Speers Point, New South Wales
Encyclopedia
Speers Point is a suburb within, and the location of the council seat of the City of Lake Macquarie Local Government Area
in New South Wales
, Australia
. It is located 17 kilometres (10.6 mi) west-southwest of the city of Newcastle
on the northern shore of Lake Macquarie
, in Cockle and Warners bays, between the suburbs of Cardiff
and Warners Bay
.
Speers Point was settled in 1828 and local commerce began through a colliery in 1843. By 2006, the suburb had a population of 3,103.
of Lake Macquarie had inhabited the area and called it Biddaba or Milloba.
The first claimant to the land was a settler named William Brooks, who selected the area now called Kahibah Parish in 1828, named his property Lochend and received deeds in 1839. The title deeds covered the area east of Cockle Creek, Boolaroo and the place now known as Speers Point. However, before Brooks' claim the land had been occupied by R. Sadleir, who did not make a claim to the land. Brooks developed his claim and opened the Lochend Colliery in 1843, which mined coal from the bottom of the hills around Speers Point.
In 1870, William Speer, a wealthy businessman from Sydney
, settled there and obtained some of Brooks' land. Speer's residence was erected opposite the current Council Administration Centre. William Brooks' name of Lochend was forgotten and Speer's name remained as Speers Point, referring to the peninsula
of land into Lake Macquarie
that part of the area is located on.
In 1887, a 'Mr Ryan' was the only resident of the area. Ryan was Speer's estate administrator. However, Speers Point began to become more populated when its first subdivision occurred in 1902. Further subdivisions occurred and industry began to open up, and Speers Point Park was transferred to the Lake Macquarie council in 1910. In 1912, a steam tram
line began service, whilst the Lake Macquarie council offices moved to Speers Point in 1915 (and moved again in 1955). In 1916 the first post office
was opened along with another mine.
In 1920, a rowing boat (later hire boat and ferry) service operated across Cockle Creek, however a footbridge was constructed in 1928. In 1930 the steam tram service ceased operations, but was replaced by a private bus service in 1931. Two routes were opened by the government in 1937, whilst an industrial port bus service began operation in 1938. Sewerage systems were put in place in 1945, and two public schools opened in January 1957 and January 1959.
The first winner of the Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race
in 1945, a cutter called Rani was built by the Steel brothers of Lake Macquarie. Being the second smallest of the nine competing, it was 'given up as lost' by the organisers.
The post office closed in 1976 and the 1989 Newcastle earthquake
brought substantial damage to the town, especially to the Boolaroo-Speers Point RSL
club and its youth section. The epicentre of the magnitude
5.6 earthquake was the neighbouring suburb of Boolaroo.
and 143 kilometres (88.9 mi) north-east of Sydney,* Google Earth map directions for Speers Point - Sydney (accessed 2007-09-11) within the City of Lake Macquarie at 32°57′54"S 151°37′05"E. The suburban boundaries of Speers Point are somewhat ill-defined, but a general guide would be Cockle Creek to the west, Seventh Street to the north, Fairfax Road to the east and Lake Macquarie
to the south.
The elevation of Speers Point is approximately 27 metres above sea level
.
zone, similar to that of Melbourne
and Canberra
.
The nearby Pasminco (now Zinifex
) Cockle Creek Smelter
operated from 1896, however operations ceased on 12 September 2003. Since the departure of the mining industry Speers Point has not housed any major businesses.
. However, the Lake Macquarie News
is a local newspaper owned by the News Limited community newspaper circle.
Despite its small size, Speers Point is home to many sports clubs, many of which may be considered 'niche market
s', such as the Speers Point Amateur Sailing Club, a major social ground for manyh residents. This organisation was founded on Lake Macquarie in the early 1900s and is currently situated at Speers Point Park. Speers Point is also home to a swim centre.
Opposite the Speers Point swim centre is Speers Point Park, which boasts a stage area, playgrounds, barbecue facilities and lighting. The park is dog friendly.
Speers Point also gives its name to a RSL
sub-branch in nearby Boolaroo
. A bowls club is located near there.
