Maude is located 52 kilometres west of Hay, on the banks of the Murrumbidgee River. The Maude village consists of the General Store, and the Maude Hotel, Caravan Park & Post Office. Meals are available at night from the Hotel.

The origin of the name for the township of Maude is unknown. The village was established in approximately 1861. In May 1863, a Post & Telegraph Office was established, the first land sales were held in December 1865, and in 1866 a monthly Court of Petty Sessions was introduced. The village continued to grow very slowly until in 1879 it boasted a hotel, a store, and a wool store. It also had a police station with one resident trooper. Riverboats provided an important link between Maude & the outside world, plying upstream along the Murrumbidgee & downstream to the Murray.

The Maude Weir took two years to build (from 1937 to 1939), and provided work for 60 men. These men moved their families to Maude, and as a result boosted the towns population. The Maude Weir is an ideal spot for a picnic or BBQ Lunch, or south of the village is the Yang Yang Reserve, where camping sites with toilets and barbecue facilities have been established. Maude is a popular place for fisherman and campers all year round.

For a round trip, you can cross the Murrumbidgee River at Maude and turn back onto the Sturt Highway. The whole trip is completely sealed.