The Township of Head, Clara and Maria, located along the Ottawa River in the northwestern corner of Renfrew County, was formed in 1878 through the amalgamation of the adjacent geographic townships of Head, Clara, and Maria. Covering over 500 square kilometres of predominantly Crown land, the township is one of the least populated in Ontario, with a small number of residents concentrated along Highway 17 and the riverfront communities of Stonecliffe, Mackey, Bissett Creek, and Deux-Rivières.

Historically, the area developed around the timber trade and river transport rather than agriculture, as the rugged topography, shallow soils, and extensive wetlands limited the viability of farming. Logging camps, ferry points, and bush roads defined the early economy, with settlements growing where infrastructure and timber access coincided. The Canadian Pacific Railway and, later, Highway 17 provided vital links through otherwise remote and inaccessible terrain.

For surveyors, the Township of Head, Clara and Maria presents a layered and sparsely developed cadastral landscape. Original Crown surveys from the late 19th century laid out concession grids, but many road allowances remain unopened or were informally deviated around physical obstacles. Much of the land remains under Crown ownership, and private parcels are often tied to water access, old timber licenses, or long-standing recreational uses. Along the Ottawa River, shoreline parcels frequently involve meandered boundaries, Crown reserves, and shifting water lines due to seasonal fluctuations and historical logging infrastructure.

Modern survey work in the township requires attention to overlapping jurisdictions, including provincial parks, utility corridors, and floodplain overlays. With limited development pressure, many original lot configurations remain intact, though natural boundaries, unmaintained access roads, and incomplete severance records can complicate title research and boundary retracement. The Township of Head, Clara and Maria stands as a clear example of how geography, resource extraction, and limited settlement have preserved a largely untouched cadastral footprint in rural Ontario.