On this page members of the Maitland and District Historical Society are sharing their research into a variety of aspects of the history of our locality. New stories will be added as they become available.
Use search to find stories about the person, place, topic or keyword you are interested in.
Helping hands from outside Maitland: the 1955 flood
David Russell and Malcolm Bailey were two of the many people from outside Maitland who travelled to the town to help during and after the 1955 flood.
John McLauchlin and drowning in floods
John McLauchlin, a baker, was drowned during a flood in 1870 while delivering bread to customers in South Maitland. Many others have drowned in Maitland’s floods.
Re-naming of Maitland’s public high schools in 1987 and 1990
When state Minister for Education Rodney Cavalier re-named two Maitland high schools, there was a strong community backlash and Cavalier’s initiative was eventually overturned.
Thomas Strode and the ill-fated Hunter River Gazette
The first newspaper to be published in Maitland lasted only seven months.
Alexander (Sandy) McDonald
Alexander McDonald was involved in local government and business in Maitland from the early 1920s to the mid-1950s and was much interested in the development of the Barrington Tops.