ʌntˈɪl ðə kɹiːˈeɪʃən ʌvðə lˈoʊkəl ɡˈʌvɚnmənt ˈɛɹiə nˈoʊn æz ðə sˈɪɾi ʌv sˈɛsnɑːk, kˈɜːɹi kˈɜːɹi wʌzðə sˈɛntɚɹ ʌvðə ʃˈaɪɚɹ ʌv kˈɪɹsli, wˌɪtʃ ɪŋklˈuːdᵻd mˈoʊst əv ðə ɹˈʊɹɹəl ˈɛɹiəz ænd vˈɪlɪdʒᵻz ɚɹˈaʊnd ðə tˈaʊnʃɪp ʌv sˈɛsnɑːk ænd pˈɑːɹt ʌvðə wˈɛstɚn sˈʌbɜːbz ʌv mˈeɪtlənd.
Until the creation of the local government area known as the City of Cessnock, Kurri Kurri was the centre of the Shire of Kearsley, which included most of the rural areas and villages around the township of Cessnock and part of the western suburbs of Maitland.