Maclean, New South Wales

Maclean is a town in Clarence Valley Local Government Area in the North Coast region of New South Wales, Australia. It is on the Clarence River and near the Pacific Highway. At the 2006 census, Maclean had a population of 3,245 people. Its industries are tourism, sugar cane production, farming and river-prawn trawling.

For over 100 years Maclean has hosted a popular Highland Gathering at Easter each year, where participants and bands contest traditional Scottish athletic and cultural competitions, such as caber tossing, highland dancing, band competition, and bagpiping. The "Maclean, The Scottish Town In Australia Association", is a community group which was formed in 1986 under the initiative of former bank manager Mr Graham Leach, and works to promote Maclean's strong Scottish origins. The work of this committee over the years has ensured that Maclean now has national and international recognition as 'The Scottish Town' in Australia.

Many street signs are written in English and Scottish Gaelic; power poles are painted with tartan patterns; and an excellent Scottish Cairn has been erected in Herb Stanford Park.

History
The area was originally inhabited by the Gumbaingirr or Yaygir Aboriginal peoples. Matthew Flinders landed near the mouth of the Clarence River in 1789.

Cedar cutting began in the area in the 1830s. The Maclean area was known as Rocky Mouth in 1850s. The township was officially laid out in 1862 and named after Alexander Maclean, the Surveyor General. The sugar industry began to develop around 1865.