The town of Singleton is located 197 km (89 mi) north-north-west of Sydney, and 70 km (43 mi) north-west
of Newcastle, on the banks of the Hunter River, NSW.
Singleton is surrounded by unspoilt national parks and is the gateway to the vineyards of the Hunter Valley.
The Wonnarua / Wanaruah Aboriginal People
The traditional territory of the Wonnarua / Wanaruah Aboriginal People is estimated to extend over 2,000 square miles (5,200 km2), spreads from the Upper Hunter River above Maitland,
west to the Great Dividing Range, towards Wollombi.
To the north of the Wonnarua / Wanaruah people lived the Geawegal people, and to the northeast the Worimi peoples, to the southeast the Awabakal people,
A newspaper article claims that: "The native name of the new country discovered by Mr Howe was Camilaray." (
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Baiame Cave is a heritage-listed cave and
cultural site of the Wonnarua people at Milbrodale, part of the Singleton Council area. The open cave has an artwork on the rear wall of the cave and which depicts Baiame, the creator god and sky father of some Aboriginal language groups.
Baiame it is sometimes said was married to Birrahgnooloo, and they had a son together called Daramulum. It was forbidden to say Baiame's name for Aboriginal people, this being part of avoidance speech and considered taboo.
Sites used for male activities, such as initiation ceremonies, were generally forbidden to women and so women were not allowed to view depictions of Baiame nor go to Baiame sacred sites.
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| Aboriginal painting, Baiame Cave, near Singleton, NSW, SardakaEvidence of Aboriginal occupation can be found in grinding grooves, scarred trees, engraving sites and artefact deposits. There are also documented ceremonial sites and burial places. |
European Exploration
In October 1817, William Parr, a convict who arrived on the
Fortune in 1813, was part of an exploration party that included Benjamin Singleton and Aboriginal guides, intent on finding a suitable wagon road to the Hunter River. However, they turned back just before reaching the Hunter Valley.
Benjamin Singleton, son of a convict, led a private
expedition to the Hunter in April 1818 but was also unsuccessful.
On 24 October 1819, John Howe left Windsor with a party of seven, including two Aboriginals, aiming to discover a suitable route from the Hawkesbury, to the Hunter River. In November 1819, they found the Hunter near Doyles Creek and fine country. However, Howe would soon launch another expedition.
In February 1820, Howe left Windsor with a party of fifteen, including Benjamin Singleton and two Aboriginal guides. This time Howe followed the advice of the Aboriginal guides, which led to Howe mapping the Bulga Road route.
The members of this large
exploration party were: George Loder junior, Daniel Philips, Jeremiah Butler, Samuel Marshall, Nicholas Connely, Frederick Rhodes, James House, Robert Bridle, Andrew Loder, Thomas Dargin junior, Philip Thorley, two Aboriginal trackers Myles and Mullaboy, and of course, Benjamin Singleton. ( Mullaboy Place, in Singleton Heights, is named for the noted Aboriginal tracker).
On 15 March, Howe's party reached the Hunter River near today's Whittingham, and followed its course as far as Maitland (Wallis Plains). Howe wrote to Macquarie that “we came thro as fine a country as imagination can form”.
Governor Macquarie rewarded Howe with a grazing licence
for land at Patrick Plains (near Singleton) and 700 acres (283 ha) near the present site of Singleton. Howe named this property "Redbourneberry".
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| Major General Lachlan Macquarie, CB (/məˈkwɒrɪ/; Scottish Gaelic: Lachann MacGuaire; 31 January 1762 – 1 July 1824) Sydney Mail (NSW : 1912 - 1938), |
St Patrick’s Plains was named in honour of Ireland’s patron saint, and later shortened to Patrick’s Plains and Patrick Plains.
Benjamin Singleton was granted 200 acres (81 ha), part of which would
become the site of the town of Singleton. He and his wife Mary built an inn (The Barley Mow) and opened a mill in 1829, on the banks of the river. He also built a horse-drawn boat, which was not a commercial success.
Benjamin had married Mary Lane Sherland in 1811, and they would raise ten children during their 42-year marriage.