There is no hospital in Speers Point but in the nearby suburb of Warners Bay
there is one private hospital
(Warners Bay Private Hospital).
Speers Point has one public school, Speers Point Public School, located on Bell Street. It has enrollment figures of 170, with years K-6 attending. The school was founded in 1957 and currently features an outdoor playground, undercover areas, sports facilities, computer labs and resources.
Only one high school serves the 2284 postcode area, Lake Macquarie High School, located in nearby Booragul
. An independent school
is located in nearby Booragul called St Pauls High School.
2006 census, Speers Point had a population of 3,103. This was an increase of 66 people from the 2001 census.
Speers Point residents had a median age of 44 years, compared to the northern Lake Macquarie regional average of 38 years, and the New South Wales
and Australia
n median of 37 years. The median individual income was below average for the region—$
408 per week compared with $432 per week across northern Lake Macquarie and $461 a week in New South Wales. The 2006 Census figures put Speers Point's unemployment rate at 1.6% below the Newcastle average.
Females make up 50.7% of the 3103 residents of Speers Point (a total of 1573), whilst males, at 1530, make up only 49.3%. This differs from the national Australia
n average of 50.6% females and 49.4% males.
The population of Speers Point is predominantly Australian-born, with some 84.8% of its residents as at the 2006 census. The second most prevalent birthplace was the United Kingdom
at 3.90%. 2.00% reported one or more parents of Italian
birth. At the 2006 census, 1.42% of residents identified as Indigenous Australians
.
The most popular religious affiliations in descending order in the 2006 census were Anglican
, Roman Catholic
, no religion and Uniting
. The All Saints Anglican Church, Our Lady Help of Christians Catholic Church and Boolaroo Uniting Church are all located on Main Road in or near the suburb's northern boundary.
in the suburb. At the 2001 census, the Australian Bureau of Statistics
reported that 74.96% of Speers Point's residents were drivers or passengers of cars in their commute to work, a figure significantly higher than the regional average of 71.87%. Other private modes of transport included motorcycling (0.48%), cycling (0.72%) and walking (1.86%). A state bike path runs close to the suburb (Newcastle 39).
At the 2001 census, 4.12% of Speers Point residents used public transport to get to work, compared with 2.72% regionally. The suburb is served by the 363 bus route (Monday-Saturday) between Belmont
/Warners Bay
and Newcastle's central business district, provided by Newcastle Buses & Ferries
. The bus also connects with the Main North railway line
at Cockle Creek railway station
approximately 2.5 kilometres (1.6 mi) to the north of the suburb, and a major regional shopping centre, Stockland Glendale
.
Early transport included steam tram
s (beginning in 1912 and closing 1930), a rowing boat ferry service operated by Harry Linsley across Cockle Creek in 1920 (a footbridge was built in 1928) and government bus services beginning 1937.
, a safe seat for the Australian Labor Party
. It has been held since 2007 by former ACTU
secretary Greg Combet
. The Speers Point booth was won comfortably at the 2007 federal election by the Labor Party, with a two-party preferred vote of 60.97%.
In the New South Wales Legislative Assembly
, Speers Point is within the electorate of Lake Macquarie
. Normally a safe Labor
seat, it was won at the 2007 election by Independent Greg Piper
, the former mayor of the Lake Macquarie City Council.
Speers Point is located within the West Ward of the City of Lake Macquarie, and hosts the City's council offices.
Polling place statistics are presented below from the Speers Point polling place in the federal and state elections as indicated.
Local Government Areas of New South Wales
The local government areas of New South Wales, Australia have been subject to periodic bouts of restructuring and rationalisation by the State Government, involving voluntary and involuntary amalgamation of areas...
in 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...
. It is located 17 kilometres (10.6 mi) west-southwest of the city of Newcastle
Newcastle, New South Wales
The Newcastle metropolitan area is the second most populated area in the Australian state of New South Wales and includes most of the Newcastle and Lake Macquarie Local Government Areas...
on the northern shore of Lake Macquarie
Lake Macquarie (New South Wales)
Lake Macquarie is Australia's largest coastal salt water lake, covering an area of in the Hunter Region of New South Wales with most of the City of Lake Macquarie's residents living near its shores. It is connected to the Tasman Sea by a short channel. Lake Macquarie is twice as large as Sydney...
