A team of highly skilled archaeologists and historians will further explore Maitland’s history-laden past in an attempt to unearth some of the city’s greatest secrets.
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In a first for the city, the team will undertake research as part of an Archaeological Management Plan for central Maitland.
The study is expected to be completed by June 2013 and will help property owners and council in the management
and information requirements for new development.
“Our city began as an unplanned settlement in the early 1800s which created a complex pattern of development before formal grants were made by Governor Lachlan Macquarie in 1818,” Maitland City Council heritage officer Clare James said.
From there Maitland became an attractive river port, supplying neighbouring settlements and servicing the needs of those travelling further inland.
“The town quickly became a thriving centre attracting prominent merchants, and also the fledgling Jewish community, showing it was attractive to those able to take advantage of investments in a rapidly growing part of the colony,” Ms James said.
She said the imminent research would be a window to this part of the city’s history and evolution.
“[The research] will provide an insight into people’s lives – where and how they lived,” Ms James said.
“It will explore and locate industries that were established to sustain the community and help the city grow, such as mills, soap factories, tanneries, candle making factories, as well as community meeting places of recreation – early hotels and the river. All such places are layers that we walk over and live amongst today.”
The research team is urging those with information about Maitland’s history to help with the study.
“The team recognises that there is much information known and passed down through generations and would like to hear from people who might know about remnants of times past; it may be a well, a basement, stone footings or old machinery which may lie buried and long forgotten,” Ms James said.
The study has been funded through the NSW Heritage Grants Program and Maitland City Council.