Maitland and some of its colourful locals were thrust into the national spotlight on Sunday when the Seven Network's Sunrise program beamed its morning weather broadcast from the city.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The annual Aroma Festival, Morpeth, Maitland Gaol and some of the city's bars, businesses and eateries, were featured in live crosses throughout the morning as part of a city-wide promotion organised by Destination NSW.
Minister for Tourism Stuart Ayres said Australia will get to know the Maitland locals through exploring a range of the town's most iconic events and attractions, including Aroma.
Weekend Sunrise weather presenter James Tobin experienced the true diversity of the area, from spending time at award winning chocolatiers Myrtle and Pepper, hunting down ghosts at the gaol to exploring heritage buildings and history in Morpeth.
During the live crosses James interviewed Trevor Richards from Campbells Store about his ginger beer, Guil Noronha who has a wood turning business in Morpeth, Zoe Whiting from Maitland Gaol and Dave Bean from The Cabin Collective. He told viewers that Maitland had a great range of bars and eateries and described it as 'the hipster capital of the world.'
The filming opportunity was secured by NSW Government's tourism and major events agency, Destination NSW and supports the government's strategy to triple overnight visitor expenditure in NSW by 2030. "Hosting Weekend Sunrise in Maitland should inspire many viewers to book their next trip to this wonderful region," Mr Ayres said.