Greta is a small town in the Hunter Region of New South Wales, Australia.[3][4][8]

Greta Cessnock, New South Wales
Greta's historic court house
Greta
Coordinates	32°41′14″S 151°23′4″E
Population	2,830 (2016 census)[1][Note 1]
• Density	486.9/km2 (1,261/sq mi) [Note 2]
Postcode(s)	2334
Elevation	70 m (230 ft)[Note 3]
Area	5.1 km2 (2.0 sq mi)[2][Note 4]
Time zone	AEST (UTC+10)
• Summer (DST)	AEDT (UTC+11)
Location	183 km (114 mi) N of Sydney 53 km (33 mi) WNW of Newcastle 21 km (13 mi) N of Cessnock 20 km (12 mi) W of Maitland 27 km (17 mi) ESE of Singleton
LGA(s)	City of Cessnock[3] City of Maitland[4]
Region	Hunter[3][4]
County	Northumberland[5]
Parish	Branxton[5]
State electorate(s)	Cessnock[6]
Federal division(s)	Hunter[7]
Localities around Greta: Branxton, East Branxton Leconfield Luskintyre North Rothbury Greta Oswald, Harpers Hill Rothbury Allandale, Rothbury Allandale

History

The Traditional Owners and Custodians of the Maitland area are the Wonnarua people.[9] The Greta area was first colonized by Europeans around Anvil Creek in the 1830s.[10]

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.[10]

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.[10]

At the 2016 census the town had a population of 2,830.

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.[11]

Transport

Greta is located on the New England Highway, approximately 183 km (114 mi) north of Sydney. Access to Sydney will be possible via the Hunter Expressway when it is completed. NSW TrainLink's Hunter Line passes through Greta railway station, which opened in 1869.[12]

Heritage listings

Greta has the Greta railway station.[13]

Images of Greta

• 
  Greta War Memorial Cenotaph
• 
  Greta Rest area shelter
• 
  The welcoming sign to Greta's Hunter River Catchment
• 
  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

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Greta, New South Wales.

• "Greta". Australian Explorer. Retrieved 25 September 2012.