Morisset, New South Wales facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Morisset Greater Newcastle, New South Wales
Morisset Location in New South Wales
Population	3,213 (2016 census) 25,662 (2019)
• Density	118.56/km2 (307.1/sq mi)
Established	1887
Postcode(s)	2264
Elevation	35 m (115 ft)
Area	27.1 km2 (10.5 sq mi)
Location	27 km (17 mi) NNE of Wyong 111 km (69 mi) NNE of Sydney 45 km (28 mi) SW of Newcastle 35 km (22 mi) N of The Entrance 45 km (28 mi) N of Gosford
LGA(s)	City of Lake Macquarie
Parish	Morisset
State electorate(s)	Lake Macquarie
Federal Division(s)	Hunter
Suburbs around Morisset: Cooranbong Dora Creek Lake Macquarie Mandalong Morisset Bonnells Bay Wyee Wyee Point Lake Macquarie

Morisset is a commercial centre and suburb of the City of Lake Macquarie, Central Coast in New South Wales, Australia, and is located west of Lake Macquarie just off the Sydney-Newcastle Freeway. It is also located approximately halfway between Gosford and Newcastle. The count at the 2016 Census was 3,213 for the gazetted suburb of Morisset. The estimated urban population of the Morisset area, including Cooranbong, was 25,662 as at June 2019. The area has experienced moderate growth over the five years to 2019 with an average year-on-year rate of 1.79 percent.

History

The town is named for Major James Thomas Morisset, who camped there in 1823 while making the overland journey from Sydney to Newcastle. Historically there has been considerable confusion over the spelling of the suburb: Morissett, Morriset, Morrissett and Morrisset have been used.

The earliest settlement in the area was at Cooranbong in 1826, about 5 kilometres (3.1 mi) west of the current town and near the foot of the Watagan Mountains.

In 1908, a psychiatric hospital opened on a large estate along the lake shore. At its height in the 1960s, Morisset Mental Hospital had 1,600 patients. The Hospital continues to dominate Morisset's reputation, although it is now only a 130-bed hospital.

In more recent times, the Morisset Peninsula to the east of the town has become the main residential area. It has experienced a high rate of growth since the construction of Eraring Power Station in 1986. Most of Bonnells Bay is now what long-time residents quaintly refer to as "high-density housing", although by city standards it is decidedly low-density. Several retirement villages have been built, most of them only in the last decade. Subdivision of larger blocks has come close to saturation in many suburbs, with only a few hobby-farms still remaining, although the majority of the Morisset district and peninsula remain bushland and National Park and Aboriginal reserves.

Transport

Morisset train station

Morisset railway station, located on Dora Street, is linked to Sydney and Newcastle by NSW TrainLink services on the Central Coast & Newcastle Line, and to Maitland and towns further north by long-distance services.

The train station serves as a terminus for bus services 278 and 279 covering the Morisset Peninsula towns and 280 to Cooranbong. These services are operated by Hunter Valley Buses, which acquired the previous provider Toronto Bus. In July 2009, Rover Coaches commenced a new weekday service, Route 163, to Cessnock and Kurri Kurri.

Education

Morisset contains a state primary school, a state high school and a Catholic school. Morisset Public School opened in 1891 and started accommodating high school classes in 1951. These classes transferred to a new high school campus, Morisset High School, at the start of the 1965 school year, with the public school returning to purely primary education.

A Catholic primary school, St John Vianney School, opened on 17 January 1962, and was initially administered by the Sisters of St Joseph until becoming part of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Maitland-Newcastle in 1966.