About

Maitland: Our Place, Our Stories is an Initiative of the Maitland and District Historical Society with support from Maitland City Council and a growing number of contributors. It provides an online space for members of the Society to share our research findings with the wider community.

Why are we doing this?

We recognise the need to re-visit the recording of our history, to incorporate new evidence and understandings, to offer different perspectives, and to address previous omissions. We also recognise that we now live in an evolving world where technology is paramount.

Importantly, we also believe that to understand Maitland one needs to understand what it was and how it became what it is. The ups, the downs; when it laughed and when it cried. Maitland is a ‘lived in’ locality. There are sparkling new subdivisions but sometimes old and decayed places. It has character and character flaws. Above all, it has a sense of place.

We are keen to share what we have learnt about this place: its natural history; how nature formed what became Maitland and its environs; what it was like before Europeans; the relationship that existed between the Wonnarua people and their land; the first European incursions; the trickle that became a flood; the clash of cultures and subsequent effect on indigenous life; the place that, in all its complexities, has evolved over the past two centuries.

We are also keen to build on the work of previous historians who have, over the years, shared their passion for and research into the locality.

We invite you to make your way through the stories and resources we are sharing, and to keep revisiting the website as we add stories, resources and other material.

Acknowledgements

With thanks to Maitland City Council for its financial support of Maitland: Our Place, Our Stories through a Cultural and Local Studies Community Grant.