82-611: Maitland Town Hall (historically known as the West Maitland Town Hall ) is a heritage-listed town hall at High Street, Maitland , City of Maitland , New South Wales , Australia. It was built in 1888–90. The property is owned by Maitland City Council. It was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 2 April 1999. The town hall project was initiated by the then-West Maitland Borough Council. The foundation stone for
164-447: A Communist majority of councillors). The first electricity connected in the area was to Maitland Town Hall in 1922, to the hall's front light. The first bridge to link West Maitland with what is now the suburb of Lorn was opened in 1869 and named in honour of the then Governor of New South Wales , the 4th Earl of Belmore. Although the bridge proved vital to the city's development, the floods of 1893, 1913 and 1930 began to heighten
246-408: A Peninsular War veteran. Morpeth served as the head of navigation for larger ships (later, steamships), and goods were transhipped upriver to West Maitland on barges and smaller vessels. Originally the river route between Morpeth and West Maitland was 26 kilometres (16 mi), today after various floods and river course changes this has reduced to just 9 kilometres (5.6 mi). West Maitland
328-516: A grant of £1000 for a new hospital on 5 December 1844. In April 1845 Sir George Gipps approved a grant of a site at Campbell's Hill, West Maitland opposite Boyne's Inn. The foundation stone was laid by Edward Denny Day on 26 January 1846. In April 1846 the foundation stone was removed and was never recovered. In September 1847 the Building Committee announced that plans for the building of the new hospital would be accepted. The cost of
410-660: A large number of vineyards , restaurants, shops, golf courses and country guesthouses. Other parts of the valley including the Wollombi Valley and Broke Fordwich subregion are also well known for wine, along with the Upper Hunter Valley . The main town in the Upper Hunter Valley subregion is Muswellbrook . For the purposes of Australian federal elections for the House of Representatives ,
492-531: A penal colony of the British Empire. The Hunter River itself was discovered, by accident, in 1797 by British Lieutenant John Shortland as he searched for escaped convicts. The region soon became a valuable source for timber and coal that fuelled the steamship trade coming out of Sydney. Land prospector John Howe cut a path through the Australian wilderness from Sydney up to the overland area in what
574-470: A pivotal role in the history of Australian wine as one of the first wine regions planted in the early 19th century. The success of the Hunter Valley wine industry has been dominated by its proximity to Sydney with its settlement and plantings in the 19th century fuelled by the trade network that linked the Hunter Valley to Sydney. The steady demand of consumers from Sydney continues to drive much of
656-554: A strip along the New England Highway between the suburbs of Lochinvar and Thornton respectively. The city centre is located on the right bank of the Hunter River, protected from moderate potential flooding by a levee . Surrounding areas include the cities of Cessnock and Singleton local government areas . The Wonnarua People were the first known people of this land. They called the area where Maitland
738-431: A strong sporting community with a range of sporting competitions and clubs based in the city. This includes, but is not limited to, the following: Maitland Showground is an multi-purpose outdoor recreational area used for greyhound racing , known as Maitland Greyhounds and Harness Racing , around the exterior of the greyhound track. The site is also a historic landmark for motorcycle speedway having been regarded as
820-460: A succession of floods since European settlement. Over 200 floods have occurred on the Hunter River since settlement, 13 of those higher than the river's normal peak limit of 10.7 metres (35.1 ft). Of these 13, all have had a direct effect on the city of Maitland. Between 1830 and 1834 Maitland experienced five floods. The 1832 flood was severe with water reaching about 8.84 m (29 ft) and killing seven people. The 1834 flood water reached
902-608: A symmetrical facade with a central tower and Corinthian columns supporting pediments over the ground floor windows, with elaborate classical detail in Corinthian pilasters, string courses and pediments. The City of Maitland describes it as a "good example of Victorian civic architecture in Classical style", an "important landmark in High Street and contributor to the unique townscape of Central Maitland". Maitland Town Hall