, in Cockle and Warners bays, between the suburbs of Cardiff
Cardiff, New South Wales
Cardiff is a suburb of Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia, located west-southwest of Newcastle's central business district. It is part of the City of Lake Macquarie local government area....
and Warners Bay
Warners Bay, New South Wales
Warners Bay is a suburb of the City of Lake Macquarie in New South Wales, Australia, and is located from Newcastle's central business district on the eastern side of Lake Macquarie. It was named after Jonathan Warner, who settled the area....
.
Speers Point was settled in 1828 and local commerce began through a colliery in 1843. By 2006, the suburb had a population of 3,103.
History
Before European settlement, the Awabakal peopleAwabakal people
The Awabakal are an Indigenous Australian people of coastal New South Wales.Awaba is the word for Lake Macquarie – Awabakal therefore meaning people of Lake Macquarie...
of Lake Macquarie had inhabited the area and called it Biddaba or Milloba.
The first claimant to the land was a settler named William Brooks, who selected the area now called Kahibah Parish in 1828, named his property Lochend and received deeds in 1839. The title deeds covered the area east of Cockle Creek, Boolaroo and the place now known as Speers Point. However, before Brooks' claim the land had been occupied by R. Sadleir, who did not make a claim to the land. Brooks developed his claim and opened the Lochend Colliery in 1843, which mined coal from the bottom of the hills around Speers Point.
In 1870, William Speer, a wealthy businessman from 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...
, settled there and obtained some of Brooks' land. Speer's residence was erected opposite the current Council Administration Centre. William Brooks' name of Lochend was forgotten and Speer's name remained as Speers Point, referring to the peninsula
Peninsula
A peninsula is a piece of land that is bordered by water on three sides but connected to mainland. In many Germanic and Celtic languages and also in Baltic, Slavic and Hungarian, peninsulas are called "half-islands"....
of land into Lake Macquarie
Lake Macquarie
The City of Lake Macquarie is a Local Government Area in New South Wales, Australia, approximately north of Sydney. It is immediately adjacent to the city of Newcastle and was proclaimed as a city from 7 September 1984.-The City of Lake Macquarie:...
that part of the area is located on.
In 1887, a 'Mr Ryan' was the only resident of the area. Ryan was Speer's estate administrator. However, Speers Point began to become more populated when its first subdivision occurred in 1902. Further subdivisions occurred and industry began to open up, and Speers Point Park was transferred to the Lake Macquarie council in 1910. In 1912, a steam tram
Tram
A tram is a passenger rail vehicle which runs on tracks along public urban streets and also sometimes on separate rights of way. It may also run between cities and/or towns , and/or partially grade separated even in the cities...
line began service, whilst the Lake Macquarie council offices moved to Speers Point in 1915 (and moved again in 1955). In 1916 the first post office
Post office
A post office is a facility forming part of a postal system for the posting, receipt, sorting, handling, transmission or delivery of mail.Post offices offer mail-related services such as post office boxes, postage and packaging supplies...
was opened along with another mine.
In 1920, a rowing boat (later hire boat and ferry) service operated across Cockle Creek, however a footbridge was constructed in 1928. In 1930 the steam tram service ceased operations, but was replaced by a private bus service in 1931. Two routes were opened by the government in 1937, whilst an industrial port bus service began operation in 1938. Sewerage systems were put in place in 1945, and two public schools opened in January 1957 and January 1959.
The first winner of the Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race
Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race
The Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race is hosted by the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia, starting in Sydney, Australia on Boxing Day and finishing in Hobart. The race distance is approximately...
in 1945, a cutter called Rani was built by the Steel brothers of Lake Macquarie. Being the second smallest of the nine competing, it was 'given up as lost' by the organisers.
