Central Maitland Interpretation Plan

A plan to bring the heritage of Central Maitland to life through walks, installations and web based media is underway.

The 2014 Central Maitland Interpretation Masterplan evokes key themes and stories aimed to provoke interest and leave a strong impression as to Central Maitland's heritage significance. Along with sharing Maitland's history, it seeks to contribute to the revitalisation of the city centre.

The themes which will have a contemporary presence in the streets of Central Maitland include:

  • Poverty and Prosperity paints a picture of the evolution of Central Maitland and is the first theme to be developed with funding assistance through the NSW Heritage Near Me program.
  • The River Speaks reflects the river environment as the lifeblood of Maitland. It was the source of prosperity for Indigenous people for tens of thousands of years, and enjoyment, tragedy and economic ruin through the 19th and 20th century. Its story weaves through the fortunes of the City's history.
  • Heroes and Villains illustrates two sides of Maitland's past - the stories of the artisans, professionals, tradespeople and heroes who made Maitland magnificent, on the one hand, and of drunkenness, debauchery, murderers, prostitutes and thieves on the other.
  • Architecture will celebrate Central Maitland's great tradition of nineteenth and twentieth century commercial and residential building, which created streets of Georgian elegance and Victorian exuberance.