Mount Sugarloaf (New South Wales)

Mount Sugarloaf, also known as Great Sugar Loaf, is a mountain in the lower Hunter Region of New South Wales, Australia, overlooking the cities of Newcastle, Lake Macquarie, Cessnock and Maitland.[1][2] The summit of the mountain is in the Lake Macquarie suburb of West Wallsend and access to the summit is gained via this suburb. However, the mountain itself is also part of the city of Cessnock suburbs Mulbring and Richmond Vale.[3] It is home to television transmitters that broadcast to the lower Hunter region. On 18 and 19 July 1965, the mountain received 10 centimetres (4 in) of snow. It also snowed on the summit in the winter of 1975.

Mount Sugarloaf
Great Sugar Loaf
Mount Sugarloaf viewed from West Wallsend
Highest point
Elevation412 m (1,352 ft)
Coordinates32°52′54″S 151°32′4″E [1][2]
Geography
Mount Sugarloaf
Location of Mount Sugarloaf in New South Wales
LocationHunter Region, New South Wales, Australia
Parent rangeSugarloaf Range
Topo mapNEWCASTLE 9232,
WALLSEND 92323S
Climbing
Easiest routeRoad to carpark at 370 m (1,214 ft), walking track to summit

Television transmitters

The mountain has two broadcast transmission towers. Since the 1960s their main function has been to transmit analogue television on VHF. In the 1990s two UHF analogue stations began to transmit from there. Since 2003, they have also been transmitting digital television in the UHF band (all digital television in the lower Hunter is on UHF). The analogue television transmitters (VHF and UHF) were switched off in November 2012. One tower, built to transmit the original VHF analogue television services of NBN Television on VHF Channel 3, transmits NBN and two government digital TV services. It is commonly referred to as the "NBN Tower". The second tower is transmitting the other two commercial digital (UHF) TV stations. The second tower is controlled by Broadcast Australia, being formerly run by the National Transmission Authority. There are many other radio antennae on these towers, including 105.3 NEWFM (Newcastle's original commercial FM broadcaster – launching in 1989) and those belonging to Amateur Radio repeater and beacon stations.

Smaller tower

There is a third smaller tower that has many directional antennae, mainly used for telecommunications, but also for two way radio for emergency services and other similar purposes. It has Telstra markings on much of the equipment and sheds.

Aboriginal History

Mount Sugarloaf is a significant site for the Awabakal people in particular and for all Aboriginal peoples in the area. It provides a vantage point to view all Awabakal lands and is an important teaching place. Sacred ceremonies are known to have taken place there.[4]

  • Looking toward Newcastle from the Mount Sugarloaf carpark
  • Transmission Tower at Mount Sugarloaf
  • Plaque commemorating the first recorded snowfall on the mountain in 1965
  • Mount Surgarloaf (just left of centre) as seen from inner city Newcastle
  • View from the top
Sugarloaf Range viewed from near Cockle Creek railway station, Boolaroo

See also

References
  1. "Mount Sugarloaf". Geographical Names Register (GNR) of NSW. Geographical Names Board of New South Wales. Retrieved 25 August 2010.
  2. "Great Sugar Loaf". Geographical Names Register (GNR) of NSW. Geographical Names Board of New South Wales. Retrieved 25 August 2010.
  3. "West Wallsend". Land and Property Management Authority - Spatial Information eXchange. New South Wales Land and Property Information. Retrieved 7 September 2010.
  4. Umwelt Environmental Consultants (2009). Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Assessment: Aboriginal Archaeological Assessment of Proposed Ammonium Nitrate Emulsion Production Facility, and Continued Operation of Orica Mining Services Technology Centre, Richmond Vale NSW. p. 25.

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