The post office closed in 1976 and the 1989 Newcastle earthquake
1989 Newcastle earthquake
The 1989 Newcastle earthquake was a Richter magnitude 5.6 earthquake that occurred in Newcastle, New South Wales on Thursday, 28 December 1989, at 10:27 am. It was one of Australia's most serious natural disasters, killing 13 people and injuring more than 160...
brought substantial damage to the town, especially to the Boolaroo-Speers Point RSL
Returned and Services League of Australia
The Returned and Services League of Australia is a support organisation for men and women who have served or are serving in the Australian Defence Force ....
club and its youth section. The epicentre of the magnitude
Moment magnitude scale
The moment magnitude scale is used by seismologists to measure the size of earthquakes in terms of the energy released. The magnitude is based on the seismic moment of the earthquake, which is equal to the rigidity of the Earth multiplied by the average amount of slip on the fault and the size of...
5.6 earthquake was the neighbouring suburb of Boolaroo.
Geography
Speers Point is located approximately 17 kilometres (10.6 mi) WSW of Newcastle, New South WalesNewcastle, New South Wales
The Newcastle metropolitan area is the second most populated area in the Australian state of New South Wales and includes most of the Newcastle and Lake Macquarie Local Government Areas...
and 143 kilometres (88.9 mi) north-east of Sydney,* Google Earth map directions for Speers Point - Sydney (accessed 2007-09-11) within the City of Lake Macquarie at 32°57′54"S 151°37′05"E. The suburban boundaries of Speers Point are somewhat ill-defined, but a general guide would be Cockle Creek to the west, Seventh Street to the north, Fairfax Road to the east and Lake Macquarie
Lake Macquarie
The City of Lake Macquarie is a Local Government Area in New South Wales, Australia, approximately north of Sydney. It is immediately adjacent to the city of Newcastle and was proclaimed as a city from 7 September 1984.-The City of Lake Macquarie:...
to the south.
The elevation of Speers Point is approximately 27 metres above sea level
Above mean sea level
The term above mean sea level refers to the elevation or altitude of any object, relative to the average sea level datum. AMSL is used extensively in radio by engineers to determine the coverage area a station will be able to reach...
.
Climate
Speers Point is located in an oceanic climateOceanic climate
An oceanic climate, also called marine west coast climate, maritime climate, Cascadian climate and British climate for Köppen climate classification Cfb and subtropical highland for Köppen Cfb or Cwb, is a type of climate typically found along the west coasts at the middle latitudes of some of the...
zone, similar to that of Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
and Canberra
Canberra
Canberra is the capital city of Australia. With a population of over 345,000, it is Australia's largest inland city and the eighth-largest city overall. The city is located at the northern end of the Australian Capital Territory , south-west of Sydney, and north-east of Melbourne...
.
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average high (°C) | 25.5 | 25.4 | 24.7 | 22.8 | 20.0 | 17.5 | 16.7 | 18.0 | 20.2 | 22.1 | 23.5 | 24.9 | 21.8 |
| Average low (°C) | 19.2 | 19.3 | 18.2 | 15.3 | 12.0 | 9.6 | 8.4 | 9.2 | 11.4 | 14.0 | 16.1 | 18.0 | 14.2 |
| Average precipitation (mm) | 89.3 | 107.3 | 121.3 | 115.9 | 118.0 | 117.5 | 95.0 | 75.1 | 73.0 | 73.3 | 70.3 | 81.8 | 1120.4 |
Economy
Early industry in Speers Point included the Lochend Colliery from 1843 where coal was mined until 1916, when the Speers Point Gully mine was opened by T.D.H. Rhodes. Soon after settlement by William Speer, a dairy began operating and before 1874 a citrus orchard was in operation by the lakeside.The nearby Pasminco (now Zinifex
Zinifex
Zinifex was an Australian company which operated two zinc and lead mines, three zinc refineries and a lead smelter. It was created following the insolvency of Pasminco in 2002, taking on Pasminco operations. In 2008 it merged with Oxiana Limited to form OZ Minerals.-History:Zinifex was the...
) Cockle Creek Smelter
Cockle Creek Smelter
Cockle Creek Smelter was a zinc and lead smelter located at the northern end of Lake Macquarie near Boolaroo New South Wales.The smelter was built in by Sulphide Corporation Limited in 1896 and the first attempts to refine zinc using the Ashcroft Process began in 1897 and was abandoned shortly...
operated from 1896, however operations ceased on 12 September 2003. Since the departure of the mining industry Speers Point has not housed any major businesses.