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#1732791463777984-463: A township on the site of Wallis Plains. The village was called Maitland possibly in honour of Frederick Lewis Maitland . Due to population growth, Maitland was partitioned in 1835 into West Maitland (which was the original Wallis Plains settlement) and East Maitland . The nearby town of Morpeth developed at the same time from the Green Hills land grant given to Lieutenant Edward Charles Close ,
1066-588: Is 837.5 millimetres (32.97 in). On average, it has 90.3 clear days annually. Maitland has many shopping precincts including Stockland Green Hills (East Maitland), Centro Maitland Hunter Mall, High Street Mall (City Centre), Rutherford, Melbourne Street (East Maitland) and Lawes Street (East Maitland). Morpeth , a suburb of Maitland, is also popular for its fashion boutiques, cafes and speciality shops. Bus services in Maitland are operated by Hunter Valley Buses and Rover Coaches . Maitland railway station lies on
1148-535: Is also available via satellite. The famous Scottish entertainer Sir Harry Lauder performed to a packed audience in Maitland Town Hall on Saturday 15 August 1925. Maitland Regional Art Gallery , or MRAG, opened at its current site in November 2003. In 2008, the gallery closed for redevelopment and was reopened on the 15 August 2009 by the artist Margaret Olley . Maitland and the surrounding area
1230-439: Is now known as the (Lower) Hunter Valley proper in 1820. Today, the modern Putty Road between the cities of Windsor and Singleton follows Howe's exact path and is a major thoroughfare for wine tourists coming into the Hunter Valley from Sydney. As previous plantings in the coastal areas around Sydney succumbed to the humidity and wetness, and plantings to the west were limited by spring frost damage, northern reaches leading to
1312-550: Is now situated, by the name Bo-un after a species of bird. From around 1816, cedar logging parties from the convict settlement of Newcastle were the first Europeans to stay on the site. Governor Lachlan Macquarie visited the area in 1818, naming it Wallis Plains after Captain James Wallis who was commandant of the Newcastle penal colony at the time. In 1819, convict farmers were allowed to select land at Wallis Plains,
1394-448: Is one of Australia's most famous wine-growing regions, known for both its red and white wine varieties. The most important economic activity in the valley is coal mining (through businesses such as Rio Tinto and BHP ), mostly for export. The Port of Newcastle is the world's largest export facility for coal, most of which is brought to the port by rail . Coal ships are often seen off the coast of Newcastle. Electricity generation at
1476-557: Is part of the Newcastle – Hunter Region television market, which is served by 5 television networks, three commercial and two national services. These networks are listed as follows: Nine Northern NSW (as NBN) produces an evening news bulletin combining local, state, national and international news screening nightly at 6:00 pm on Channel 9, while Seven (formerly Prime7) and WIN Television produce short local updates to fulfil local content quotas. Subscription television service Foxtel
1558-740: Is serviced by the Maitland City Library and branches. Maitland has many educational facilities ranging from primary and high schools to short course vocational training operations. The Hunter Institute of TAFE has a campus in Maitland, as does the privately owned Hunter Valley Training Company that is Australia's largest group trainer. These facilities provide excellent training in all fields, especially building and construction, engineering, mining, tourism and business administration. Maitland has twenty primary schools and seven high schools. Local high schools include: There are also numerous pre-school and day care facilities. Maitland has
1640-474: Is significant within New South Wales as a representative of nineteenth-century civic centres with grand architectural forms. This town hall's Victorian Architecture is impressive in its High Street streetscape and intact state. The tower makes the town hall a local landmark and reinforces the role of High Street as the dominant thoroughfare of the town. The town hall is the best example of its type within
