Greta, New South Wales
Encyclopedia
Greta is a small town in the Hunter Valley
region of New South Wales
, Australia
in Cessnock City Council. It has a population of around 1000 people. It is largely a commuter town
located midway between Cessnock
, Singleton
and Maitland
. The town is linked to nearby Branxton
especially during community events.
Greta is heavily associated with Branxton with many combined sporting ventures, the most notable being a well-respected Soccer Club "The Greta-Branxton Wildcats" and Rugby League Club "Greta-Branxton Colts".
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 centres bewteen June 1949 to 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.
Greta's Tidy Towns Project's have also been nationally recognised and even achieved multiple awards and prestige for its beautification of what was once considered an unfashionable place to live. Greta Tidy Towns Committee meets regularly to discuss changes to the town and to manage its continuing beautification.
After much local lobbying, a Skate Park was erected by Cessnock City Council in 2000. This gave the Youth of Greta a place to meet and hone their skateboarding skills.
Greta is located on the New England Highway
167 kilometres north of Sydney
, on a section of the highway that will be bypassed by most through traffic when the Hunter Expressway is completed. It has a railway station
, which opened in 1869 on CityRail
's Hunter line
. It is close to major grape
-growing areas.
Hunter Valley
The Hunter Region, more commonly known as the Hunter Valley, is a region of New South Wales, Australia, extending from approximately to north of Sydney with an approximate population of 645,395 people. Most of the population of the Hunter Region lives within of the coast, with 55% of the entire...
region of New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
in Cessnock City Council. It has a population of around 1000 people. It is largely a commuter town
Commuter town
A commuter town is an urban community that is primarily residential, from which most of the workforce commutes out to earn their livelihood. Many commuter towns act as suburbs of a nearby metropolis that workers travel to daily, and many suburbs are commuter towns...
located midway between Cessnock
Cessnock, New South Wales
Cessnock is a city in the Hunter Region of New South Wales, Australia, about by road west of Newcastle. It is the administrative centre of the Cessnock City Council LGA and was named after an 1826 grant of land called Cessnock Estate, which was owned by John Campbell...
, Singleton
Singleton, New South Wales
-Industry & Commerce:Major industries near Singleton include coal mining, energy generation, light industry, vineyards, horse breeding and cattle production. Dairying was once a mainstay in the area, but has declined....
and Maitland
Maitland, New South Wales
Maitland is a city in the Lower Hunter Valley of New South Wales, Australia and the seat of Maitland City Council, situated on the Hunter River approximately by road north of Sydney and north-west of Newcastle...
. The town is linked to nearby Branxton
Branxton, New South Wales
Branxton is a town in the Hunter Valley region of New South Wales, Australia. Branxton is north of Sydney via the Sydney-Newcastle Freeway and New England Highway.Branxton is located mostly in Cessnock City Council, but part of it is in Singleton Shire...
especially during community events.
Greta is heavily associated with Branxton with many combined sporting ventures, the most notable being a well-respected Soccer Club "The Greta-Branxton Wildcats" and Rugby League Club "Greta-Branxton Colts".
The Greta Army Camp
Greta Army Camp
Greta Army Camp was an Australian army camp built in 1939 near Greta, New South Wales, Australia. It was used for training soldiers of the Second AIF during World War II. The Australian army sold the site at auction in 1980....
, located on the town's outskirts, was opened in 1939 as a training ground for World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
soldier training, and in 1949 was transferred to the Department of Immigration who transformed it into one of Australia's largest migrant reception centres bewteen June 1949 to 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.
Greta's Tidy Towns Project's have also been nationally recognised and even achieved multiple awards and prestige for its beautification of what was once considered an unfashionable place to live. Greta Tidy Towns Committee meets regularly to discuss changes to the town and to manage its continuing beautification.
After much local lobbying, a Skate Park was erected by Cessnock City Council in 2000. This gave the Youth of Greta a place to meet and hone their skateboarding skills.
Greta is located on the New England Highway
New England Highway
The New England Highway is a highway in Australia running from Hexham near Newcastle at its southern end to Yarraman near Toowoomba at its northern end. At its southern end it connects to the Pacific Highway and at its northern end it connects to the D'Aguilar Highway. It traverses the Hunter...
167 kilometres north of Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
, on a section of the highway that will be bypassed by most through traffic when the Hunter Expressway is completed. It has a railway station
Greta railway station, New South Wales
-Neighbouring stations:Historically, the next inbound station was Allandale, however that station has been unofficially closed since 2002, and services suspended until further notice since 2005.- References :...
, which opened in 1869 on CityRail
CityRail
CityRail is an operating brand of RailCorp, a corporation owned by the state government of New South Wales, Australia. It is responsible for providing commuter rail services, and some coach services, in and around Sydney, Newcastle and Wollongong, the three largest cities of New South Wales. It is...
's Hunter line
Hunter railway line, New South Wales
The Hunter railway line is a regional railway line which is part of Sydney's CityRail network. The line runs from the central business district of Newcastle, on the coast, northwest to Scone and Dungog in the Hunter Valley area....
. It is close to major grape
Grape
A grape is a non-climacteric fruit, specifically a berry, that grows on the perennial and deciduous woody vines of the genus Vitis. Grapes can be eaten raw or they can be used for making jam, juice, jelly, vinegar, wine, grape seed extracts, raisins, molasses and grape seed oil. Grapes are also...
-growing areas.