Kempsey

Kempsey, New South Wales, Australia

Kempsey, town, northeastern New South Wales, Australia. It lies 25 miles (40 km) upstream from the coastal mouth of the Macleay River.

Kempsey was established in 1836 and named for the Valley of Kempsey on the River Severn in Worcestershire, England. It was at first accessible only by sea via the harbour at Trial Bay. It was proclaimed a municipality in 1886. The principal town of the Macleay valley, Kempsey has suffered from floods caused partly by deforestation of the nearby highlands. The town is located on the Pacific Highway, some 145 miles (230 km) north-northeast of Newcastle, and on the rail line between Sydney and Brisbane. Kempsey serves a district of dairy, corn (maize), and fodder farming and lumbering. Its industries include dairy and bacon processing and furniture, plywood, veneer, plaster, brick, and pipe manufacture. A spring festival and rodeo are held there in October, and a district agricultural show is held in April. Pop. (2006) local government area, 27,387; (2011) local government area, 28,134.