The official description of Newcastle (Coal River) in 1821 was "a township containing altogether 13 houses that belonged to the Government and 71 that belonged to the prisoners".
Platt built a mill for grinding grain, but he was unsuccessful in growing wheat (unsuitable soil), and the area became known as "The Folly". However, the lack of infrastructure to support Platt's enterprise was also a factor.
Platt also
made a tunnel under the hill to extract coal.
In 1824, a fire destroyed Platt's barn, holding a crop of wheat from about thirty acres.
The census of 1825 showed 1471 people in the Newcastle region.
A bridle track went through Platt's farm over the Ironbark Hill, through Sparke's farm to Wallis Plains (East Maitland). Most people travelled north, however, by boat to the Green Hills (Morpeth) and then by bullock dray.
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An old bullock dray |
1830s
In 1831, Platt's sons, aged 13 and 5, died in a bush fire, and the children's bodies were "brought home" to Ironbark.
Lieutenant Platt died in 1836, and in 1839, his son sold the land for £6000 to the Australian Agricultural
Company.
1850s
A report in 1855 by the Australian Agricultural Company said that the value of Platt's property was "...also much enhanced, from being intersected by the Turnpike and Rad roads. . ."
In 1856, the northern railway line was running through Platt's property.
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NOTES OF A TRIP TO NEWCASTLE BY RAIL. It was intimated in a recent number of the Mercury that the railway from Newcastle to Maitland was far advanced towards completion; that it would probably be ready for opening by the close of the year, and that, in fact, the engine was already running daily between Newcastle and East Maitland, conveying men and materials as required to the various joints where work was going on, Maitland Mercury and Hunter River General Advertiser (NSW : 1843 - 1893), Tuesday 23 December 1856 |
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Daily Telegraph (Sydney, NSW : 1931 - 1954) |
1870s
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Daily Telegraph (Sydney, NSW : 1931 - 1954) |
In 1876, Australian Agricultural Company's superintendent, moved into a house on Platt's former land.
Mayfield was a very desirable place to live, and the Winn family, who established Winn's Department Store in Newcastle's Hunter, built an impressive house at Highfield Street, Mayfield in 1878.
1880s
The former Redemptorist Monastery at 68 Woodstock Street Mayfield opened in 1887.
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Mount Saint Alphonsus Redemptorist Monastery at Mayfield, 1887, PD |
John Scholey, a businessman, purchased a large estate at north Waratah in 1881, which he later subdivided and named Mayfield after his daughter Ada May.
The residence of William Arnott (famous biscuits), named "Arnott Holme", was built in 1886 and later became a girls home. The building originally belonged to Charles Uphold, the owner of the Soap and Candle Factory at Mayfield.
Steam tram operations commenced in Newcastle on 6 July 1887, with a trial run between Newcastle and Plattsburg (Mayfield).
1890s
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Mr Ingall with group at his home at North Waratah (Mayfield), 1890, PD |
In 1896, BHP bought land on the river shore at Mayfield East for smelters.
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Opening of Waratah-Mayfield Fire Station Number 2, Mayfield, NSW, 22 May 1898, PD |
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Opening of Waratah-Mayfield Fire Station Number [1], Mayfield, NSW, 22 May 1898, PD
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1900s
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John Scholey's house, Mayfield, NSW, 7 November 1900, Archives NSW |
A mission was established for Aboriginal people on reserve land at Karuah in the early 1900s.
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The opening of the Mayfield Steam Tram, NSW. On January 11, 1901, University of Newcastle Cultural Collection |
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Captain Newton's house, [Cnr Highfield & Handbury Street] Mayfield, NSW [November] 1901, PD |
The Australian Agricultural Company's superintendent's house burnt down in 1901. However, a new house called "Argyle House" was built in 1902, later sold to the Catholic Church, becoming the Murray-Dwyer Orphanage.
Shelley Beach
became a park in May 1904.
BHP was established in January 1913.
