Carefully meandering its way from the foot of the bronze statue of Dorothea Mackellar on horseback, Maas Walk lies as a testament to Mikie (Mientje) Maas, the founder of the Dorothea Mackellar Memorial Society.

The walk gives poetry lovers a place to explore Dorothea Mackellar’s poems such as “Down” and “Buring Off” etched into the path and with plantings.

The bronze statue was constructed in 1983 by a well know sculptor Dennis Adams and faces towards “Kurrumbede” and “The Rampadells”, the Mackellar family holdings in the early 20th century.

Maas Walk was made possible with the generous support of BHP Billiton who committed $57,000 from its Caroona Coal Project Community Fund. Other community partners in the project include the Gunnedah Shire Council, the Namoi Catchment Management Authority and local businesses.

About Dennis Adams

Dennis Adams was born in Sydney in 1914 and studied at the Royal Art Society, Sydney and Royal Academy Schools, London. He joined the 18th Battalion and was later seconded to the Department of Home Security for camouflage work on RAAF Stations. In 1942 he was appointed war artist before being made Captain in Military History Section AIF in 1943.

After 1945 he continued to work as an artist mainly in the area of warand has undertaken numerous other works including the Royal Australian Regiment Memorial in Wynyard Square and paintings and sculpture at the Australian War Memorial in Canberra. In 1989, he was awarded the order of Australia Medal. He passed away in 2001.