| MAITLAND - NEW SOUTH WALES - 2320 | ||||
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Population: 56,250, Height above sea level: 6m Latitude: -32.45.00S Longitude: 151.35.00E Location: 175km north of Sydney Highway: New England Hwy (15) Nearest Major Town: Maitland Nearest Airport: Maitland Touring Area: Hunter Valley and Coast |
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 The Old Maitland Gaol | |
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Maitland is the central city of the large Hunter Valley wine producing area, internationally acclaimed for
its produce. Located on the Hunter River it is an ideal touring point for exploring the food and wines of
the district. The old Maitland Gaol was built in 1844 and regular tours are provided or you can explore it yourself. The National Trust has classified Grossman House, a Georgian Mansion with a folk museum in Church St. There are also heritage walks around the city and the Maitland Regional Gallery contains local art works. Maitland was proclaimed a city in 1949. The Hunter Valley is one of Australia's leading wine producing areas and is within an easy 2 hour drive of Sydney just west of Newcastle. Located on the Hunter River in the southern section of the valley, Maitland is a major city of over 50,000 people and is renowned for its attractive and historic streetscape and the friendly nature of its inhabitants. The region was originally part of the tribal lands of the Mindaribba aboriginal people and their association with the area has been traced back some 15,000 years by anthropologists. Their name for Maitland was 'Boe-oon' meaning 'plain'. Their relationship with Maitland and the land can be seen at the Mindaribba Local Aboriginal Community Centre in Chelmsford Dve at Metford. Early settlements began in the 1820s with timber-cutters working in the area harvesting the Red Cedar which grew in abundance along the river. Other settlers took up property and planted crops and some established vineyards which became the forerunner of the massive wine industry which flourishes today. The town rapidly grew and at one stage it was larger than the nearby penal settlement at Newcastle and challenged Sydney as a future capital city of the colony. Maitland is actually a combination of three towns. Maitland, East Maitland and Morpeth. Each was settled separately and has its own character and features. Notable architects who contributed to the many magnificent buildings which line the main streets were Mortimer Lewis, Verge, Pender, Blacket and Barnet. There are many buildings of significance including Grossmann House (1871), a National Trust property in Church St, and Brough House, which contains the Art Gallery. There are several bridges of historical interest with wooden bridges at Morpeth, Hinton and Woodville being the only remaining examples of their style. PLACES OF INTEREST: HISTORIC SITES IN MAITLAND
REGULAR EVENTS
ACCOMMODATION & SERVICES: Maitland and the Hunter Valley have a large number of accommodation houses, motels, hotels, holiday units and caravan parks. Contact Maitland Information Centre for details. 
 INFORMATION CENTRE: Maitland Visitor Information centre Ministers Park, New England Hwy, Maitland, NSW. 2320 Ph: (02) 4933 2611. Maitland Visitor Email  HOW TO GET THERE: By Car North along the F3 from Sydney then New England Hwy (15) (175km). By Air: Yanda Airlines (02) 6572 3100. Daily Service between Sydney and Maitland Airport. Coaches: Daily Services. McCaffertys 131 499: Greyhound Pioneer. 132 030 Rail: CountryLink 4 XPT trains per dayr. 132 232 for for enquiries. |
© Copyright Peter W. Wilkins