Upper Hunter Shire

Upper Hunter Shire New South Wales
Location in New South Wales
Population:	14,043(2009)
• Density:	1.7/km² (4.4/sq mi)
Coordinates:	32°05′S 150°51′E
Area:	8071 km² (3,116.2 sq mi)
Mayor:	Lee Watts
Council Seat:	Scone (130 Liverpool Street)
Region:	Hunter
State electorate:	Upper Hunter
Federal Division:	Hunter
Website: http://upperhunter.local-e.nsw.gov.au/
LGAs around Upper Hunter Shire: Liverpool Plains Tamworth Walcha Warrumbungle Upper Hunter Shire Gloucester Mid-Western Muswellbrook Dungog

Old Church, outside Wingen, Upper Hunter, NSW.

The Upper Hunter Shire is a Local Government Area in the Hunter Region of New South Wales, Australia. It was formed in May 2004 from Scone Shire and parts of Murrurundi and Merriwa shires. The shire council's vision is "A Quality Rural Lifestyle - in a caring and thriving community". Along with the Muswellbrook and Singleton shire councils, it forms a sub-region of the Hunter Valley, which is commonly known as the "Upper Hunter Region", or simply the "Upper Hunter". In June 2008 the area had an estimated population of 14,043. The Upper Hunter is the largest horse-rearing region in Australia.

The Burning Mountain Nature Reserve, near Wingen, is the site of a subterranean coal seam fire that has been burning for several thousand years.

The council also owns several FM rebroadcasters of ABC Radio National and SBS Radio, under the self-help schemes run by those broadcasters.

Towns

The towns of the Upper Hunter are Scone, Aberdeen, Murrurundi, and Merriwa, as well as several villages, including Bunnan, Gundy, Moonan Flat, Ellerston, Wingen, Blandford and Cassilis. Of the towns, only Aberdeen on the Shire's south eastern border is situated on the Hunter River.