Demolition work begins on Church Street house in Maitland heritage zone

From the Maitland Mercury report:

It was the modest timber home that was at the centre of a stoush between heritage conservationists and Maitland council and a developer.

But this week demolition began on the historic property at 83 Church Street to make way for four new residential units. Council voted in August to approve the demolition as part of their plan to get more people living in central Maitland.
It came despite strong protest from heritage conservationist Chris Richards who felt the demolition would  "open the floodgates” for development of the city’s aged buildings.

Full article available at Maitland Mercury, February 6 2018.

Plans are in place for the former Fr Riley's Opp Shop to be demolished - 250 High Street, Maitland

From the Maitland Mercury report:

It’s been sitting idle for 15 months and has been an eyesore and a haven for birds since fire ripped through it in November 2016.

The former Fr Riley’s Opp Shop on High Street’s eastern end is finally poised for demolition.
The premises, which once operated as car dealership Sharton Motors, has been left untouched since the fire.

Full article available at Maitland Mercury, February 2 2018.

Long Bridge Poplars will be replaced with other trees at a new location

From the Maitland Mercury report:

The 22 historic Lombardy Poplar trees which lined The Long Bridge and formed part of Maitland’s streetscape since 1939, will be replaced by a new grove of trees at another location.

Maitland councillors supported the trees’ removal at a council meeting this week and agreed to plant more trees, not necessarily Poplars, at another prominent site in the city.

Full article available at Maitland Mercury, February 2 2018.

Getting Your Genealogy Started, Restarted and Organised in 2018

Getting Restarted

Genealogy is a stop-start hobby that lasts years. So if you are one who is just re-starting or picking it up again, you might consider the “Do-over Book” which takes you step-by-step through reanalysing everything you have, while getting it all into an organized form.

Getting OrganisedThere’s no doubt that doing genealogy you need to be organised. The amount of paper, photos, documents, even emails, you will get relating to your research is huge. And there’s no point having information if you can’t find it, so you need to get organised. There are numerous books relating to organising. Apart from physical organisation of genealogy files, photo filing and heirloom documenting are both an important part of genealogy organisation. But don’t forget about your old slides, home movies and audio tapes – these are important and irreplaceable records. For some, writing is a way to get their research into order. No matter what aspect you’d like to focus on and learn how to improve … there’s a guide for it.More getting organised:

 

Genealogy and History News.

Iconic Poplar trees to be removed along The Long Bridge

From the Maitland Mercury report:

It’s not going to be a popular move however Maitland City Council has no choice but to remove the city’s 22 iconic Poplar trees that line The Long Bridge.

Significant rot and decay have been identified in the Lombardy Poplars which were planted in 1939 by local school children to mark Arbor Day in the city.

In a report to Tuesday night’s council meeting council’s infrastructure manager Ashley Kavanagh said the trees have been assessed by council’s arborist who said the trees require removal to ensure public safety.
Work is to be carried out immediately to meet safety requirements and the removal process will start in February.

Full article available at Maitland Mercury, January 26 2018.

One of the country's oldest wineries, Dalwood Estate, relaunches at Branxton

From the Maitland Mercury report:

The “grandfather” of Hunter Valley vineyards roared back into life on Sunday, with the launch of the revamped Dalwood Estate at Branxton. 

After laying dormant since 2014, the site was snapped up by Iris Capital 13 months ago, with the hospitality industry player undertaking an extensive overhaul of the historic winery. 

Property owner, Iris Capital CEO Sam Arnaout, was full of praise for the rebirthed site. 

“It’s the grandfather of all the vineyards in the Hunter,” he said of the 190-year-old winery.  

“The entire property is steeped in history. For us, it was about bringing it back to life.”

Full article available at Maitland Mercury, January 21 2018.

Hunter Valley winery Dalwood Estate, formerly Wyndham Estate, reopens after closure in 2014

From the Maitland Mercury report:

One of Australia’s oldest wineries Dalwood Estate is set to reopen its doors for the first time in more than three years after a rigorous revival project.

The historic winery, formerly known as Wyndham Estate, will welcome guests this weekend 190 years after it was established at Branxton.

The estate sat virtually untouched since its closure in 2014 until last year when Iris Capital bought the property, adding a third winery to its Hunter portfolio alongside Hungerford Hill Wines and Sweetwater Wines.

After a major 12-month renewal program, the 260-acre property has a new lease on life and has been restored to its former glory.
With a return to its original 1828 establishment name, Dalwood Estate boasts a heritage winery building, manicured lawns and garden beds, a function centre, cellar door, restaurant, walking trails and public barbecue areas on the banks of the Hunter River.

Full article available at Maitland Mercury, January 18 2018.