town, eastern New South Wales, Australia, in the upper Hunter River valley. It was founded in 1827 and called Muscle Brook (after mussels found in a local stream), and its name has been further corrupted to Muswellbrook. Proclaimed a town in 1833, it became a municipality in 1870. A rail junction on the New England Highway, 70 miles (113 km) northwest of Newcastle, Muswellbrook serves a district of coal mining and farming, including vineyards. Clothing, tires, cement, and bricks are also manufactured. Pop. (2006) local government area, 15,236.