Air quality monitoring in the Upper Hunter

Upper Hunter region

The monitoring region in the Upper Hunter runs from Merriwa in the north-west to near Broke in the south-east, across the local government areas of Upper Hunter, Muswellbrook and Singleton. Download the network site information (XLSX 44KB).

The Upper Hunter Air Quality Monitoring Network was created by the department, in partnership with the Upper Hunter coal and power industries, in response to community concern about the effect of coal mining on air quality in the region. The monitoring stations were established between 2010 and 2012.

Monitoring

All monitoring stations report on:

• PM₁₀ particles (particles with a diameter of 10 micrometres (µm) or less)
• wind speed
• wind direction
• temperature and humidity.

Four stations (Muswellbrook, Singleton, Merriwa and Camberwell) also report on particles with a diameter 2.5 µm or less (PM_2.5). Reporting for nitrogen dioxide (NO₂) and sulfur dioxide (SO₂) data is undertaken at 3 stations (Muswellbrook, Singleton and Merriwa), and reporting of rain data is undertaken at 7 stations.

Reporting

We provide hourly values of pollutant levels measured at these stations. For 3 stations, Muswellbrook, Singleton and Merriwa, we provide more detailed air quality data:

• The Upper Hunter Air Quality Monitoring Network map displays current air quality conditions across the network
• Search historical data.

Annual reports

You can also find more air quality information for the Upper Hunter region in our annual air quality monitoring reports.

Newsletters

Seasonal air quality newsletters are published for the Upper Hunter region.

Five-year network review

The second 5-year review of the Upper Hunter Air Quality Monitoring Network was published in 2022. This review covers the network operations between 2017 and 2021 inclusive.

The first review of the network, which reviews the initial 5 years of operation up to 2016, was undertaken in 2017:

• Better evidence, stronger networks, healthy communities – 5-year review of the Upper Hunter Air Quality Monitoring Network
• Upper Hunter Air Quality Monitoring Network – 5-year review 2022.

Research studies

The Upper Hunter Valley Particle Characterisation Study was carried out in 2012 to study the composition of fine particles 2.5 microns and smaller in diameter (PM_2.5) in the towns of Singleton and Muswellbrook: 

• Download a summary of the report (PDF 145KB).
• Go to the full report.

Advisory committee

In September 2010, the Upper Hunter Air Quality Monitoring Network Advisory Committee was established. The charter of the committee is to advise the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water and the Environment Protection Authority on matters specifically related to the design and operation of the Upper Hunter Air Quality Monitoring Network.