Dedicated in August 2000, the Les Darcy Monument celebrates the achievements of one of Australia’s greatest boxers. Set back from the New England Highway in a grassy park in front of the East Maitland Bowling Club, the statue can be easy to miss.
The statue stands on a marble platform, surrounded by plaques which show his achievements. A great place to relax on your way through town because of the grass and shady trees.
Les Darcy Statue
Les Darcy Statue
Sir Paul Edmund de StrzeleckiMemorial
Located near the Les Darcy Memorial, the Sir Paul Edmund de Strzelecki Memorial celebrates Strzelecki, a famous explorer, scientist, and philanthropist. Erected by the local Polish community, because of his contribution to early exploration work in the area. It’s interesting to see because of Strzelecki’s contribution to early Australia.
Strzelecki Memorial East Maitland
Old Land and Survey Office
Opposite the Sir Paul Edmund de Strzelecki Memorial is the old Land and Survey Office. Placed on a corner in a prominent position, makes the building stand out, because of its size and red brick construction. Built in the Federation Free Classical style and designed by W.L Vernon, it’s an interesting building to see if you are in the area.
The Maitland Regional Art Gallery occupies a building complex in High Street alongside several other historically significant buildings. Originally two separate buildings a major renovation, saw a joining structure added linking them into one structure.
There is ample parking available at the rear of the gallery, so you can avoid trying to park in the road. Entry is either via the main entrance, or through the café. We chose the latter and had a relaxing coffee before walking through the gallery.
Three special exhibitions were on display during our visit, which made the visit even better.
A Survey into the Cretaceous by Andrew Sullivan
Survey into the Cretaceous by Andrew Sullivan imagines a situation where the artist is part of an expedition into the past. He is there to record the animals found, which makes for some fascinating paintings. Being interested in the subject, we found it a refreshing take on dinosaur artwork, because it was different.
A Survey into the Cretaceous by Andrew Sullivan
T-Rex by Andrew Sullivan
Coelacanth by Andrew Sullivan
Adult and Juvenile Pteranodon by Andrew Sullivan
Corythosaurus by AJ Sullivan
Paintings by Ken Done You Probably Haven’t Seen
The gallery had a display of lesser known Ken Done paintings on display, which were to his usual colourful standard.
Ken Done Exhibition
Another Ken Done Painting
Ken Done Paintings
Fieldwork – Landscapes West of Sydney
An Art Gallery of New South Wales Touring Exhibit, Fieldwork was a surprise, because we were not expecting to see it here. The exhibition draws together many works from the galleries’ collection, many of them not displayed in decades. We enjoyed these paintings from the mid to late 1800s, as they show the beginning of a rich period of Australian artwork. There was quiet a variety of interesting paintings on display, a little something for everyone. This gallery is small but has a lot to offer. We enjoyed it!
Fieldwork Landscapes West of Sydney Exhibition
Maitland Regional Art Gallery
Burragorang Valley Near Picton by JH Carse 1879
Other Displays at the Maitland Regional Art Gallery
Joshua Smith JWA Smith 1937
Maitland Regional Art Gallery
Outdoor Sculpture
Visible from the road, this two metre high sculpture is a fun example of what art can be.
The Aberdare South Colliery operated from 1913 to 1927, making it long abandoned. All that remains of the old mine are the winder house and chimney, but these make the trip worthwhile, so that you can see some of the original industry of the Hunter Valley.
Getting There
Located in the village of Abernethy, the best place to start the walk is from Abernethy House, an old pub now operating as a guest house. Cars can park in a small cleared area opposite the house. This is convenient, because it is at the start of the walking track. The track is not suitable for two wheel drive vehicles, as the road is not well maintained. When we were there, it was badly rutted and eroded by heavy rain, making four wheel drive vehicle access impossible as well.
Abernethy House From the Car Park
The Track
Follow the track until you pass an intersection to the left. At this point, keep walking along the main track until you come to a second track to the left, which you take. This track, will lead you to a dam on the left hand side at which point you will also see a large chimney.
After rain the tack is muddy and rutted by previous traffic, which makes is rough in places. Be careful how you walk as some places are slippery and covered in water. Even if the weather is dry, the road will be badly rutted.
Access Track After Rain
Access Track After Rain
The Old Winder House at the Aberdare South Abandoned Mine
Once an impressive building, the old winder house is now a ruin with the roof and floor collapsed. Even in this state it is fun to look around and take pictures, as long as you are careful.
The interior was overgrown with grass and the collapsed floor and old basement were full of water, so we didn’t go inside. We were also wary of the surrounding area as the grass was very long and we were concerned about snakes.
Inside the Winder House
Outside the Winder House
The Old Ruined Winder House
The Chimney
Still standing after 100 year, the chimney is starting to look old, as the brickwork has cracks making it look unstable. Standing in the middle of the bush, it looks out of place, making it a unique and interesting photo opportunity.
Old Chimney at the Mine Site
The Dam and Returning to The Start
Once we had looked around the chimney and winder house, we followed the track down to the dam, which was full of water and surrounded by eucalyptus trees. From here, we walked around the dam until we found the track which took us back to our car. This track is the first one we passed on the way in, allowing us to do the walk as a circuit.
View Over the Dam
Things to be Aware Of
We aware that snakes are common in the area, so be careful around long grass. The old buildings are not maintained, so are unstable, particularly inside the winder house.
What Did We Think?
This was a great place to visit, because of the unusual sight of abandoned mine buildings. The walk was short and quite easy, despite the wet ground.
