Some of the most daring – and unusual – escapes from Maitland Gaol will be retold as a quirky addition to the Bitter and Twisted International Boutique Beer Festival this weekend. But while some of the tales lend themselves to the script of a Hollywood blockbuster, Maitland Tourism Manager Rachel MacLucas says what is most amazing is that they are all true.
Organisers have honed in on escapes as a marketing tool for this weekend’s two day celebration of beer at Maitland Gaol, and event goers can marvel over the daring of some the site’s past residents over a brew. “There’ll be big interpretative panels put up around the facility so people can read about some of the escapes from jail,” Ms MacLucas said. “It adds to the experience of the event. It’s about the festival experience, but it’s also about opening people up to the history and experience of the site.”
Maitland Gaol administrator Gordon Sauber, who along with researcher Steve “Mac” McLennan gathered the information, said the idea also provided a topic for another booklet in a series of publications about the site. Mr Sauber said they were looking at escapes as the basis for the jail’s second publication, following on from “Hurled Into Eternity” which recounted the 16 executions at the site. “This is the sort of stuff people are interested in, and it is similar to the material we pulled out for the executions booklet which has been very successful,” he said. “Perhaps this is the logical number two in the series as an appropriate theme and the two are linked through Patrick McNamara, who escaped before he was executed.”
Anyone who has information about escapes or any other information about the jail can contact Mr Sauber on (02) 4936 6482.
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