1722-499: Is significantly higher than the NSW state average of 823.4 per 100,000 population. Maitland experiences a humid subtropical climate (Köppen: Cfa , Trewartha: Cfal ), with hot summers and mild to cool winters, and with a summer peak in rainfall. The highest temperature recorded at Maitland was 44.5 °C (112.1 °F) on 18 January 2013 and 21 February 2004; the lowest recorded was −4.5 °C (23.9 °F) on 24 August 2003. The average annual rainfall
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#17327914637771804-532: Is supplied from the Tomago Sandbeds , via a series of bores. The Hunter Region includes four cities. In order of population these are Lake Macquarie , Newcastle , Maitland and Cessnock . Other major centres of the Hunter Region are Dungog , Gloucester , Kurri Kurri , Muswellbrook , Raymond Terrace , Scone and Singleton . The climate of Hunter Valley is humid subtropical , similar to
1886-542: Is supplied with water diverted from the Williams River just north of the Seaham Weir, through a large pump station at Balickera. The dam itself has only a small natural catchment and relies mainly on the pumped water from the Williams River. A proposal to build Tillegra Dam on the Williams River existed since the 1950s, but was scrapped in 2010. In addition to the dams, fresh water for the lower Hunter Region
1968-516: Is testament to the Jewish community that was active in Maitland up until the 1930s. Between about 1846 and 1934, 53 Jewish people were buried in the low-lying cemetery. Burials ceased after this time due to dispersion of the community and the cemetery reaching capacity. One exception was Lea Abadee in 2010. The former Maitland Synagogue , located on Church Street, was the place of worship for about 70 families between 1879 and 1898. The Immigrants Home
2050-469: The Eraring , Bayswater , Liddell , Munmorah , Redbank and Vales Point coal-fired power stations is a major industry of the region. The Hunter Valley is Australia's main region for the breeding and rearing of Thoroughbred horses and most of the country's best racehorses. The Upper Hunter area around Scone is one of the largest horse breeding areas in the world. Commonly known as "Wine Country",
2132-579: The Greater Western Sydney region, with distinctive maritime influences from the Pacific Ocean . With its northerly latitude and close oceanic influences, the Hunter Valley is one of Australia's hottest and wettest wine regions. Flanked by mountains to the west and north the Hunter Valley acts as a funnel, pulling cool ocean breezes into the area. With those cooling breezes also comes heavy rainfall and periodic cyclonic storms in
2214-688: The Hunter Line and Main Northern line and is the junction point for the North Coast Line . Other railway stations in Maitland include: A passenger tram system ran from East Maitland to West Maitland between 1909 and 1926 after which it was replaced by buses which continue to service the route today. Maitland Airport is a general aviation airfield located beside the New England Highway at Rutherford . Construction
2296-541: The Hunter River and its tributaries with highland areas to the north and south. Situated at the northern end of the Sydney Basin bioregion, the Hunter Valley is one of the largest river valleys on the NSW coast, and is most commonly known for its wineries and coal industry. Most of the population of the Hunter Region lives within 25 km (16 mi) of the coast, with 55% of the entire population living in
2378-417: The Hunter River approximately 166 kilometres (103 mi) by road north of Sydney and 35 km (22 mi) north-west of Newcastle . It is on the New England Highway approximately 17 km (11 mi) from its origin at Hexham . At the 2021 census it had approximately 89,597 inhabitants , spread over an area of 392 square kilometres (151 sq mi), with most of the population located in
2460-587: The Sydney Basin to the south. Between these two geological areas is the Hunter- Mooki Thrust fault. At one time this fault was very geologically active and gave rise to the Brokenback range that feature prominently in the Hunter region. Strips of basalt found throughout the region also bear witness to the volcanic activity that has occurred in the history of this fault. The Permian rocks in
2542-492: The Hunter Region are: There is an active movement campaigning for the Hunter Region to secede from New South Wales to form its own state. The sale of the Port of Newcastle and the refusal of the NSW state government to build a container terminal in Newcastle has been cited as the motivation behind the campaign. The movement's demands include a Royal commission into the feasibility of Hunter Valley Statehood as soon as possible, and
