The Maitland Mercury is Australia's third oldest regional newspaper, preceded only by the Geelong Advertiser (estab.

It was originally a weekly newspaper, founded by Richard Jones, an English migrant from Liverpool who also served as treasurer of NSW for a brief period.

The first issue was published as The Maitland Mercury and Hunter River General Advertiser on 7 January 1843.

[5] In 1939 the weekly edition was absorbed into the daily and it became known as The Maitland Mercury.

It published national and international news, which was critical to the financial survival of the newspaper at the time, and it continues to do so.