eastHistoric Morpeth lies at the effective head of navigation on the Hunter River. It was once a bustling river port servicing Maitland and other Hunter Valley settlements. Its heyday was between 1830 and 1880 and it was developed on land donated by Lt. Edward Close. Many fine early buildings are preserved and you’ll be enthralled by many interesting stories surrounding those early years and the people who now form part of our history. Visit the numerous shops that form part of this fine tourist destination, some modern, others extremely old.
East Maitland, mere minutes away, boasts many fine early buildings. It also has interesting stories of people and events of earlier times. Visit the notorious maximum-security prison known as Maitland Gaol and listen to the sometimes blood-chilling stories of its early years. Some of Australia’s worst criminals of recent times were inmates here prior to the gaol’s closure in 1998.