Russell Vale, New South Wales

Russell Vale is a small suburb of Wollongong in the Illawarra region of New South Wales, Australia. It straddles the Princes Highway. The suburb is suggested to have been named after the son of Francis Peter MacCabe, Russell, who died in an accident; although "Russell" it is more likely to be named after the MacCabe property, Russell, the namesake of Francis McCabe's mother.^[2]

Sporting amenities

Russell Vale is the home of the Russell Vale Golf Course, opened in 1986. It also comprises the soccer field of Cawley Park, the homeground of the Russell Vale Soccer Club.

Demographics

At the 2016 census, Russell Vale had a population of 1,547,^[1] an increase of 314 or 25% from the population of 1,233 at the 2001 census.^[3]

Median family incomes in Russell Vale were slightly below average for the Wollongong LGA at $1,728 per week,^[1] compared with $1,710 per week^[4] respectively. Despite this, median rents were $30 per week greater in Russell Vale at $350 than in the rest of the Wollongong LGA, although median monthly mortgage repayments were the same at $1950.^[1][4]

Mining

Russell Vale Colliery is an underground coal mine under the Woronora Plateau in the Sydney Drinking Water Catchment Area to the west of Russell Vale. The mine has been in operation since the 1880s using various underground mining methods to mine different coal seams. More recently, the mine has come under attack from local residents, as subsidence and cracking attributed to the mine's activities have been observed in the catchment area ^[5]

References

Coordinates: 34°21′29″S 150°54′04″E / 34.358°S 150.901°E / -34.358; 150.901