Cessnock (pop. 23,211) is a city in the Hunter Valley region of New South Wales, Australia. It lies about 25 miles (40 kilometers) west of Newcastle and 70 miles (110 kilometers) north of Sydney. It is the administrative center of such townships as Bellbird, Kurri Kurri, and Rothbury. Historically, Cessnock was associated with the coal mining industry. Today, many of the area’s residents are also employed in construction, health care, and retail trade. Cessnock is an important hub of the Hunter Valley’s wine industry, which attracts many tourists to the area.
Coal was first discovered at Anvil Creek, just north of Cessnock, in 1856. The first collieries (coal mines) were established in the area in the 1870’s. The local mines became collectively known as the South Maitland Coal Fields. Throughout the 1900’s and 2000’s, Cessnock has experienced periods of economic growth and decline based on the fortunes of the coal industry.
The township of Bellbird, located southwest of the city, was the site of one of the worst mining disasters in the region’s history. On Sept. 1, 1923, an explosion inside the Bellbird Colliery resulted in an underground fire. Twenty-one people were killed in the disaster. Later, an investigation showed that additional safety precautions might have prevented the fire or made it less deadly. The investigation’s report inspired the creation of a new rescue service to prevent similar disasters. Many of the recommended changes are still used by mining operations in New South Wales. A memorial commemorating those who died was erected opposite the mine site in 1990.
Another infamous incident in coal mining history occurred in the township of Rothbury, just north of Cessnock. In 1929, the owners of the Rothbury Colliery ordered a pay cut for the miners. After the miners’ labor union refused to accept the new conditions, the owners closed the mine and laid off all of the miners. When the colliery reopened months later with non-union workers, thousands of union workers gathered to protest outside the mine. The peaceful protest quickly turned into a violent clash with police officers. One miner was killed, and many more were injured. The event later became known as the Rothbury Riot or the Battle for Rothbury. In 1989, the mine site was marked by a memorial honoring the Rothbury mineworkers.
First Nations people have lived in the Hunter Valley area for more than 20,000 years. First Nations, also called Indigenous peoples of Australia and First Australians, are the original inhabitants of the land that is now Australia. They include Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. The land on which Cessnock sits is traditionally inhabited by the Wonnarua Aboriginal people. The Hunter River region was first encountered by Europeans in 1791. In 1826, the Scottish settler John Campbell received a land grant to establish a settlement near Black Creek. He called the settlement Cessnock Estate, after the historic Cessnock Castle in Ayrshire, Scotland.
Convict laborers constructed a major road near the Cessnock settlement between the mid-1820’s and 1836. The road, which connects Sydney and Newcastle, was later known as the Great North Road. The Cessnock area became a popular stop for travelers and cattle drivers. A number of settlers, mostly wheat farmers, moved to the region in the 1860’s. In 1866, the German settler Heinrich Bouffier established the first vineyard around Cessnock.
Cessnock became a municipality in 1926. In 1956, its municipal government merged with other local areas to form the Greater Cessnock Municipal Council. In 1958, the council’s administrative area became the city of Greater Cessnock. It was renamed the city of Cessnock in 1984.
