Walter Ernest Wearne (2 September 1867 – 17 January 1931) was an Australian politician and member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly from 1917 until 1930.

He was initially elected as an Independent but subsequently formed the Progressive Party of which he was the leader until it split into urban and rural wings in 1921.

[1] In the first two decades of the twentieth century, he became politically active supporting temperance organizations and the New England New State Movement of Earle Page.

He defeated the sitting member George Black who had been expelled from the Labor Party for supporting the Nationalist government of William Holman.

[2] Holman's conservative 'win the war' coalition broke up prior to the 1920 election which was conducted, for the first time, using proportional representation and multi-member seats.