Argenton is a suburb of the city of Lake Macquarie in New South Wales

New South Wales

New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...

, Australia

Australia

Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...

. It is located 16 kilometres (10 mi) west of the Newcastle's

Newcastle, New South Wales

The Newcastle metropolitan area is the second most populated area in the Australian state of New South Wales and includes most of the Newcastle and Lake Macquarie Local Government Areas...

 central business district

Central business district

A central business district is the commercial and often geographic heart of a city. In North America this part of a city is commonly referred to as "downtown" or "city center"...

 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

Newcastle, New South Wales

The Newcastle metropolitan area is the second most populated area in the Australian state of New South Wales and includes most of the Newcastle and Lake Macquarie Local Government Areas...

.
The Pasminco Lead and Zinc smelter was confirmed to begin dissasembly in 2005 for the cost of approx $6 mil. In 2009, it is nearing the end of demolition with clearing and replanting of land. It is expected the land will be used for industrial purposes as it is not suitable for residential development.

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 Pasminco Smelter saw 360 people losing their employment although it caused much pollution to the surrounding areas. Much controversy surrounded the Pasminco and many saw both positive and negative factors in its closing.

External links

• History of Argenton