MAITLAND AND DISTRICT HISTORICAL SOCIETY

Ms JENNY AITCHISON (Maitland—Minister for Regional Transport and Roads)—I would like to recognise the dedicated members of the Maitland & District Historical Society for their 45 years work in preserving and communicating the colonial history and culture of Maitland and its surrounding communities. Their dedicated members volunteer their time and skills to both undertake research on topics requested by the public and fundraise for the maintenance of their collection and ongoing research projects. The Society holds speaker nights once a month, conducts regular historical walks, and publishes a popular quarterly newsletter. The newsletter contains a diverse array of articles that range from the impact of the 1955 flood on families, the history of the Cabbage Tree Hats, the conservation of The Maitland Jewish Cemetery, and the life of bee keeping, just to name a few. This work is vital to enhance our understanding of our community's culture, values and of the development of Maitland. I thank the historical society for their consistent and dedicated work to the community of Maitland.