By 1823 settlers began to arrive in the district. In fact by 1825, 300
land grants were allocated to 206 settlers. And in February 1823, Major James Morisset appointed Benjamin Singleton a district constable.
Henry Dangar was a Government surveyor who received a land grant of 300 acres, situated at Patrick's Plains, near Singleton. He named this grant "Neotsfield" after
his native place of St Neot in Cornwall, South-West England.
In 1836 Benjamin Singleton acquired an adjoining 100 acres and advertised allotments in the
Sydney Gazette on 2 January 1836 in the private town which would become Singleton.
In 1837 Benjamin Singleton donated land for a market square, which is now known as Burdekin Park.
1840s
A courthouse was built in 1841 and a lock up
was constructed at Burdekin Park.
Benjamin Singleton became bankrupt in 1842, during the 1840s depression.
The District Council of Patrick Plains was appointed in 1843.
1850s
Benjamin Singleton died at Singleton on 3 May 1853.
The coal industry in Singleton
began back in the 1850s at Rix’s creek and Glendon.
1860s
Abbey Green homestead was built in 1861 and is associated with with George Thomas Loder III, a prominent Hunter Valley grazier and founder of an early meat preserving and canning business.
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| Sydney Mail (NSW : 1860 - 1871), Saturday 21 April 1866 |
Bushranger, Captain Thunderbolt, went on a crime spree in Dungog, Stroud and Singleton from November 1863 to January 1864, which involved his whole family, including his Aboriginal wife,
Mary Ann Bugg. |
| Mary Ann Bugg (7 May 1834 – 22 April 1905) was one of two notable female bushrangers in mid-19th century Australia |
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| Newcastle Chronicle and Hunter River District News (NSW : 1859 - 1866), Saturday 15 November 1862 |
The Singleton Mechanics Institute was officially opened on 8 July 1867, with an audience of about 500 people,
including Henry Parkes.
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| Maitland Mercury and Hunter River General Advertiser (NSW : 1843 - 1893), Tuesday 9 July 1867 |
The 1841 courthouse was demolished and a new courthouse built in 1867-8. The lock up can be seen at the Singleton Museum.
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| New South Wales Government Gazette (Sydney, NSW : 1832 - 1900), Friday 8 February 1867 |
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| Maitland Mercury and Hunter River General Advertiser (NSW : 1843 - 1893), Thursday 27 August 1868, |
1870s
The Singleton Argus and Upper Hunter General Advocate began as a weekly newspaper and was first published on 15 July 1874 by John Willis.
1880s
A newspaper report from the 1940s claimed that Aboriginal man,
"....King Cocky was well known in Singleton in the early eighties and was a familiar figure in the streets of Singleton, barefooted with his trousers rolled up to his knees and carrying a fair-sized walking stick. It was the joy of the youngsters of those days on the way to school to meet Cocky who for a penny would read his plate to them and put his pipe through the cartilage of his nose. 'King Boney' was also a frequent visitor to Singleton. He had a cast in one eye. In front of the hotels he would play a garbled tune on an old violin that had been presented to him by the late Mr. James Glass. I have in my collection of aboriginal implements of war two close fighting boomerangs given me by 'King Cocky.' |
Singleton, Saturday. — A young man named Ronald Smith, belonging to a district surveyor's party, was thrown from his horse in Campbell street and rather severely injured. His head came in contact with the kerbstone.'King Cocky,' the last of the aboriginal tribe of Patrick's Plains aboriginals, died on Friday night. Cocky was established as a Singleton institution. Evening News (Sydney, NSW : 1869 - 1931), Monday 25 July 1887 |
1890s
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| THE SINGLETON C COMPANY OF INFANTRY, FOURTH REGIMENT. Sydney Mail and New South Wales Advertiser (NSW : 1871 - 1912), Saturday 7 May 1898 |
1900s
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George Street, Singleton, NSW, Australasian (Melbourne, Vic. : 1864 - 1946), Saturday 25 August 1900 |
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| The Courthouse Singleton, NSW, Australasian (Melbourne, Vic. : 1864 - 1946), Saturday 25 August 1900 |
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| Committee of the Singleton Jockey Club, NSW, Sydney Mail and New South Wales Advertiser (NSW : 1871 - 1912), Saturday 8 September 1900 |
