Division of Paterson

Paterson Australian House of Representatives Division
Division of Paterson in New South Wales, as of the 2016 federal election.
Created	1949
Dates current	1949–84, 1992–present
MP	Meryl Swanson
Party	Labor
Namesake	Banjo Paterson
Electors	112,575 (2016)
Area	1,123 km2 (433.6 sq mi)
Demographic	Rural
Coordinates	32°24′25″S 151°55′5″E / 32.40694°S 151.91806°E / -32.40694; 151.91806Coordinates: 32°24′25″S 151°55′5″E / 32.40694°S 151.91806°E / -32.40694; 151.91806

The Division of Paterson is an Australian electoral division in the state of New South Wales. It is located just north of Newcastle, on the coast of the Tasman Sea. The division is named after federation-era poet and author Banjo Paterson and was originally created in 1949 and abolished in 1984. It was recreated after a redistribution in 1992.

The division is located in the lower Hunter Valley and lower North Coast. It includes the towns of Maitland, Kurri Kurri, Raymond Terrace, Tarro and Woodberry.

Paterson was first created at the redistribution of 11 May 1949. It was named after Banjo Paterson although there is conjecture that it was originally named after Colonel William Paterson who also gave his name to the Paterson River and the town of Paterson, both of which were situated within the electorate. It was first contested at the 1949 election. At the time it included the towns of Singleton, Maitland and Muswellbrook. Redistributions eventually moved the electorate north until it included Gunnedah and Mudgee. This incarnation was held by the conservative parties—Liberal and National—for its entire existence, and for most of that time was safely conservative. The original electorate was abolished at the 11 October 1984 redistribution.