Historical Walking Tour of Maitland — Self-Guided App
A self-guided historical walking tour of Maitland, taking in Barden and Ribee Saddlery, Court House and Synagogue across 9 stops.
Open this tour in the app →The route
1Barden and Ribee Saddlery
Built in 1888 to a design by architect John W. Pender, this two-storey Victorian Free Classical brick building housed a saddlery firm founded in 1872 by Thomas Ribee and J. W. Barden. Retail below, storeroom above, its original signage survives. Now a restaurant; State Heritage listed since 1999.
2Maitland Court House
Designed by NSW Government Architect Walter Liberty Vernon and opened in December 1896, this grand Federation Free Classical building of red brick with sandstone trim served as a joint courthouse and police station. Its clock tower is a High Street landmark. Added to the NSW State Heritage Register in 1999, it still hosts the Local Court.
3Maitland Synagogue
Designed by architect John W. Pender and completed in 1879, this Romanesque Revival building with corbelled arcades and round-headed arches served Maitland's Jewish community only until 1898. Later a dance hall, credit union and more, it is the oldest surviving synagogue in NSW outside Sydney, state heritage-listed in 1999.
4Brough House
Built between 1860 and 1862 by businessmen Isaac Beckett and Samuel Owens, this two-storey Victorian residence sits beside its near-identical twin, Grossmann House, on Church Street. It later became a girls' school hostel, then housed the Maitland Art Gallery from 1975 until 2003. Managed by the National Trust, it joined the NSW State Heritage Register in 2002.
5St Mary's the Virgin Anglican Church
Designed by celebrated colonial architect Edmund Blacket, this Anglican church on Church Street had its foundation stone laid in 1860 and opened for services in 1867, with the stone tower completed in 1887. A landmark example of High Victorian Gothic, its slender spire and tracery windows earned it a place on the NSW State Heritage Register in 1999.
6Maitland railway station
Opened in 1880 as West Maitland and renamed Maitland in 1949, this junction station marks where the Main Northern and North Coast lines diverge. Its 1880 first-class platform building and 1914 island platform survive, and the whole station was added to the NSW State Heritage Register in 1999.
7Maitland Post Office
Built in 1881 by the NSW Colonial Architect's Office under James Barnet, this Victorian Italianate post office on High Street sports a corner clock-tower campanile. Sited on higher ground to escape flooding, it still serves as an Australia Post office and was added to the NSW State Heritage Register in 1999.
8Maitland Lodge of Unity Masonic Hall and Lodge
Designed by regional architect J. W. Pender, himself a lodge member, this Masonic hall was built in 1886-87 in an unusual Moorish-influenced Victorian style. It serves the Lodge of Unity, established in 1840 as the fifth Masonic lodge in NSW and the first outside Sydney. Listed on the NSW State Heritage Register in 2014.
9Maitland Town Hall
Designed by local architects Lee and Scobie after a competition, this Victorian Classical hall opened on 28 February 1890 with its symmetrical facade, central tower and Corinthian columns. Edmund Barton launched his 1901 federal campaign here. It joined the NSW State Heritage Register in 1999.
Map
Practical info
While you’re in New South Wales
FAQ
How long is the Maitland walking tour?
About 91 minutes over roughly 3.1 km at a relaxed pace.
Can I do the tour offline?
Yes — load the tour in the Sitesy app beforehand and it’s cached for offline use.
Is the Maitland walking tour accessible?
The route mainly follows town-centre footpaths; check the app for any steps or uneven ground near individual stops.