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| The Singleton Show, NSW, Sydney Mail and New South Wales Advertiser (NSW : 1871 - 1912), Saturday 8 September 1900 |
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| Election results exhibited outside Budget newspaper office - Singleton, NSW, 1900, State Library of New South Wales |
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| Spectators at Singleton Show, NSW, Sydney Mail and New South Wales Advertiser (NSW : 1871 - 1912), Saturday 8 September 1900 |
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| Pavilion at Singleton Cricket Ground, NSW, Australian Town and Country Journal (Sydney, NSW : 1870 - 1919), Saturday 31 August 1901 |
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| Portion of John Street, Singleton, NSW, Australian Town and Country Journal (Sydney, NSW : 1870 - 1919), Saturday 31 August 1901 |
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| Railway Station, Singleton Number 279, NSW, 18 February 1903, Special Collections |
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| Singleton NSW, John St, 1905. SLNSW |
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| View of town John Street from railway gates - Singleton, NSW, 1905 |
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| The cadets from the northern district were under canvas at Howe Park, Singleton, NSW, Australian Town and Country Journal (Sydney, NSW : 1870 - 1919), Wednesday 15 April 1908 |
The Aborigines Inland Mission Singleton Home was located in "Glasgow Place", George Street, Singleton from 1905-10.
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| Singleton Post Office, NSW, at 25-27 George Street. The building was designed by Colonial Architect James Barnet and built in 1878 by W. Dart.Australian Town and Country Journal (Sydney, NSW : 1870 - 1919), Wednesday 29 September 1909 |
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| 1. Singleton's Dangar Hospital was opened on the 22nd of June, 1907. 2. Nursing Staff, Dangar Cottage Hospital. Nurse Street. Matron Cutbertson, and Nurses Barrett, Picton, and M'Carthy. Australian Town and Country Journal (Sydney, NSW : 1870 - 1919), Wednesday 29 September 1909 |
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| Singleton Hospital Committee, NSW, Standing (Reading from Left to Right):— H. J. Miner, Mrs. Maffey, Mrs. G. Cooke, G. S. Freeman (Treasurer), Mrs. H. J. Miner, L. M. Grainier, Sitting:— Mrs. Whiting, A. T. Coehrane (Vice-president), Mrs. A. Grainger (Vice-president), A. Grainger (President), W. H. Poppenhagen (Secretary).Mrs. J. V. White. OFFICIALS AND COMMITTEE.Sydney Mail and New South Wales Advertiser (NSW : 1871 - 1912), Wednesday 26 June 1907 |
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| Scottish Commissioner's residence at "Baroona" Homestead, Singleton, Dated: by 11/05/1908, NSW State Archives |
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| Worm's Drapery & Boot Store, Singleton, NSW |
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| Floods, John Street, Singleton, NSW,Australian Town and Country Journal (Sydney, NSW : 1870 - 1919), Wednesday 28 May 1913 |
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SINGLETON'S CENTENARIAN MARCHED WITH THE TROOPS Mr. William Ross, Singleton's centenarian, was born on the convict ship Red Rover, outside Sydney Heads, on June 2, 1816, and !s therefore 102 years of ago today. His. father was chief mate of the vessel. Sun (Sydney, NSW : 1910 - 1954), Sunday 2 June 1918 |
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| The Singleton Mechanics Institute was officially opened on 8 July 1867 in front of up to 500 people, including Henry Parkes, Australian Town and Country Journal (Sydney, NSW : 1870 - 1919), Wednesday 9 April 1919 |
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| View of John Street, Singleton, NSW,Australian Town and Country Journal (Sydney, NSW : 1870 - 1919), Wednesday 9 April 1919, |
WWI
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| Albert Edward Hawkins. Date of Birth: 28.7.1898. Date of Enlistment: 1.7.1918 . Trade or Calling: Clerk. Born in or near what Town: Singleton. Address prior to Enlistment: Bathurst St Singleton. Rank, Number, Battalion, Distinctions: Pte. 66215 Recruits Battalion 57th Battalion. Casualties and where: RTA 1.8.1919. Name & Address of Next of Kin: Elizabeth Hawkins Bathurst St Singleton. Name and last address of Father: James Edward Hawkins Bathurst St Singleton |
1920s
