Maitland community groups to lead city's bicentenary of European settlement

Plans to commemorate the anniversary will be left to community groups, if councillors adopt a staff recommendation to be tabled on Tuesday.

In her report to councillors, Marketing and Communications manager Rachel MacLucas has recommended that council doesn’t officially take part in commemorations in 2018.

Instead, she recommended council lead celebrations for the bicentenary of the official naming of Maitland in 2029.

Ms MacLucas noted that research had been conducted by council’s heritage officer and local studies librarian.

She also noted that meetings had been held with representatives from Maitland Historical Society to determine a suitable date to signify the bicentenary of European settlement of Maitland.

The consensus view is July, 1818 – the date Governor Macquarie officially stated he was allowing settlement of the area.

Maitland Historical Society has indicated it plans to celebrate the occasion and is expected to be joined by other community groups.

“Before considering any role council might potentially plan in these commemorations, consultation was undertaken with the local Aboriginal community through the Mindaribba Local Aboriginal Land Council to ascertain their views,” Ms MacLucas said in her report.

“Understandably they have very strong thoughts on the matter and have indicated they would not be supportive of any council driven commemoration. 

“The bicentenary of European settlement represents a period of great sadness, distress and tragedy for their people and any efforts to celebrate would be seen as a direct affront to their section of our community. To this end they have indicated that there is a high likelihood that there would be peaceful protests held during the commemorations.”

Ms MacLucas said, given the sensitivities, an alternative approach for council could be to lead celebrations of the bicentenary of the official naming of Maitland, which falls in 2029.

Cr Loretta Baker said it was important to make clear that the recommendation didn’t mean there would be no commemoration to mark the European settlement of Maitland in 2018.

She said it meant community groups – not council – would organise and run events to mark the 200 year anniversary.

Cr Baker said the recommendation in Ms MacLucas’ report was a good compromise.

“I do understand in a lot of ways where [Mindaribba Land Council] is coming from,” she said.

“Personally, I would have loved to see a way where we could all do it together. But this is about social cohesion and social harmony.”

Last year, Cr Baker urged staff to engage with the local Aboriginal community and not just have a “token” Aboriginal representative on a planning committee for bicentenary events.