Editing The Post-Apocalyptic Roadmap/Australia (section)

==Maitland (Hunter Valley)==
Survivors of the fall-out populate Maitland as an aristocratic kleptocracy, lording their dairy, market garden and grape wealth over the peons who labour the fields, tend the cattle and act as navvies in their works.

Maitland maintains a horse drawn connection to Lake Macquaire, which it primarily polices with the power of the Singleton Light Horse (Acting.), and the New England Mounted Constabulary (Provisional.) Given the dissolution of the Commonwealth and the inability for a Prime Minister to advise a Monarch in line of the appointment of a Governor-General, or, for a Premier to advise a Monarch in line of the appointment of a Governor, the State of New England (bounded by Lake Macquarie, the Mountains, and the Marshes) awaits the stabilisation of good governance in other Australian territories.

Never-the-less Maitland maintains a tripartite government with an unwritten, if Westminster, constitution.  It is, however, operating under a limited property franchise with an executive selected legislative council, and habeas corpus is currently suspended by act of legislative council.

Maitland also benefits from its trade through the yacht port of Morpeth, though riverine piracy has been known to take a toll on trade vessels. Maitland's chief export is high grade hash resin, and it eagerly anticipates expanding its pharmacopeia, micro-climate permitting.

The former port and University city of Newcastle continues to be uninhabitable.  Changes on this point were not aided by final strikes which hit well home. These were targeted on Rod and Bar and Dry Dock, according to witness reports and post-event surveys.  Surveys indicate that all coal loaders are structurally unsound, and that secondary furnaces and ovens are beyond repair due to blast or firestorm unhousing, foundation damage, and lack of periodic maintenance.  Radiation and superstition continue to be issues, and Newcastle is policed as a "stand-off" affair, mainly to dissuade looters from stripping any surviving major portable industrial components.  Little of value was lost.  

Amongst the State Secrets of New England is the presence of mass graves at Hexham, known within the Singleton LH and New England MC as "survivors trenches." Coronial findings are not forthcoming from Maitland Library. Matters are sealed under the 100 year rule and the New England Security Organisation Act.
 
[[Category:The Post-Apocalyptic Roadmap]]