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2624-562: The Hunter Region is contained within the divisions of Hunter , Lyne , Newcastle , Paterson , and Shortland . For the purposes of New South Wales elections for the Legislative Assembly , the Hunter Region is contained within the electoral districts of Cessnock , Charlestown , Lake Macquarie , Maitland , Myall Lakes , Newcastle , Port Stephens , Swansea , Upper Hunter , Wallsend , and Wyong . The following local government areas are contained within
2706-583: The Hunter Valley is a major tourist destination in New South Wales and is the 6th most visited place in Australia attracting more than 2.5 million people annually. There are regular events held in the Hunter for visitors, including the Hunter Valley Steam Trains running the first three Sundays of each month and regular scenic cruises on the Hunter River and Lake Macquarie . The Hunter Valley Wine Zone Australian Geographical Indication
2788-487: The Hunter Valley wine industry, including a factor in the economy by the tourism industry. While the Hunter Valley has been supplanted by the massive Riverina wine region as the largest producer of New South Wales wine, it still accounts for around 3% of Australia's total wine production and is one of the country's most recognisable regions. For over 30,000 years the Wonnarua people of Aboriginal Australians inhabited
2870-628: The Hunter Valley. This temporarily produced an up-tick in plantings but the global Great Depression as well as a series of devastating hail storms between 1929 and 1930 caused many growers to abandon their vineyards. The Hunter Region is considered a transitional area between the Paleozoic rock foundation of the New England Fold Belt located to the south and the Early Permian and Middle Triassic period rock formations of
2952-478: The Hunter became, almost by default, the wine region of the new colony. The expansive growth of the Hunter Valley wine industry in the mid to late 19th century arose from its monopoly position in the lucrative Sydney market. The provincial government of New South Wales had enacted regulations that placed prohibitive duties on wines from other areas such as Victoria and South Australia. Following World War I , many returning Australian veterans were given land grants in
3034-454: The Hunter, many endangered ecological communities (EECs) have been declared under the TSC Act . These communities are found on both public and private land, and prior to development of land, the landowner is required to undertake an environmental assessment to ascertain whether it will impact endangered species or endangered communities. Examples of endangered ecological communities found within
3116-623: The Lower Hunter vary widely from sandy alluvial flats (often planted to Semillon), to deep friable loam (often planted with Shiraz) and friable red duplex soils . In the Upper Hunter, the rivers and creeks of the region contribute to the areas black, silty loam soils that are often overlaid on top of alkaline clay loam. Among the hills of the Brokenback range are strips of volcanic basalt that are prized by growers for their tendencies to restrict vigor and concentrate mineral flavours in
3198-524: The State of New South Wales (Department of Planning and Environment) 2018 under CC-BY 4.0 licence , accessed on 1 June 2018. [REDACTED] Media related to Maitland Town Hall at Wikimedia Commons Maitland, New South Wales Maitland ( / ˈ m eɪ t l ə n d / ) is a city in the Hunter Valley of New South Wales , Australia and the seat of Maitland City Council , situated on
3280-481: The Unemployment Relief Council as a Great Depression relief measure. It underwent a $ 2 million refurbishment in 2015-16, including lighting, audiovisual and air conditioning upgrades, stage rigging replacement, acoustic wall treatments, preservation works to the original sprung floor and painting the auditorium interior. In 2021 construction commenced on upgrades to the town hall as part of
3362-463: The Upper Hunter region, and comparable to other regional town halls of the 1880s Boom period. It is of regional significance for demonstrating the growth, prosperity and regional importance of West Maitland from the 1880s. The continuation of the original council chamber functions provides evidence for the civic stability of Maitland and has associations with key events and people in Maitland's municipal history. The town hall has important associations with