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VIEW OF THE OPEN HEARTH STEEL FURNACE BUILDING AT THE BROKEN HILL PROPRIETARY COMPANY'S IRON AND STEEL WORKS, AT PORT WARATAH, NEWCASTLE. The building will accommodate three 65-ton furnaces. Daily Telegraph (Sydney, NSW : 1883 - 1930), Thursday 4 February 1915 |
WWI
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Corporal David J. Price, the eldest son of Mr. and Mrs. J. j. Price, Barton-Btreet, Mayfleld, formerly of Tighe's Hill, was killed m action at Zonnebeke Ridge, Belgium, on October 22, 1917. Corporal Price, who waa 22 years of age at the time of his death, sailed from Sydney with the 20th Battalion. Prior to enllistement be was employed at J. and A. Brown's workshops, Hexham, and later was1 employed at the Steel Works. Newcastle Sun (NSW : 1918 - 1954), Monday 28 October 1918 |
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THE NEWCASTLE STEEL WORKS Broken Hill Proprietary's Enterprise. Remarkable Transformation in Six Years (\MERCHANT BARS, ROUNDS, FLATS, &c., FROM 18 inch, 12 inch AND. 8 inch MILLS). Leader (Melbourne, Vic. : 1862 - 1918, 1935), Saturday 28 September 1918 |
1920s
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Waratah Town Hall - Hanbury Street Mayfield, NSW, 1920 |
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Cnr Maitland Rd & Hanbury St Mayfield NSW, 1920s |
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Newcastle Sun (NSW : 1918 - 1954), Saturday 12 February 1921 |
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Newcastle Sun (NSW : 1918 - 1954), Saturday 12 February 1921 |
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The first electric tram arriving at The Mayfield Terminus in 1923, NSW, The Newcastle Sun |
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Maitland Road, Mayfield, c.1925 Newcastle NSW |
St. Elizabeth's Home for Girls was opened at Mayfield in 1926, for orphan and destitute girls, by the Church of England Diocese of Newcastle. The home moved to Singleton in 1942.
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Mayfield East Public School, NSW, Class 1c (1926), PD |
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AMOS' HOTEL, MAYFIELD, HAS BEEN REBUILT AND REAPPOINTED ON THE MOST MODERN LINES. THIS PICTURE SHOWS THE FINISHED EXTERIOR. Proprietor: DAVID AMOS. Architects: DENLEY & CHIPLIN.Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners' Advocate (NSW : 1876 - 1954), Wednesday 13 July 1927 (later the Stag and Hunter) |
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Newcastle Sun (NSW : 1918 - 1954), Friday 12 August 1927 |
1930s: The Great DepressionPlatt's Estate (Platto) was from the 1930s to the 1960s, a town camp for many unemployed, itinerant and destitute people. There was also a hollow tree at the site where people would sleep.
By the late 1930s, Murray-Dwyer Orphanage also operated as a farm.