Facilities
The Lake Macquarie area in general receives the same media outlets as nearby NewcastleNewcastle, New South Wales
The Newcastle metropolitan area is the second most populated area in the Australian state of New South Wales and includes most of the Newcastle and Lake Macquarie Local Government Areas...
. However, the Lake Macquarie News
Lake Macquarie News
The Lake Macquarie News was a small, independent weekly community newspaper serving the City of Lake Macquarie area in New South Wales and owned by the Cumberland Newspaper Group, a News Limited subsidiary. It was originally the Belmont-Swansea Gazette through the 1940s but merged with the Lake...
is a local newspaper owned by the News Limited community newspaper circle.
Despite its small size, Speers Point is home to many sports clubs, many of which may be considered 'niche market
Niche market
A niche market is the subset of the market on which a specific product is focusing; therefore the market niche defines the specific product features aimed at satisfying specific market needs, as well as the price range, production quality and the demographics that is intended to impact...
s', such as the Speers Point Amateur Sailing Club, a major social ground for manyh residents. This organisation was founded on Lake Macquarie in the early 1900s and is currently situated at Speers Point Park. Speers Point is also home to a swim centre.
Opposite the Speers Point swim centre is Speers Point Park, which boasts a stage area, playgrounds, barbecue facilities and lighting. The park is dog friendly.
Speers Point also gives its name to a RSL
Returned and Services League of Australia
The Returned and Services League of Australia is a support organisation for men and women who have served or are serving in the Australian Defence Force ....
sub-branch in nearby Boolaroo
Boolaroo, New South Wales
Boolaroo is a suburb of Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia, located west of Newcastle's central business district. It is part of the City of Lake Macquarie local government area.It was at the epicenter of the 1989 Newcastle earthquake...
. A bowls club is located near there.
There is no hospital in Speers Point but in the nearby suburb of Warners Bay
Warners Bay, New South Wales
Warners Bay is a suburb of the City of Lake Macquarie in New South Wales, Australia, and is located from Newcastle's central business district on the eastern side of Lake Macquarie. It was named after Jonathan Warner, who settled the area....
there is one private hospital
Private hospital
A private hospital is a hospital owned by a profit company or a non-profit organisation and privately funded through payment for medical services by patients themselves, by insurers, or by foreign embassies. This practice is very common in the United States and Australia...
(Warners Bay Private Hospital).
Speers Point has one public school, Speers Point Public School, located on Bell Street. It has enrollment figures of 170, with years K-6 attending. The school was founded in 1957 and currently features an outdoor playground, undercover areas, sports facilities, computer labs and resources.
Only one high school serves the 2284 postcode area, Lake Macquarie High School, located in nearby Booragul
Booragul, New South Wales
Booragul is a suburb of the City of Lake Macquarie in New South Wales, Australia, and is located north-northeast of the town of Toronto on the western shore Lake Macquarie.Booragul railway station is on the Newcastle and Central Coast railway line....
. An independent school
Independent school
An independent school is a school that is independent in its finances and governance; it is not dependent upon national or local government for financing its operations, nor reliant on taxpayer contributions, and is instead funded by a combination of tuition charges, gifts, and in some cases the...
is located in nearby Booragul called St Pauls High School.
Demographics
At the ABSAustralian Bureau of Statistics
The Australian Bureau of Statistics is Australia's national statistical agency. It was created as the Commonwealth Bureau of Census and Statistics on 8 December 1905, when the Census and Statistics Act 1905 was given Royal assent. It had its beginnings in section 51 of the Constitution of Australia...
2006 census, Speers Point had a population of 3,103. This was an increase of 66 people from the 2001 census.
Speers Point residents had a median age of 44 years, compared to the northern Lake Macquarie regional average of 38 years, and the 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...
and 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...
n median of 37 years. The median individual income was below average for the region—$
Australian dollar
The Australian dollar is the currency of the Commonwealth of Australia, including Christmas Island, Cocos Islands, and Norfolk Island, as well as the independent Pacific Island states of Kiribati, Nauru and Tuvalu...
