Students from academic selective schools at Merewether and Gosford blitzed the field again in 2009. Students from selective arts school the Hunter School of Performing Arts also made their mark.

Overall the number of Hunter and Central Coast students on the NSW Distinguished Achievers list was slightly lower compared with the record amount in 2008, down from to 1279 to 1216.

However, Hunter students proved they were better all-round achievers, with the number of local students getting a mark above 90 in every subject up by a third in 2009.

There were a further 57 who made the Top Achievers list, for students who make the top five to 20 places in their course.

There, Hunter School of Performing Arts students upstaged Merewether High with more mentions, as did Hunter TAFE.

On the distinguished achievers list public and private schools recorded a mix of results.

Schools get one credit for each student who scores over 90 in a subject.

Merewether and Gosford high both built on previous years' successes.

Government schools Cessnock High and West Wallsend High made the list while Francis Greenway, Kurri Kurri and Morisset High fell off.

Kotara High almost doubled last year's result and Maitland Grossman High built on mentions in both the all-round and top achievers lists.

In the private sector Newcastle Grammar School, Scone Grammar School and all three campuses of St Philip's Christian College bettered their marks while St Francis Xavier College and Hunter Valley Grammar both recorded drops.

A record 7466 students in the Hunter and Central Coast sat the HSC this year out of 68,406 in NSW.

Education Minister Verity Firth said yesterday 45,000 students looked up their results online, 11,000 received them via text message and 23 had accessed their marks through their Playstation game consoles.

Students can access the new Australian Tertiary Admission Rank today. with AAP