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Going strong! Members of Wara tah-Mayfield Unemployed Association making Christmas toys for poor 'children of the suburb. Newcastle Sun (NSW : 1918 - 1954), Saturday 12 December 1931 |
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"Waratah House," which stands on the banks of thie Hunter River at Mayfield, is to be demolished. It was built in 1831 by Mr. Simpson, then Collector of Customs and Newcastle's only port official. The huge fig-trees are over 100 years old. The building and trees are to give way to the demands of the pipe-making plant now in process of construction.Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners' Advocate (NSW : 1876 - 1954), Wednesday 20 September 1933 |
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IN THE GARDEN AT MRS. L. BRADFORD'S HOME AT MAYFIELD where a parly was held yesterday «in aid of the hospital £5000 appeah From1 left: Mn. Harvey Pulver, Mrs. Tod-hunter, Miss Muller Mrs. H. C. Langwill, Mrs. Fowler. Newcastle Sun (NSW : 1918 - 1954), Friday 6 April 1934 |
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— Newcastle Meets Coalfields, AN EXCITING INCIDENT during (he Rugby League match at the Sportsground yesterday between Newcastle No.. 1 and Coalfields No. 1. On the left of the picture are W. Ridgeway, of Waratah-Mayfield, and Jim Gibb, one of Newcastle's two internationals. Newcastle Sun (NSW : 1918 - 1954), Tuesday 8 May 1934 |
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Starters, in the Junior Open Invitation Cycling Race at the Mayfield tram terminus, NSW, Newcastle Sun (NSW : 1918 - 1954), Monday 22 July 1935 |
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The two-decker 'bus which, having been discarded in Sydney, has been brought to Newcastle and will be placed on the Newcastle-MayfieldWest service., NSW, Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners' Advocate (NSW : 1876 - 1954), Saturday 19 September 1936 |
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The Waratah-Mayfield and Maitland United Rugby League football teams marching to the field at No.1 Sports Ground on Saturday afternoon, led by their youthful mascots, for the semi-final match of the Newcastle competitionsNewcastle Morning Herald and Miners' Advocate (NSW : 1876 - 1954), Monday 31 August 1936 |
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Children of the Church of England's Girls' Home at Mayfield, the 10th anniversary of the establishment of which was celebrated on. Saturday. Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners' Advocate (NSW : 1876 - 1954), Monday 31 August 1936 |
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Plan showing the location of the area of 107 acres of land on Platt's Estate,Mayfield;', portion of which it is proposed should be reserved as the site of a University, and the remainingportion used for extending recreation facilities, as desired by Newcastle public bodies.Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners' Advocate (NSW : 1876 - 1954), Saturday 28 March 1936 |
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Horizontal and vertical composition: The river from the Murray Dwyer Memorial Orphanage, Mayfield. NSW. Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners' Advocate (NSW : 1876 - 1954), Friday 10 September 1937 |
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St. Elizabeth's Home for Girls was opened at Mayfield in 1926 as a home for orphan and destitute girls, by the Church of England, Newcastle, NSW, The house was built in 1886 and was once the residence of William Arnott), Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners' Advocate (NSW : 1876 - 1954), Monday 20 September 1937 |
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Prawning in the stormwater channtel at Mayfield West. Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners' Advocate (NSW : 1876 - 1954), Wednesday 3 November 1937 |
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A scction of the unemployed camp at Mayficld West, Newcastle, N.S.W. Some of these "palaces" arc being removed to near the Waratah reservoir, where these evidences of "prosperity" will not be visible from the main road, Workers' Weekly (Sydney, NSW : 1923 - 1939), Tuesday 20 September 1938 |
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Panorama looking east over Mayfield-Maud street to the right, NSW, no date, PD |
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Casion Inn Cafe, Mayfield, NSW, 1938, Special Collections |
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Hotel Mayfield, Maitland Road, NSW. 1938.PD |
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RUNAWAY WHEELS WRECK SHOP NARROW ESCAPES AT MAYFIELD CHILDREN LEAPED FROM DANGER (Hanbury Street), Newcastle Sun (NSW : 1918 - 1954), Thursday 13 January 1938 |
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Unemployed camp, Mayfield West, NSW. Photograph taken 22 March 1938. PD |
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Additions just completed to the MurrayDwyer Orphanage at Mayfield West, NSW, Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners' Advocate (NSW : 1876 - 1954), Saturday 12 March 1938 |
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S. CURRIE, an Aboriginal centre three-quarter, who will play his first match for Sarah-Mayfield Rugby League team today. Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners' Advocate (NSW : 1876 - 1954), Saturday 16 July 1938 |
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J. Millington Hosiery, S.E. Bremmell, Giles Chemist and The National Bank of Australasia, Maitland Road, Mayfield, NSW. 1938, Special Collections |
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Chinese gardeners tilled their marketgardens at Mayfield, NSW, Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners' Advocate (NSW : 1876 - 1954), Wednesday 15 March 1939 |
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Highfield-street, Mayfield, NSW, Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners' Advocate (NSW : 1876 - 1954), Saturday 25 November 1939 |
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The new Baby Health Centre at Maitland-road, Mayfield, NSW. The opening celebration will be held on Thursday.Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners' Advocate (NSW : 1876 - 1954), Tuesday 6 June 1939 |
1940s and WWII
In the early hours of 8 June, Japanese submarines carried out brief bombardments of Sydney and Newcastle. 34 shells were fired at Newcastle, but caused little damage. At 2:28 am, the guns at Fort Scratchley near the entrance to Newcastle's harbour opened fire on the enemy naval vessel.