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| Mr W Fraser -the bellringer of George Street, Singleton, NSW, — as well known to tho people of the northern centre as any of the landmarks. Mr. Fraser is one of that vast army who have 'seen better days.' and he is frank to admit it. A gentleman by birth and education, he has seen many vicissitudes....., Newcastle Sun (NSW : 1918 - 1954), Friday 23 December 1921 |
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| Newcastle Sun (NSW : 1918 - 1954), Friday 23 December 1921 |
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| Methodist Church and School Hall, NSW, Methodist (Sydney, NSW : 1892 - 1954), Saturday 18 April 1925 |
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| Back to Singleton, NSW, September 15-26 1926 - Page, 002, Special Collections |
- HEAVY FROSTGreat Damage At SingletonSINGLETON, Monday. A very heavy frost yesterday morning did considerable damage through out the Singleton district. Potato crops suffered severely, and Chinese gardeners at Singleton had their entire crop of tomatoes and beans destroyed, - their loss running into hundreds of pounds. Such a visitation Is very unusual -in October.
Newcastle Sun (NSW : 1918 - 1954), Monday 10 October 1927
"Rosemount' was built about 7 kilometers south of Singleton in 1829, by John and Emily Larnach, Today the estate is named Baroona.
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| Bullock team and its timber tinker are familiar objects in the Main Street of Singleton, NSW, Farmer and Settler (Sydney, NSW : 1906 - 1955), Friday 17 February 1928 |
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| Staff outside cafe - Singleton, NSW, c. 1928, State Library of New South Wales |
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TWINKLE TOES of the Singleton Operatic Society's ballet, NSW, Daily Telegraph (Sydney, NSW : 1883 - 1930), Wednesday 28 August 1929 |
1930s
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| Neotsfield, Singleton, NSW, Built for Henry Dangar, an assistant government surveyor in the 1830s, Special Collections |
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| Maitland Daily Mercury (NSW : 1894 - 1939), Thursday 25 April 1935 |
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| Thoroughbred is a 1936 Australian race-horse drama film directed by Ken G. Hall, partly based on the life and career of Phar Lap, which was filmed near Singleton, NSW. Singleton Argus (NSW : 1880 - 1954), Friday 20 December 1935 |
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| View of town - John Street looking north from Elizabeth St, Singleton, NSW.,1936 |
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| Singleton Argus (NSW : 1880 - 1954), Monday 4 September 1939 |
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| 1. The Central Cooperative Dairying Company Ltd. 2. Singleton's main thoroughfare, John Street. 3. Dunolly Bridge spans the Hunter River Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners' Advocate (NSW : 1876 - 1954), Tuesday 14 November 1939 |
1940s and WWII
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| Muswellbrook Chronicle (NSW : 1898 - 1955), Friday 2 October 1942 |
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| MRS. JEAN FRANKS, an aboriginal, of Singleton, and her ten-day-old twin daughters, Jean and June, at Crown Street Women's Hospital yesterday. Told by a nurse that the baby on the left was born first, Mrs. Franks said: "Ah, the fair one!", Daily Telegraph (Sydney, NSW : 1931 - 1954), Wednesday 2 July 1941 |
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| NURSE MURIEL STANLEY, 25-year-old aborigine, who began her training this, month at the South Sydney Women's HospitaL Nurse Stanley, who was formerly assistant matron at the St. Elizabeth Girls' Home, Singleton, says her nursing experience will enable her to help fellow aborigines. Daily Telegraph (Sydney, NSW : 1931 - 1954), Saturday 26 June 1943 |
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| Aboriginal Girls Train At Singleton. ELEVEN aboriginal girls were being trained in domestic duties. missionary work and( dressmaking at Singleton College, which was opened on April 20, the Principal (.Mr. E. A. Collins) said last night at the Aboriginal Iuland Mliesiozi's annual meeting. Mr. Collins said the college could aecommodate about 40 students. Formerly a private home, said to be the largest in the Southern Hemsphere, it cost £!50,000 to build. When the girls finish their two year training at the college they will return to their home towns ansl villages to teach their own people. Girls now training came from New South Wales, Queensland and the Northern Territory. The Chairman (Rev WV Gibbins read message, from the mission', founder, Mrs. Long, and welcomed the guest speaker. Rev. E. C. Long. who showed movie films during his address.Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners' Advocate (NSW : 1876 - 1954), Saturday 1 June 1946 |
