Community safety

Here, you can find a range of information about initiatives to help you feel safe and connected in our community, including information about the Maitland Community Safety Plan, Alcohol Free Zones and Domestic Violence. 

Safety plan

From 2013-2016 the Maitland Community Safety Plan (MCSP) was the strategy through which Council coordinated its efforts to produce and encourage a safer and more inclusive community. This plan was endorsed by the Attorney General’s Department as a Safer Communities Compact.

In 2016 Council resolved to focus community safety and crime prevention initiatives in the three commercial precincts of The Levee, East Maitland, and Rutherford. A detailed data analysis of crime and data trends was developed. Additionally, consultation with community stakeholders and Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design audits in the three precincts was conducted. An extensive literature review of community safety, crime prevention and CCTV informed the identification of key issues and recommended actions to enhance and sustain actual and perceived safety in the three commercial precincts and across the city.

Proposed strategies in the implementation plan of the Maitland Commercial Precincts Crime Prevention and Community Safety Strategy cover:

  • Place Activation
  • Designing for Safety
  • Safe and Secure in Maitland
  • Youth Connections
  • Rutherford Revitalisation
Alcohol Free Zones

Alcohol Free Zones are an early intervention measure to prevent the escalation of irresponsible street drinking to incidents involving serious crime.

The drinking of alcohol is prohibited in alcohol free zones that have been established by Maitland City Council. Public places that are public roads, footpaths or public car parks may be included in a zone. Alcohol Free Zones promote the safe use of these roads, footpaths and car parks without the interference from irresponsible street drinkers.

Alcohol Free Zones shall be enforced as per Sections 642, 644, 645 and 648 of the Local Government Act 1993. The Police are responsible for enforcing Alcohol Free Zones.

Any person observed to be drinking in an alcohol free zone may have the alcohol in their possession immediately seized and tipped out or otherwise disposed of.

Alcohol Free Zones in Maitland are located in the following areas:

Maitland CBD

The amended area proposed comprises roads or parts of roads including footpaths and/or public car parks bounded by:

  1. Riverside Walk from the Belmore Bridge east to Cathedral Street, then south to High Street.
  2. Belmore Bridge along Ken Tubman Drive and Alan Walsh Drive to and including Maitland Station railway overpass.
  3. Maitland Station railway overpass following railway line east and including Maitland station car park to Elgin Street.
  4. The railway line north along Elgin Street to the intersection of Olive Street then continuing into Bulwer Street to the intersection of Ken Tubman Drive.
  5. East Ken Tubman Drive from Bulwer Street to include the Cinema car park and then north, including the council leased Uniting Church car park to High Street and then West to Cathedral Street.

View the map.

Rutherford Shopping Precinct

The area currently designated as Alcohol Free Zone comprises roads or parts of roads including footpaths and /or public car parks, bounded by:

  1. The southeastern corner of the intersection between the New England Highway and Arthur Street, then north along the New England Highway to the centreline of Alexandra Avenue;
  2. The New England Highway east along the centreline of Alexandra Avenue to western side of West Mall, south to North Mall then east along the northern side of North Mall to Weblands Street;
  3. Weblands Street west to the rear boundary of Rutherford Shopping Centres Pty Ltd, then south to the rear boundary of 3 Arthur Street, then west to north western corner of the property located at 7 Arthur Street, then south to the southern side of Arthur Street and Woodberry Street intersection;
  4. Woodberry Street west to the New England Highway.

View the map.

Additionally, NSW Police have requested and indicate full support of the instatement of an Alcohol-Free Zone for the Greenhills Shopping Precinct.

The proposed designated area comprises roads or parts of roads including footpaths and/or public car parks bounded by: 

  1. The New England Highway north-west between Chelmsford Drive and Mitchell Drive.  
  2. The corner Mitchell Drive and New England Highway west towards corner of Mitchell Drive and Garnett Road inclusive of Garnett Road and Mitchell Drive.  
  3. Corner Garnett Road and Mitchell Drive east towards corner Mitchell Drive and Stronach Avenue.  
  4. Corner Mitchell Drive and Stronach Avenue south towards corner Stronach Avenue and Two Mile Creek  
  5. Corner Stronach Avenue and Two Mile Creek north-east to corner Two Mile Creek and Molly Morgan Drive.  
  6. Corner Two Mile Creek and Molly Morgan Drive south towards corner Molly Morgan Drive and Chelmsford Drive 
  7. Corner Molly Morgan Drive and Chelmsford Drive north-east to corner Chelmsford Drive and New England Highway. 

View the map.

 

Alcohol Prohibited Areas

Consumption of alcohol in the areas designated Alcohol Prohibited Areas is in breach of the Local Government Amendment (confiscation of Alcohol) Act 2010 section 632A.

Alcohol Prohibited Areas in the Maitland local government area are situated in the following areas:

  1. Harold Gregson Reserve - Maitland
  2. Ernie Jurd Memorial Oval - Largs
  3. Metford Recreational Reserve - Metford
  4. Rutherford Youth Space - Rutherford
  5. Thornton Park - Thornton
  6. Fred Harvey Oval – Woodberry
  7. Maitland Skateboard Centre - Maitland

Any person observed to be drinking in an Alcohol Prohibited Area may have the alcohol in their possession immediately seized and tipped out or otherwise disposed of and for non-cooperation with a police request a maximum penalty of $2,200 applies.

Domestic Violence

Domestic violence is violent, abusive or intimidating behaviour in a relationship. Types of abuse can include verbal, psychological, emotional, social, financial, physical, sexual and/or harassment and stalking.

For information and referrals to support services near you, call the 24 hour NSW Domestic Violence Line on 1800 656 463.

For further information visit the Domestic Violence NSW website.