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3444-581: The Upper Hunter, the more Triassic sandstone that can be found leading eventually to the carboniferous rocks that form the northern boundary of the Hunter with the New England Fold Belt and the foothills of the Barrington Tops . Overall, the Hunter Valley has more soils (mostly hard, acidic patches of poorly draining heavy clay) that are unsuitable for viticulture than they have areas that are ideal for growing grapes. The soils of
3526-694: The amalgamation of area health services the Maitland Hospital became part of the Hunter Area Health Service. Following amendments to the Health Services Act 1997 the Maitland Hospital became part of the Hunter and New England Area Health Service from 1 January 2005. Maitland has a number of heritage-listed sites, including: According to the 2021 census , there were 89,597 people in Maitland. Maitland has an assault rate of 1,110.4 per 100,000 population, which
3608-480: The area's investments in wine production and its emergence as a tourist destination. The Broke Fordwich area is located along the Hunter River tributary of the Wollombi Brook near the suburb of Pokolbin and was founded in 1830 by Major Thomas Mitchell who named the region after his fellow Napoleonic War veteran Sir Charles Broke-Vere . Much of the rolling countryside around Pokolbin is under vine and has
3690-609: The area's namesake, the Hunter River itself is not the dominant feature of the region—falling behind the Brokenback Range for that distinction. The greater river system of the Hunter, which includes the Goulburn and important tributaries such as Giants Creek, do provide needed irrigation for areas such as the Upper Hunter than can be prone to drought condition. The origins of the river begin the Liverpool Range of
3772-432: The birth of the sport on 15 December 1923 when New Zealand born promoter Johnnie Hoskins organised a series of motorcycle races. Hunter Valley The Hunter Region , also commonly known as the Hunter Valley , Newcastle Region , or simply Hunter , is a region in northern New South Wales , Australia, extending from approximately 162 km (101 mi) to 310 km (193 mi) north of Sydney . It contains
3854-550: The building was not to exceed £2000 and fifteen guineas would be awarded to the party furnishing the approved plan. By May 1848 the Maitland Mercury was reporting that the walls of the new hospital were visible from the town. Opened in 1850 its first years saw 231 patients and 26 deaths. Between 1903 and 1905 saw the completion of the Ward Block 1 at the southern end of the hospital. With the growth of population in
3936-492: The central and southeastern expanse of the Lower Hunter Valley were formed when the area was underneath a shallow marine estuary . The remnants of this period has left an extensive network of coal seams that fuelled the early population boom of the Hunter Valley in the 19th century as well a high degree of salinity in the water table of much of the area. The further north and west, towards the Brokenback Range and
4018-441: The cities of Newcastle and Lake Macquarie . There are numerous other towns and villages scattered across the region in the eleven local government areas (LGAs) that make up the region. At the 2021 census the combined population of the region was 682,465, and is expected to reach over 1,000,000 people by 2031. Under Australia's wine appellation system, the Hunter Valley wine zone Australian Geographical Indication (GI) covers
4100-426: The cultural life of West Maitland and wider region as a venue for performers and focal point for community events. Maitland Town Hall was listed on the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 2 April 1999. [REDACTED] This Misplaced Pages article was originally based on Maitland Town Hall & adj Office Building & Supper Room , entry number 00183 in the New South Wales State Heritage Register published by
4182-404: The district, it was found that the accommodation was inadequate and a new building was erected and opened in 1905. In 1916 a blood bank and isolation cottage were completed. In 1926 the hospital became a training school for nurses. New nurses' quarters which occupied the site of the old Royal Oak Hotel was built during the twelve months from October 1927 to October 1928. In the 1930s Ward Block 3
