Rutherford, New South Wales — interactive Google street map, satellite and terrain views, Street View, live local weather conditions and 7-day forecasts, real-time local and world news, and an editorial description of Rutherford, in the Maitland City Council local government area.
| Locality | Rutherford |
| State | New South Wales (NSW) |
| Local Government Area | Maitland City Council |
| Country | Australia |
| Timezone | Australian Eastern Time (AEST/AEDT) |
| Remoteness | Major Cities of Australia |
| Latitude | -32.71157 |
| Longitude | 151.51452 |
| Population | 11,788 |
| Density | 878.4 /km² |
| Area | 13.4 km² |
| Elevation | 38 m |
| Postcode | 2320 |
| Area Code | 02 |
| Distance to Sydney | 132 km north-northeast |
Rutherford is a locality in the Maitland City Council local government area of New South Wales, Australia. It has a population of 11,788. The locality covers an area of 13.4 km², giving a population density of about 878.4 people per km². It sits at an elevation of around 38 m above sea level. It lies approximately 132 km north-northeast of Sydney. Rutherford is located at 32.7116°S, 151.5145°E. It observes Australian Eastern Time (AEST/AEDT). Postcode: 2320.
Rutherford sits on the fertile plains where the Hunter River's influence is a constant, a place where the land, though gently rolling, holds a quiet strength. It lies 4.7 km north-west of Maitland, NSW (from Maitland, NSW: bearing 307°T), and is situated 8.5 km north-west of East Maitland. The air here carries a subtle dampness, a whisper of the waterways that nourish the surrounding country, and in the late afternoon, the sun casts a honeyed glow across the fields, softening the edges of the landscape. This is a place of broad horizons, where the sky feels vast and the distant hills, cloaked in a haze of green, offer a gentle punctuation to the agricultural expanse. The character of Rutherford is one of steady presence, a community rooted in the earth and its enduring cycles.
For generations, the economy of Rutherford has been intrinsically tied to the bounty of the Hunter Valley, with agriculture and grazing forming the bedrock of its sustenance. The rich alluvial soils, deposited by the river over millennia, have fostered a tradition of farming, and the echoes of this past are still discernible in the pattern of the land. Beyond the fields, the shadow of resource extraction, particularly coal mining in the wider region, has shaped the local narrative and economy, bringing both prosperity and its inherent challenges. A notable feature is the presence of significant transport links, including major roads that have historically facilitated the movement of goods and people, connecting Rutherford to neighbouring centres and further afield. This strategic position has allowed Rutherford to adapt and evolve, maintaining its agricultural roots while embracing its role as a vital hub within the Maitland City Council area.
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This page provides an interactive Google map of Rutherford, New South Wales with street, satellite and terrain views and integrated Street View imagery. Live weather conditions with current observations and a 7-day forecast are powered by Open-Meteo. Real-time local news and world news feeds keep the page current, while an editorially written description provides background on Rutherford, in the Maitland City Council local government area.
Detailed location data for Rutherford includes the postcode (2320), telephone area code (02), and local government area (Maitland City Council), with an ABS remoteness classification of Major Cities of Australia. These are among the most commonly searched location details for any Australian city, town or locality.
Location data is drawn from Geoscape Administrative Boundaries (GDA2020) and enriched with GeoNames and Australian Bureau of Statistics data, matched by coordinate proximity — ensuring the correct Rutherford is identified even where the name is shared across multiple localities.
| Page generated | June 2026 |
| Location data | Geoscape Administrative Boundaries (GDA2020); enriched with GeoNames and ABS 2021 Census data, matched by coordinate proximity |
| Description | Editorial description generated with AI assistance from verified Geoscape, ABS and GeoNames location data. |