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.

Chas Keys 14/12/22 Chas Keys 14/12/22

Names of early Maitland

Many place names in the Maitland area, current before Europeans arrived and afterwards, have disappeared but some remain in use.

Chas Keys 14/12/22 Chas Keys 14/12/22

Half a century ago …

In the 1890s the Maitland Mercury republished items from its early editions to describe how the area and people’s lives had changed over the years. Here a focus is on the first item in the series.

Chas Keys 6/12/22 Chas Keys 6/12/22

Ploughing matches

Ploughing matches were once important to the agricultural economy of the Maitland area and were well attended by the public as sporting contests.

Chas Keys 6/12/22 Chas Keys 6/12/22

The great flood of 1893

The 1893 flood was the worst experienced in the Maitland area in the European era, with much privation experienced by residents especially in West Maitland and on the farms.

Michael Belcher 15/10/22 Michael Belcher 15/10/22

Bob Watson - sprinting champion

Bob Watson was a Maitland runner, famous for his sprinting victories against all comers in Maitland and Sydney during the 1870s.