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#17327914637774264-453: The end of the traditional river traffic. The municipalities of West and East Maitland were merged in 1944 and the name of West Maitland was officially reverted to Maitland in 1949, from which the present city is now known. The city's boundaries have been increased by incorporating parts of other local government areas since then (most notably Kearsley Shire which from 1946 to 1949 was the only local government area in Australia's history to have
4346-485: The entire catchment of the Hunter River and its tributaries. Within that, the Hunter region is almost as large, and includes most of the wine-producing areas, excluding the metropolitan area of Newcastle and nearby coastal areas, some national parks, and any land that was in the Mudgee Shire (at the western heights of the catchment). The Hunter wine region is one of Australia 's best known wine regions , playing
4428-517: The flood claimed the lives of 14 people. In early June 2007 an intense low pressure system which caused devastating storms to hit the city of Newcastle and the Central Coast also caused major flooding throughout the lower Hunter Region including the Maitland area. During the flooding in 2007, the Hunter River was expected to reach a peak of 11.3 m (37.1 ft) at Maitland's Belmore Bridge and break levee banks. Some 4000 residents of
4510-511: The foremost newspapers in the city. The Mercury , established in 1843, operates out of offices on High Street and is Australia's oldest regional newspaper. The Lower Hunter Star is an adjunct to the Mercury and is published every Thursday. With a circulation of almost 20,000, The Lower Hunter Star is delivered to most residents within the City of Maitland . Radio stations include: Maitland
4592-493: The grapes. The Warkworth Sands Woodland of the Hunter Valley are situated on these soils. The main river in the region is the Hunter River, after which the region is named. Other rivers in the region include the Allyn , Avon , Barrington , Bow , Bowman , Chichester , Gloucester , Goulburn , Isis , Karuah , Krui , Mammy Johnsons , Merriwa , Munmurra , Pages , Paterson , Wangat and Williams rivers. Despite being
4674-675: The hospital to hand over a £10. The Maitland Hospital was listed as a public hospital under the Second Schedule of the Public Hospitals Act, 1898 (Act No.16, 1898). Maitland Hospital was registered as a training hospital under the Nurses Registration Act, 1924 (Act No.37, 1924). From 1 November 1929 'The Maitland Hospital' was a hospital incorporated under Part IV of the Public Hospitals Act 1929 (Act No.8, 1929). Under this Act The Maitland Hospital
4756-537: The inaugural 1901 federal election at the West Maitland Town Hall on 17 January 1901. He was elected unopposed to the Division of Hunter , which included Maitland. The building underwent major extensions in 1934 at a cost of £10,000. It included new offices, a new supper room/small dance hall, new larger stage in the auditorium and new dressing rooms. Part of the extension was funded by loans from
4838-744: The land that is now known as the Hunter Valley wine region. Along with the Worimi to the north and the Awabakal to the south, the Wonnarua developed a trading route connecting the Coquun (Hunter) Valley to the harbour now known as Sydney harbour . The wine-making history of Hunter Valley begins with the European settlement of the Sydney and the New South Wales region of Australia in the late 18th century as
4920-411: The large urban population of more than 500,000 living near the coast and centred on the cities of Newcastle and Lake Macquarie. State Water Corporation's Glenbawn , the largest dam in the region, Chichester and Lostock are dams on the Hunter, Chichester and Paterson rivers respectively. Hunter Water Corporation's Grahamstown Dam , the largest dam supplying the urban areas of the lower Hunter Region,
5002-406: The media on an international scale. This flood is considered to be one of Australia's worst floods. The waters reached 12.5 m (41 ft) and caused catastrophic damage. The volume of flood water was approximately 3,750,000 megalitres (8.2 × 10 imp gal) and the cost of damage, in today's currency, would have been over A$ 2 billion. Seven thousand buildings and homes were damaged and
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#17327914637775084-433: The most notable of which was Molly Morgan . Tom White Melville Winder was one of the largest proprietors on the Hunter. Winder held 7400 acres (2995 ha) by 1828 and by 1831 had acquired another 2600 acres (1052 ha). The oldest house (commenced 1821) in the greater Maitland LGA was called “Windermere” and also referred to the adjacent farmlands which were for agriculture and later a “boiling-down works”. Windermere estate
