Argenton, New South Wales


Argenton is a suburb of the city of Lake Macquarie in New South Wales, Australia west of the Newcastle's central business district in Lake Macquarie's West Ward.

History

Lead smelting commenced in the area in 1898. A public school opened in 1897, but was closed six years later. Another school opened in 1953. The Newcastle Mines Rescue Station opened in 1927. The Waratah Golf Club was formed in 1901 and is the oldest golf club in Newcastle.
The Cockle Creek Smelter was confirmed to begin disassembly in 2005 for the cost of approx $6 mil. In 2009 it was nearing the end of demolition with clearing and replanting of land.

Population

In the 2016 Census, there were 1,351 people in Argenton. 86.6% of people were born in Australia and 88.1% of people only spoke English at home. The most common responses for religion were No Religion 27.6%, Anglican 21.7% and Catholic 20.6%.

Local interests

Argenton is a small suburb of Lake Macquarie commonly recognised for its BMX Club, Soccer Club and longstanding Bakery which under initial ownership claimed to have the best meat pie in Australia. With the opening of Glendale Supercentre within the boundaries of Argenton, the area has seen rapid growth in visitors travelling through the suburb. The demolition of the Cockle Creek Smelter saw 360 people losing their employment although it caused much pollution to the surrounding areas. Much controversy surrounded the smelter and many saw both positive and negative factors in its closing.