"|{{loss}} 3.1% |- !colspan=3|Median weekly incomes !! !! !! |- |rowspan=2 colspan=2|Personal income ||Median weekly personal income||align="right"| ||align="right"|A$453 ||align="right"|A$619 |- |align="right"|% of Australian median income||align="right"| ||align="right"|97.2% ||align="right"|{{gain}} 107.3% |- |rowspan=2 colspan=2|Family income ||Median weekly family income||align="right"| ||align="right"|{{AUD}}{{formatnum:1213}} ||align="right"|{{AUD}}{{formatnum:1697}} |- |align="right"|% of Australian median income||align="right"| ||align="right"|103.6% ||align="right"|{{gain}} 114.6% |- |rowspan=2 colspan=2| Household income ||Median weekly household income||align="right"| ||align="right"|{{AUD}}{{formatnum:1060}} ||align="right"|{{AUD}}{{formatnum:1399}} |- |align="right"|% of Australian median income||align="right"| ||align="right"|103.2% ||align="right"|{{gain}} 113.4% |- |}
== Council ==
===Current composition and election method=== Muswellbrook Shire Council is composed of twelve councillors elected proportionally as a single ward. All councillors are elected for a fixed four-year term of office. The mayor is elected by the councillors at the first meeting of the council. The most recent election was held on 11 January 2022 and the makeup of the council is as follows:<ref name="EC">{{cite web |title=Muswellbrook Councillor Election Results |url=https://vtr.elections.nsw.gov.au/LG2401/muswellbrook/councillor |access-date= |work=Muswellbrook Shire Council |publisher=Muswellbrook Shire Council}}</ref>
{| class="wikitable" |- !colspan="2"|Party!!Councillors |- | {{Australian party style|Independent}}| | Independents and Unaligned | align=right | 12 |- | | '''Total''' | align=right | '''12''' |}
The current Council, elected in 2024, in order of election, is:<ref>{{Cite web |title=Muswellbrook - Councillor Election results |url=https://vtr.elections.nsw.gov.au/LG2401/muswellbrook/councillor |access-date=2024-10-30 |website=vtr.elections.nsw.gov.au}}</ref>
{| class="wikitable" |- !colspan="2"|Councillor!!Party!!Notes |- | {{Australian party style|Independent}} | | Max MORRIS | Independent | |- | {{Australian party style|Independent}} | | Jeffrey DRAYTON | Independent | Mayor |- | {{Australian party style|Independent}} | | De-Anne DOUGLAS |Independent |Deputy Mayor |- ! |Rohit MAHAJAN |Independent | |- | {{Australian party style|Independent}} | | Louise DUNN | Independent | |- | {{Australian party style|Independent}} | | Rod SCHOLES |Independent | |- | {{Australian party style|Independent}} | | Clare BAILEY |Independent | |- | {{Australian party style|Independent}} | | Darryl MARSHALL |Independent | |- ! |Amanda BARRY |Independent | |- ! |Graeme MCNEILL |Independent | |- | {{Australian party style|Independent}} | | Stephen WARD | | |- | {{Australian party style|Independent}} | | David HARTLEY | Independent | |- | {{Australian party style|Independent}} | | | | |}
=== Mayors === The following is a list of mayors since the Shire of Denman amalgamated with the Municipality of Muswellbrook to form Muswellbrook Shire Council on 1 July 1979.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.muswellbrook.nsw.gov.au/About-Muswellbrook-Shire/History/Local-government-history/COUNCILMAYORS.pdf|title=Mayors, Alderman, Shire Presidents, Councillors and Staff|format=PDF|author=Bill Spicer|publisher=Muswellbrook Shire Council|date=18 June 2004|access-date=16 August 2009}}</ref><ref name="EC" />
{| class="wikitable" |- !colspan="2"|Councillor!!Party!!Term of office |- | {{Australian party style|Independent}}| | J.H. Jobling | Unaligned | 1979{{endash}}1986 |- | {{Australian party style|Independent}}| | E.I. Wolfgang | Unaligned | 1986{{endash}}1989 |- | {{Australian party style|Independent}}| | I.E. Seymour | Unaligned | 1989{{endash}}1999 |- | {{Australian party style|Independent}}| | J.E. Colvin | Unaligned | 1999{{endash}}2008 |- | {{Australian party style|Independent}}| | Martin Rush | Unaligned | 2008{{endash}}2021 |- | {{Australian party style|Independent}}| | Rod Scholes | Unaligned | 2021{{endash}}2022 |- | |Steven Reynolds | |2022-2024 |- | |Jeffrey Drayton | |2024-present |}
== References == {{Portal|New South Wales}} {{Reflist}}
{{Suburbs of Muswellbrook Shire}} {{Local Government Areas of New South Wales}} {{Authority control}}
Category:Muswellbrook Shire