Kentucky, New South Wales
Kentucky is a small village in the New England region of New South Wales, Australia. It sits about 17 kilometres south of Uralla, 35 kilometres north-west of Walcha, and around 7 kilometres off the New England Highway on the Northern Tablelands. The village is at an altitude of 1,066 metres and is part of Uralla Shire.
The population was 158 at the 2016 census, but the current number of residents is about 60.
A notable local event happened on 25 May 1870 when bushranger Captain Thunderbolt was killed at Kentucky Creek, Uralla. The Kentucky railway station on the Main North Line opened in 1882; it is now closed, though daily trains still pass through the area.
Kentucky was once part of a soldier settlement program after World War I. The Kentucky Returned Soldiers Settlement began in 1918, covering about 7,319 acres with eighty farms, and a large orchard area of around 1,200 acres growing apples, pears, prunes, plums and cherries. The Kentucky Memorial Hall has a plaque honoring the original soldier settlers and local service members.
About 4 kilometres south of Kentucky is Kentucky South, a former rail siding that operated from 1926 to 1975. The district now hosts Merino sheep studs, high-quality wool production, beef cattle, and several orchards. The Kentucky Tree Nursery grows many trees and shrubs for farming.
Eastview Estate, developed since 2009 to the north-east of the village, features a boutique distillery and brewery (Dobson’s), a fine-dining restaurant (Pinot) and a nightclub (The Speakeasy). Kentucky also has two churches, a community hall, a general store and a public school. Some local gardens open to the public through open gardens schemes and community events.
This page was last edited on 2 February 2026, at 13:43 (CET).