408 per week compared with $432 per week across northern Lake Macquarie and $461 a week in New South Wales. The 2006 Census figures put Speers Point's unemployment rate at 1.6% below the Newcastle average.
Females make up 50.7% of the 3103 residents of Speers Point (a total of 1573), whilst males, at 1530, make up only 49.3%. This differs from the national 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...
n average of 50.6% females and 49.4% males.
The population of Speers Point is predominantly Australian-born, with some 84.8% of its residents as at the 2006 census. The second most prevalent birthplace was the United Kingdom
Anglo-Celtic Australian
Anglo-Celtic Australian are citizens of Australia with British and/or Irish ancestral origins.-Demography:From the beginning of the colonial era until the mid-20th century, the vast majority of settlers were British or Irish...
at 3.90%. 2.00% reported one or more parents of Italian
Italian Australians
-Characteristics :The 2006 Census counted 199,124 persons who were born in Italy. However, 852,417 persons identified themselves as having Italian ancestry, either alone or in combination with another ancestry . Italian is the fifth most identified ancestry in Australia behind 'Australian',...
birth. At the 2006 census, 1.42% of residents identified as Indigenous Australians
Indigenous Australians
Indigenous Australians are the original inhabitants of the Australian continent and nearby islands. The Aboriginal Indigenous Australians migrated from the Indian continent around 75,000 to 100,000 years ago....
.
The most popular religious affiliations in descending order in the 2006 census were Anglican
Anglican Church of Australia
The Anglican Church of Australia is a member church of the Anglican Communion. It was previously officially known as the Church of England in Australia and Tasmania...
, Roman Catholic
Roman Catholic Church in Australia
The Catholic Church in Australia is part of the worldwide Catholic Church under the spiritual and administrative leadership of the Pope.Australia is a majority Christian but pluralistic society with no established religion. There are approximately 5.1 million Australian Catholics . Catholicism...
, no religion and Uniting
Uniting Church in Australia
The Uniting Church in Australia was formed on 22 June 1977 when many congregations of the Methodist Church of Australasia, the Presbyterian Church of Australia and the Congregational Union of Australia came together under the Basis of Union....
. The All Saints Anglican Church, Our Lady Help of Christians Catholic Church and Boolaroo Uniting Church are all located on Main Road in or near the suburb's northern boundary.
Transport
Cars are the preferred mode of transportTransport in Australia
-Roads:Australia has the second highest level of car ownership in the world. It has three to four times more road per capita than Europe and seven to nine times more than Asia. Australia also has the third highest per capita rate of fuel consumption in the world. Perth, Adelaide and Brisbane are...
in the suburb. At the 2001 census, the Australian Bureau of Statistics
Australian Bureau of Statistics
The Australian Bureau of Statistics is Australia's national statistical agency. It was created as the Commonwealth Bureau of Census and Statistics on 8 December 1905, when the Census and Statistics Act 1905 was given Royal assent. It had its beginnings in section 51 of the Constitution of Australia...
reported that 74.96% of Speers Point's residents were drivers or passengers of cars in their commute to work, a figure significantly higher than the regional average of 71.87%. Other private modes of transport included motorcycling (0.48%), cycling (0.72%) and walking (1.86%). A state bike path runs close to the suburb (Newcastle 39).
At the 2001 census, 4.12% of Speers Point residents used public transport to get to work, compared with 2.72% regionally. The suburb is served by the 363 bus route (Monday-Saturday) between Belmont
Belmont, New South Wales
Belmont is a suburb in the Hunter Region of New South Wales, Australia, located 20 kilometres from Newcastle's central business district on the eastern side of Lake Macquarie and is part of the City of Lake Macquarie....
/Warners Bay
Warners Bay, New South Wales
Warners Bay is a suburb of the City of Lake Macquarie in New South Wales, Australia, and is located from Newcastle's central business district on the eastern side of Lake Macquarie. It was named after Jonathan Warner, who settled the area....
and Newcastle's central business district, provided by Newcastle Buses & Ferries
Bus routes in Newcastle, New South Wales
Newcastle bus routes connect suburbs in and around Newcastle, New South Wales. Services are largely integrated with the public transport network of Sydney, to the south, however the route numbering system is separate....
