Member for Maitland Jenny Aitchison presented a petition to State Parliament last week calling for the “Glebe Trust Site” in East Maitland to be heritage listed.

Ms Aitchison also wrote to the State Minister for Heritage, Mark Speakman, on behalf of the Glebe Heritage Preservation Group.

The petition was signed by 412 people.

It read: “The petition … brings to the attention of the House the Glebe Trust Site, Wallis Street, East Maitland, (LOT 195 DP 1153110). It was on this very land that Governor Macquarie met Chief Bungaree of the Boan Native tribe in 1821. Bungaree held the last reported corroboree with all his own family and more than 30 of his tribe for the Governor after dinner on the land beside Wallis Creek, near the government cottage built by Major Morisset. It is also an important link between other heritage listed sites near Oldholme and the Glebe Cemetery. This land was rezoned in April 2014 from rural (RU1) to residential land (R1). We believe this to be a travesty and a misguided decision by Maitland City Council, as it will destroy a unique part of NSW history.

“The undersigned petitioners therefore ask the Legislative Assembly to heritage list the “Glebe Trust Site” and restrict any development. We ask that the land be preserved and its historical significance be promoted, to the benefit of the future of Maitland and NSW. We request that the land not be condemned to residential purposes as it is an insensitive and unnecessary waste of this site, especially considering its historical significance and proximity to the historic Glebe Cemetery.”