[8] The Hunter River rises on the western slopes of Mount Royal Range, part of the Liverpool Range, within Barrington Tops National Park, east of Murrurundi, and flows generally northwest and then southwest before being impounded by Lake Glenbawn; then flowing southwest and then east southeast before reaching its mouth of the Tasman Sea,[1] in Newcastle between Nobbys Head and Stockton.

[9][10] Towns along the Hunter River, from upstream to downstream, include Aberdeen, Muswellbrook, Denman, Jerrys Plains, Singleton, Maitland, Morpeth and Raymond Terrace.

It is the largest area of relatively low-lying land near the coast of New South Wales, and owing to the shielding by rugged ranges to its north, is much drier than any other coastal region of the state.

[citation needed] Around the Barrington Tops on the northern side of the valley, however, annual precipitation can be as high as 2,000 mm (79 in), not all of which falls as rain since July temperatures are often below 0 °C (32 °F).

These are the only soils in all of Australia with reasonable levels of soluble phosphorus,[citation needed] with the result that upstream from Singleton very rich pasture land with many thoroughbred horse studs occurs.

[12] The Hunter River is threatened by drought, climate change[citation needed] and proposed loss of water due to coal mining.

The Hunter River has been inhabited for thousands of years by the Wonnarua Aboriginal people, who called it the Coquun (/koʊˈkwɪn/), meaning "fresh water".