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1. Mrs. C, Dorman (president of the Waratah-Mayfield branch of (he HospitalWomen's Auxiliary), and the Secretary (Mrs. A- J- Semple), at yesterday's garden party at Miss Scholey's home at mayfield. 2. Miss Agnes Scholey . who lent her beautiful home and garden at Mayfield, to the Waralah-MayNem branch of the Hospital Women's Auxiliary for a party yesterday. Sister Pullin, of the I nfeclious Diseases Hospital, Newcastle Sun (NSW : 1918 - 1954), Friday 27 September 1940 |
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Parade down Hanbury Street, Mayfield, NSW c. 1940s. PD |
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Panoramic view showing section of the 40 acres of Crown land at Mayfield West, which it is proposed should be sub-divided into building lots, and for recreation purposes. A sub-committee of Greater Newcastle Council is considering the scheme. At left is Maitland-road.Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners' Advocate (NSW : 1876 - 1954), Tuesday 18 March 1941 |
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Some of the 50 soldiers who were entertained last night by Waratah-Mayfield sub-branch of the Returned Soldiers' League, at Waratah Town Hall. Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners' Advocate (NSW : 1876 - 1954), Monday 25 May 1942 |
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The Archbishop of the Greek Orthodox Church (Most Rev. Timotheos Evangelidis), who officiated at St. Andrew's Church of England, Mayfleld (NSW). He was accompanied by the newly ordained Deacon, John Evangelidis. Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners' Advocate (NSW : 1876 - 1954), Monday 27 September 1943 |
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More than 2000 men and women. with suitcases and sugar bags. struggled to get served when 600 dozen bottles of beer were sold at the Hotel Mayfield. Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners' Advocate (NSW : 1876 - 1954), Wednesday 20 December 1944 |
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Newcastle Sun (NSW : 1918 - 1954), Friday 2 November 1945 |
After WW II, 3,170 UK child migrants were sent to Australia from 1947–65 (
2.) Many of these children were from deprived backgrounds and had been placed in charitable care.
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Children of the Murray Dwyer Orphanage, Mayfield, (NSW) were taken by the nuns and the committee of the orphanage for a Christmas picnic at Belmont. Some of the children are seen with two of the nuns before starting off yesterday morning. Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners' Advocate (NSW : 1876 - 1954), Wednesday 18 December 1946 |
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Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners' Advocate (NSW : 1876 - 1954), Saturday 19 October 1946 |
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Chinese market gardeners retaliated against greengrocers, who contended that soup bunches did not represent good value, by refusing to supply other vegetables to the Newcastle market yesterday. Pictured is Tong Sang, of Bull-street, Mayfield, collecting a bunch of the offending vegetables in his garden. Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners' Advocate (NSW : 1876 - 1954), Thursday 16 May 1946 |
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Traffic lights ready at Mayfield, NSW, Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners' Advocate (NSW : 1876 - 1954), Friday 24 January 1947 |
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Former Hoyts Theatre, 161 Maitland Road, Mayfield, NSW, about 1940s, Creative Commons, johngleeson |
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Opening of Waratah-Mayfield Fire Station Number 2, Mayfield, NSW, 22 May 1898, PD, no date |
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Last Tram from Mayfield, NSW, Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners' Advocate (NSW : 1876 - 1954), Monday 27 September 1948 |
Devastating floods in Maitland in June 1949 caused BHP to close their blast furnaces for the first time in history, and almost 10,000 men lost their jobs.