. The bus also connects with the Main North railway line
Main North railway line, New South Wales
The Main North Line is a major railway in New South Wales, Australia. It runs through the Central Coast, Hunter and the New England regions. The line was the original main line between Sydney and Brisbane, however this required a change of gauge at Wallangarra...
at Cockle Creek railway station
Cockle Creek railway station, New South Wales
-Transport links:Newcastle Buses runs one route via Cockle Creek railway station:*Route 363 - Between Belmont and Newcastle Station.Toronto Bus Services runs two routes via Cockle Creek railway station:*Route 270 - Between Industries and Toronto West....
approximately 2.5 kilometres (1.6 mi) to the north of the suburb, and a major regional shopping centre, Stockland Glendale
Stockland Glendale
Stockland Glendale is a major shopping centre located in Glendale, a suburb of the City of Lake Macquarie, New South Wales, Australia.It is located on Lake Road, Glendale, on a parcel of land, and primarily serves the Lake Macquarie region to the southwest of Newcastle.-History and...
.
Early transport included steam tram
Tram
A tram is a passenger rail vehicle which runs on tracks along public urban streets and also sometimes on separate rights of way. It may also run between cities and/or towns , and/or partially grade separated even in the cities...
s (beginning in 1912 and closing 1930), a rowing boat ferry service operated by Harry Linsley across Cockle Creek in 1920 (a footbridge was built in 1928) and government bus services beginning 1937.
Government and politics
At federal level, Speers Point is within the Division of CharltonDivision of Charlton
The Division of Charlton is an Australian Electoral Division in New South Wales. The division was created in 1984 and is named for Matthew Charlton, who was Leader of the Australian Labor Party 1922-28. It is located in the Hunter Valley area of New South Wales, including the coal-mining towns of...
, a safe seat for the Australian Labor Party
Australian Labor Party
The Australian Labor Party is an Australian political party. It has been the governing party of the Commonwealth of Australia since the 2007 federal election. Julia Gillard is the party's federal parliamentary leader and Prime Minister of Australia...
. It has been held since 2007 by former ACTU
Australian Council of Trade Unions
The Australian Council of Trade Unions is the largest peak body representing workers in Australia. It is a national trade union centre of 46 affiliated unions.-History:The ACTU was formed in 1927 as the "Australian Council of Trade Unions"...
secretary Greg Combet
Greg Combet
Gregory Ivan Combet AM MP is an Australian politician and trade unionist. He was Secretary of the Australian Council of Trade Unions between 2000 and 2007...
. The Speers Point booth was won comfortably at the 2007 federal election by the Labor Party, with a two-party preferred vote of 60.97%.
In the New South Wales Legislative Assembly
New South Wales Legislative Assembly
The Legislative Assembly, or lower house, is one of the two chambers of the Parliament of New South Wales, an Australian state. The other chamber is the Legislative Council. Both the Assembly and Council sit at Parliament House in the state capital, Sydney...
, Speers Point is within the electorate of Lake Macquarie
Electoral district of Lake Macquarie
Lake Macquarie is an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Hunter region of the Australian state of New South Wales. It is currently represented by the independent Greg Piper.-Members for Lake Macquarie:-Election results:...
. Normally a safe Labor
Australian Labor Party
The Australian Labor Party is an Australian political party. It has been the governing party of the Commonwealth of Australia since the 2007 federal election. Julia Gillard is the party's federal parliamentary leader and Prime Minister of Australia...
seat, it was won at the 2007 election by Independent Greg Piper
Greg Piper
Gregory Michael Piper MP , an Australian politician, is the independent member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly representing Lake Macquarie since 2007. Piper also serves as Mayor of City of Lake Macquarie, since 2004.-Early years and background:Piper grew up in the Lake Macquarie suburb...
, the former mayor of the Lake Macquarie City Council.
Speers Point is located within the West Ward of the City of Lake Macquarie, and hosts the City's council offices.
Polling place statistics are presented below from the Speers Point polling place in the federal and state elections as indicated.