The wall, if constructed, would stand where some of Maitland’s first migrants came ashore in 1832 aboard the steam ship Sophia Jane and compliment a plaque unveiled during the nation’s 1988 bicentenary celebrations.

The idea is similar to Sydney’s wall of landing and stairs between First Fleet Park and George Street.

Mr Murray’s wall would also memorialise the area’s Aboriginals at a place they called Lillaunga, which was previously an abundant source of food.

Mr Murray, an avid historian, developed the idea while touring local schools exhibiting aboriginal and early European artefacts.

“If I don’t do it now it will never ­happen,” he said.

“The sandstone is sitting there next to Maitland Gaol but if we don’t act it will be forgotten.”

Mr Murray said the sandstone – stored at the Morpeth Road site – from the original and now demolished Pitnacree Bridge would be a good start.

“There’s our wall, there’s our ­history, just sitting there,” he said.

“We just need to transfer it to the wharf.”

Little is left of the old wharf just pylons. A concrete path leads to the water’s edge which Mr Murray said could be widened and sandstone ­abutments installed to create a tourist landing site for a tour boat.

“You could imagine boats coming up from Newcastle and people stepping off, looking at the wall, and saying ‘this is where my ancestors landed’,” he said.

“We could even have plaques for those first families.”