The Paterson River is a river in the Hunter Region of New South Wales, Australia. Its headwaters are in the Barrington Tops National Park and flows to join the Hunter River between Morpeth and Hinton. Between Hinton and Duns Creek it forms the border between Port Stephens and Maitland councils.
Colonel William Paterson surveyed the area along the river in 1801. Later Governor King named it in his honour.
The river courses through fertile the farming land of the Paterson valley. Lostock Dam in the Barringtons was constructed to ameliorate substantial floods that occur at various times.
The Allyn River is a tributary of the Paterson and towns along the route include, Gresford, Vacy, Paterson, Woodville and Hinton.