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| Singleton V Scone Match. ATTACKING MOVEMENT RY SINGLETON — Scone's sole defender on the left is Neville Harrison; moving in on Neil McNamara with the ball. Noel Hedgue, Harry Geddcs, Jack McNamara and R. Anderson make up the picture. Scone Advocate (NSW : 1887 - 1954), Friday 30 July 1948, |
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| Sun (Sydney, NSW : 1910 - 1954), Tuesday 19 July 1949 |
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| John St, Singleton, NSW, GSV |
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| St Elizabeths Home For Children - Singleton, NSW / photographed by Ivan, December 1948, SLNSW |
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| John Street, looking South from Dunnolly Bridge, Singleton, NSW. Scone Advocate (NSW : 1887 - 1954), Friday 24 June 1949 |
1950s
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| Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners' Advocate (NSW : 1876 - 1954), Saturday 6 January 1951 |
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| Sixty-six girls made history by quitting office and factory jobs to spend a fortnight under canvas at Singleton Army Camp, NSW. MODEL PATIENT, which can be dressed, washed, or given injections, is carried into camp dressing station by Royal Australian Army Nursing Corps Privates Wendy Godfrey, Dorothy Hains, Fae Chaffer, and June Cooper. The model is called "Mrs. Bedford. ' Girls in training as Army nursesAustralian Women's Weekly (1933 - 1982), Wednesday 2 September 1953 |
1970s
Singleton Municipality and Patrick Plains Shire were amalgamated into Singleton Shire in the 1970s.
2000s
2021
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| Singleton publican fined for serving beers to unvaccinated patrons, NSW |
Around Singleton
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| Horse & Jockey Hotel. Singleton, NSW. Built 1892 (originally the Percy Hotel) |
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| Neotsfield, Singleton, NSW, home of Henry Dangar, Singleton, NSW |
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| Central Hotel, Singleton, NSW, built in 1927 |
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| All Saints Anglican Rectory, Singleton, NSW, built 1913 |
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| The 1841 Singington, NSW, Courthouse was demolished and a new courthouse built in 1867-8. |
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| St Patricks, Singleton, NSW, replaced the wooden structure of St Augustine which had served the Catholic population of Singleton and the surrounding area form 1845 |
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| St Catherine's Catholic College was established by the Sisters of Mercy in 1925, Singleton, NSW |
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| Singleton Methodist Kindergarten, Singleton, NSW, John |
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| Old Singleton, NSW, Council Chambers built in 1874 within Burdekin Park |
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| Singleton Show Ground, NSW. The pavilion was built in 1880 at the former showground site near the railway and then moved in 1910 to its new site |
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| 7-9 George Street, Singleton NSW |
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| The original Singleton Post Office building was designed by Colonial Architect James Barnet and built in 1878 by W. Dart. The lobby was closed in to provide a telephone exchange in 1899 |
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| 259 John St, Singleton, NSW. Built 1862 |
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| The Club House Hotel was built in 1879 as McPhee's Hotel, Singleton, NSW |
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| St. Patricks Catholic Church, Singleton, NSW. Archbishop Polding of Sydney laid the foundation stone for the new church on 31 March 1859 |
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| All Saints' Anglican Church, Singleton, NSW, was opened and consecrated on April 16, 1913 |
Things To Do and Places To Go
Singleton Historical Society & Museum