Monday 27 June 1949, 23,000 coal miners across Australia went on strike.
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EVERY DAY hundreds of Newcastle people are fossicking former coal dumps at Mayfield. During the war thousands of tons of coal were dumped on B.H.P. Co. property known as 'the old golf links.' It was eventually cleared away, but the 'Mayfield open cut mine' is now being used by amateur miners from near and far. Newcastle Sun (NSW : 1918 - 1954), Friday 8 July 1949 |
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Mayfield residents, NSW, looking for coal during miners' strike of 1949, Newcastle Stories |
1950s
Shelley Beach, was a park area of waterfront land at Mayfield and part of the Platt's Channel. The area was filled in by the BHP, in 1950, in an exchange with the Government, for the land which now belongs to the University of Newcastle.
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Newcastle Sun (NSW : 1918 - 1954), Wednesday 13 September 1950 |
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Corner of Church Street and Maitland Road, Mayfield, NSW, c. 1950s. PD |
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San Clemente, Mayfield, NSW |
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Mayfield, NSW, Newcastle Sun (NSW : 1918 - 1954), Wednesday 13 September 1950 |
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Former Hoyts Theatre (demolished), 161 Maitland Road, Mayfield, NSW, about 1950s, Creative Commons, johngleeson |
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This house was moved to a new site in Scholey-slreet, Mayfield, yesterday, and Is seen in positlon at the new site. The house, with two others, is being moved front land In Leonard-street to make room for Australia's largest forging press for the Commonwealth Steel Complany.Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners' Advocate (NSW : 1876 - 1954), Saturday 4 August 1951 |
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Under the supervlsion of a Sister, Nicholus Bomford, 9 (left) and Don Wilson, 10, churn buttler yesterday to perform a dally task at the Murray-DwyerOrphanage, Mayfield, NSW, Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners' Advocate (NSW : 1876 - 1954), Wednesday 30 July 1952 |
In 1952 St Alban's Home for Boys moved from Murrurundi to "Winncourt", Mayfield, and relocated again in 1964.
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THE OLD AND THE NEW.— Typical humpies in Platt's Estate. The new brick bungalows of the encroaching modern suburb of West Waratah can be seen in the background. A report to be delivered to the Aborigines' Welfare Board shortly discloses that aborigines and Australian white families are living in deplorable conditions at Platt's Estate,on the outskirts of West Waratah. Platt's Estate is an area of Crown land, about 400 acres, adjoining the new brick and fibro suburb of West Waratah. (NSW). Newcastle Sun (NSW : 1918 - 1954), Thursday 17 September 1953 |
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Newcastle Sun (NSW : 1918 - 1954), Tuesday 5 May 1953 |
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Migrants at the Migrants' Hostel, Mayfield West, preparing for New Year festivities yesterday, using their Christmas decoration as well. Front left: The cook, Mr. J. Novak, Mr. II. Schilko, Mrs. R. Kos, Nhl,. R. Tanchuck, Mrs. G. Wilk (standing), and Mrs. T. Syrokwasza (far right), freshening up the dininghall decorations.Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners' Advocate (NSW : 1876 - 1954), Friday 1 January 1954 |
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Queen Elizabeth's Visit to Mayfield (NSW) 1954, Special Collections |
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Mayfield Charity Festival parade, Mayfield (NSW) [1954]. Special Collections |
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Mayfield Charity Festival parade, Mayfield (NSW) [1954]. Special Collections |
1960s
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Mayfield Migrant Hostel, NSW, 1960s |
The Mayfield Olympic Swimming Pool opened to the public Saturday 12th November 1966.
The Murray-Dwyer Orphanage operated until 1968.
1970s
The Agricultural Company's Manager's house was demolished in November 1970.