Waratah, New South Wales

Waratah Newcastle, New South Wales
270px Waratah Village Shopping Centre in March 2011
Waratah
Coordinates
Population	4,760 (2011 census)
• Density	2,510/km2 (6,490/sq mi)
Established	1871
Postcode(s)	2298
Area	1.9 km2 (0.7 sq mi)
Time zone	AEST (UTC+10)
• Summer (DST)	AEDT (UTC+11)
Location	6 km (4 mi) WNW of Newcastle
LGA(s)	City of Newcastle
Region	Hunter
County	Northumberland
Parish	Newcastle
State electorate(s)	Newcastle Wallsend
Federal Division(s)	Newcastle
Suburbs around Waratah: Waratah West Mayfield Mayfield Waratah West Waratah Georgetown Lambton Lambton Broadmeadow

Waratah is a north-western residential suburb of Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia 6 kilometres (4 mi) from Newcastle's central business district and bounded on the north by the Main North railway line. Waratah station was opened in 1858 and is served by NSW TrainLink's Hunter line.

History

Waratah was once a major municipality in its own right, with an elected council and mayor, incorporated in 1871. Two notable mayors, both elected to the office three times each were John Scholey and auctioneer N.B.Creer, both of whom resided at North Waratah (now Mayfield, New South Wales). Scholey was instrumental in the establishment of the Waratah Bowling Club of which he was also patron.

Originally Waratah had as its industrial base a large colliery bearing its name.

The suburb contains a major acute hospital, the Calvary Mater (formerly the "Mater Misericordiae"), owned by the Roman Catholic Sisters of Mercy, who, until recently occupied all the most senior nursing positions. Nearby is an established major 150+ -bed independent Home of the Elderly, Maroba.

Schools

• Callaghan College Waratah Technology Campus (Years 7–10) (formerly Waratah High School, and before that Newcastle Boys' High School)
• Waratah Public School (State sector)
• St. Philip's Christian College
• Corpus Christi (Roman Catholic Primary School)

Local landmarks

File:Waratah BC 1974.jpg

Singles Championships at Waratah Bowling Club (now closed) in 1974, sponsored by Gilbeys Gin and in which English world champion David Bryant competed

• Calvary Mater Hospital
• Maroba Nursing Home
• Waratah Rugby Union Football Club
• Waratah Oval
• Waratah has one shopping centre, Waratah Village, containing a Coles and a Kmart store, a Newsagent, a Post Office, Newcastle Permanent Building Society branch, and other specialty stores. Every Christmas it is renowned for an exuberant lighting display. A smaller strip of shops is still surviving in Station Street, approximately 200 m (656 ft) away and contains The Waratahs Rugby Union Football Club, two hotels (The Royal (Purple) and The Town Hall (Orange)) and some smaller shops.