A post-office was established at Maude on 1 May 1863.  The first post-master was probably Henry Prendergast, who, in conjunction with his son John had established a store at the township.  In October 1863 Maude was designated as a place for the holding of Courts of Petty Sessions.  By the end of the year the New South Wales Government had still not organised a land-sale at the township, despite frequent requests to this end by residents.  The correspondent to the "Sydney Morning Herald" commented that "the whole place exists on sufferance, the owners of the buildings being in unauthorised occupation of Crown land".