5166-498: The need for a new bridge that could withstand periodic flooding. A second Belmore Bridge, designed to withstand the impact of debris during floods, was built adjacent to the 1869 bridge in 1964. The new bridge, which redirected traffic away from St Andrews Street to a new intersection at the Maitland Court House, is one of the city's three main river crossings. Maitland's proximity to the Hunter River has resulted in
5248-506: The new administration centre to the eastern side of the building. Works planned as part of the upgrades include new back stage change rooms, new bathrooms, a new hallway between the supper room and main hall, upgrades to supper hall and kitchen, and a new loading dock to the southern side of the building. Construction is expected to be completed in late 2022. The building is designed in the Victorian Classical style. It features
5330-494: The region's annual rainfall will fall with January and February being the wettest months. Between the months of October–April, the 3pm average for relative humidity in the Lower Hunter is 49%, while it is 43% in the Upper Hunter. The main industries in the Hunter Region are coal mining , manufacturing, agriculture, viticulture and wine making, tourism, horse breeding, electricity production, dairy farming and beef cattle farming, and associated service industries. The Hunter Region
5412-587: The region: The Hunter Region contains the Goulburn River National Park , Myall Lakes National Park , Barrington Tops National Park , Werakata National Park , Watagans National Park , Mount Royal National Park , Polkolbin State Forest, Putty State Forest, Chichester State Forest, Running Creek Nature Reserve, The Glen Nature Reserve, Black Bulga State Conservation Area , Myall River State Forest, and Karuah Nature Reserve. Within
5494-421: The sale of “Windermere” where position “on a hill” was described as an appealing feature. The 1940s and 1950s saw an increase in rainfall and the river rose again and again. In February 1955, Maitland and the Hunter Valley experienced its most severe flood in recorded history. The 1955 Hunter Valley floods , also commonly known as "The Maitland Flood", was the first Australian natural disaster to be broadcast by
5576-425: The same height. In the winter of 1857 the Hunter River rose again to record heights, reaching 9.2 m (30 ft). Flooding continued for the next 30 years with the floods of the 1890s being the most disastrous. Much of the riverbank collapsed and many people were left without homes or personal possessions. Flooding was described as an “annoyance” and “detrimental to the town” in the 7 April 1840 advertisement for
5658-443: The sea. During the spring the Hunter Valley receives an average of 7.3–7.5 hours of sunshine a day. Mid-latitude westerly winds bring high pressure weather front that alternate with cold fronts on the winter. This leads to generally drier conditions in the winter months of July and August. In the summer, southeasterly winds bring weather fronts harbouring extensive amounts of moisture. Between October and April more than two thirds of
5740-574: The suburb of Lorn were evacuated before the floodwaters became stable at 10.7 m (35.1 ft) and did not inundate central Maitland. Other areas did not escape with waters inundating homes in Branxton , Louth Park and Raymond Terrace . The flood has been compared to the devastating 1955 Hunter Valley floods. From 20 to 22 April 2015, heavy rainfall in the Hunter, Central Coast and Sydney regions of New South Wales resulted in flash flooding and extended power outages to over 200,000 homes. Maitland
5822-403: The summer and autumn months. In the summer, the average daily temperature regularly exceeds 21.1 °C (70.0 °F) while during the winter the temperature averages around 14 °C (57.2 °F). Temperatures during January average between 22.7–23.3 °C (72.9–73.9 °F), with the temperature becoming progressively hotter the further inland you move away from the cooling influence of
5904-424: The town hall was laid on 26 January 1888, and it formally opened on 28 February 1890. It was designed by local architects Lee and Scobie, who beat out prominent local architect John W. Pender in a design competition, and built by Henry Noad. The total cost of the building, including lighting and furnishings, came to "nearly £7000". Australia's first prime minister, Edmund Barton , opened his government's campaign for
