The Sydney Gazette 6 April 1839

GOVERNOR'S VISIT

His Excellency the Governor arrived in the Tamar at Maitland on Sunday last. On arriving at Newcastle  His Excellency went on shore and was received on the beach in a very gratifying manner; he walked through the town attended by Major Crummer, the Police Magistrate, and viewed the church and coal mines, and after about an hour's absence returned to the steamer. The Hunter experienced a heavy fall of rain which commenced on Tuesday night and continued until Thursday night, which it is to be hoped will prove of beneficial effect. The country around Maitland and the Wollombi is represented to be in a dreadful state on account of the drought; all the creeks and rivers in the neighbourhood, with the exception of the Hunter, have dried up, and even the latter river, usually looked upon as a fresh water river, has become brackish at Maitland. Wheat last week was about fifteen shillings a bushel, and bread was a shilling the two pound loaf