Abernethy, New South Wales

Abernethy is a small town in the City of Cessnock, in the Hunter Region in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Abernethy is located 8 kilometres south-east of the town of Cessnock, NSW and is adjacent to Werakata National Park and the Aberdare State Forest. The town was founded near a coal mine and some of the historic buildings remain (including the Abernethy Hotel which now operates as a guest house).Mining historyThe town's origins lie in the establishment of the Aberdare South Colliery which was operated by Caledonian Collieries Limited. The town was laid out in 1906 and the mine commenced operation in 1913. The mine closed in 1927.Some structures of the old Colliery are still present on the site including the winder house, the chimney stack and dam.Bushfire in 2002On 19 October 2002, a large bushfire in Abernethy claimed the life of Sydney businessman Ronald Gillett, destroyed six homes and damaged many more.A 2004 inquest found that the fire was deliberately lit "by persons unknown". A subsequent inquest reached a similar conclusion in 2008. In February 2010, Police announced a $100,000 reward for information that leads to the arrest of the arsonist.