5986-474: The village of Fordwich. Pokolbin , located in the "Lower Hunter Valley", is the centre of the Hunter Valley wine country, which claims to be Australia's oldest wine region. It is located between the towns of Cessnock and Branxton , about 50 km (31 mi) west of Newcastle. The wine country is primarily located within the Cessnock and Singleton LGAs. Its proximity to Sydney has been an influence on
6068-548: The volcanic Barrington Tops and flows south and then east down to the Pacific Ocean at the seaport city of Newcastle . Fresh water supply for the region is provided from a number of sources, which are managed by the Hunter Water and State Water Corporations. State Water Corporation's dams supply water for irrigation, industrial use at coal mines and the region's coal-fired power stations , and town water to upper Hunter Region towns. Hunter Water Corporation's dams supply
6150-563: Was badly affected and the flood gates at Maitland railway station were reinforced with sandbags to prevent flooding in central Maitland. Four people died as a result of the storms and a further four died in traffic related incidents. The towns of Dungog and Gillieston Heights , the homes of the four flood victims, were also badly affected, becoming isolated from other communities. The Maitland Jewish Cemetery in Louth Park, one of only two provincial Jewish cemeteries in New South Wales,
6232-541: Was built and extensions were completed to the nurses home in 1932 and 1937. The Addison Building (Ward Block 2) was progressively built and opened between 1942 and 1947. In 1960 new Nurses homes was built. In 1973 a new pathology building was opened. From 1975 to 1979 a new boilerhouse and workshops were built and the kitchen, cafeteria and storage areas were refurbished. The hospital was funded through subscribers, collection boxes, donations and state revenue for fines. In 1847 Governor Sir Charles Fitzroy visited to
6314-450: Was established before East Maitland and West Maitland were established as suburbs and so is of historical significance. By 1821 the first British government buildings, consisting of a cottage and barracks, were constructed, and in 1823 James Mudie financed the construction of a wharf. Two years later William Powditch opened the first general store at Wallis Plains. In 1829, assistant surveyor George Boyle White , officially laid out
6396-470: Was founded by Caroline Chisholm in East Maitland and was the first public building that was used to treat the sick. The site eventually became known as Maitland Benevolent Asylum. In 1835, when the population hit 1900, residents started to petition for a new hospital. In 1843 a meeting was called to discuss applying to Benevolent Asylum in Sydney. A committee was formed and succeeded in obtaining
6478-506: Was registered on 1 May 1996 and is approximately the entire Hunter River catchment. It contains only one named wine region, Hunter. The Hunter Wine Region Australian Geographical Indication was declared on 18 March 1997. It is not as large as the Hunter Valley zone, but includes most of the significant vineyards. It does not extend east of the Pacific Highway . Some of the oldest vines in the Hunter Valley were planted in 1924 around
6560-537: Was started in 1948 by the now-defunct Maitland Aero Club. In 1957, operation of the airfield transferred to the Royal Newcastle Aero Club which moved from Broadmeadow Aerodrome , its original base of operations, in 1963. The closest commercial airport is Newcastle Airport which is at Williamtown . Maitland is serviced by a number of regional newspapers, radio stations and television stations. The Maitland Mercury and Newcastle Herald are
6642-402: Was therefore the point at which goods were unloaded for, and distributed to, the prosperous riverland of the Hunter Valley. Accordingly, there were large warehouses (some of which still exist) built, which faced onto the main High Street and backed onto the Hunter River. The arrival of the railway from Newcastle in the 1850s, coupled with the increasing silting of the river and larger ships spelt
6724-526: Was to be governed by a board of directors which could make by-laws and its subscribers were a body corporate which could be sue and be sued in its corporate name. ·The Area Health Services Act 1986 (Act No.50, 1986), which commenced on1 July 1986, effectively abolished the boards of directors and replaced them with area health boards this made the hospital a part of the Lower Hunter Area Health Service. From 1 August 1988 following
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