VIEW OF MUSCLEBROOK
http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article63514380
MUSCLEBROOK is a postal town, in the parish of Rowan, electoral district of the Upper Hunter, and police districts of Musclebrook and Merton. It is situated on the Muscle Creek, and on the Hunter river, which, in its course from N. to S. skirts the township on its W. side. The district is agricultural and pastoral, principally the former, in the immediate neighbourhood of the town. There is a steam flour mill (Thrum’s) in the town. The nearest place is Denman, 15 miles W., and on the road to Merriwa and Cassilis, there being communication by coach twice a week. With Sydney, 150 miles S.E., the communication is by coach to Singleton, thence by rail to Newcastle, and thence by steamer. It is, however, intended to establish a station on the contemplated extension of the Great Northern Railway at Musclebrook, which will then connect it with Newcastle, a distance of 70 miles. There is a post and money order office, a telegraph station, a court house, where the petty and quarter sessions and district courts are held. There is a good hospital, supported partly by the government, and partly by voluntary contributions, open to the sick and infirm of the districts of Musclebrook and Merriwa, and to all others in urgent cases. The surrounding country is mostly flat, with a few undulating rises. It is well grassed and timbered. There are two Denominational schools in the town, which has a population of about 600 inhabitants, that of the entire police district being about 2000. The geological formation is principally carbonaceous sandstone and trap rock, with beds of slaty shale.