Maitland’s heritage and preservation efforts have been rewarded with two Tidy Towns awards in 2012 Office of Environment and Heritage Cultural Heritage Awards (population 25,000-plus).
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The first award was for Maitland City Council’s heritage kit – a guide that is helping people restore their homes.
“It’s about people who are investing time and energy into these homes with heritage value and it all benefits us by making Maitland a place we want to live,” council heritage officer Clare James said.
The kit was created by the Maitland City Heritage Group, which meets monthly and comprises council and community representation, including National Trust and Maitland Historical Society. The kit includes a trades directory putting renovators in touch with joiners and roofers with a specialty in slate, for example.
Further to this the committee is developing a colour palate recognising Maitland’s verandah and chimney details.
“It makes it a place people want to live and helps preserve it for future generations,” Ms James said.
Maitland’s other heritage gong was for convict heritage with judges recognising Maitland City Council as publisher of Bound for Wallis Plains and author Cynthia Hunter.
Bound for Wallis Plains is due back from the printers in December as the seventh such heritage publication from council that includes the popular soft-covers Bourke Street, Horseshoe Bend, and Historic Hotels.
“It’s a wonderful publication by a wonderful author that connects us with these early settlers,” Ms James said. “It sets the scene of how we were settled.”