Paterson River

Paterson
River
Paterson River at Vacy, joined by the Allyn River (top right)
Name origin: Named after William Paterson
Country	Australia
State	New South Wales
Region	Hunter
Tributaries
- left	Allyn River
Cities	Gresford, Vacy, Paterson, Woodville, Hinton
Landmark	Lostock Dam
Source	Barrington Tops
- location	New South Wales, Hunter Region, Australia
- elevation	256 m (840 ft)
- coordinates	32°3′43.26″S 151°24′57″E
Mouth	Hunter River
- location	Hinton, Hunter Region, Australia
- elevation	3 m (10 ft)
- coordinates	32°43′7.7″S 151°38′33.7″E
Length	159 km (99 mi)

The Paterson River, a tributary of the Hunter River, is a significant river in the Hunter Region of New South Wales, Australia. Its headwaters are in the Barrington Tops National Park and it flows to join the Hunter River between Hinton and Morpeth. Between Hinton and Duns Creek it forms the border between the Port Stephens and Maitland Local Government Area.

Colonel William Paterson surveyed the area along the river in 1801. Later Governor King named it in his honour.

The river system courses through fertile the farming land of the Paterson and Allyn River Valleys and the historic Patersons Plains. Lostock Dam, 48 kilometres (30 mi) downstream from the source in the Barringtons, was constructed by the New South Wales Department of Water Resources to supply water for irrigation and was completed in 1971. The river is tidal to above the village of Paterson and below Vacy. The Allyn River, a tributary of the Paterson, joins the main river at Vacy.

Riverside towns within the Paterson's catchment include Gresford, Vacy, Paterson, Woodville and Hinton.