Hawkesbury Valley, New South Wales

A taste of country on Sydney's doorstep. Approximately one hours drive north west of Sydney City lies the charming Hawkesbury Valley. The country atmosphere at the historic towns of Windsor, Richmond and St Albans, and the quaint rural settlements of Kurrajong, Bilpin, Lower Portland, Ebenezer, Pitt-Town, Colo & Wisemans Ferry, make up this picturesque area. Visit the numerous antique and craft stalls, or spend time talking with a local artist at one of the boutique galleries. Why not enjoy a walk in the Steps of the Masters in the Artist's Trail?

The western end of the Hawkesbury River forms a peaceful boundary for the Sydney region, winding its way through the valley, dotted with charming hideaways and B&B's for that relaxing weekend away. Join a tour of the nearby glow warm caves, or for the more adventurous try abseiling or canyoning with one of the local tour operators. With over 15 percent of New South Wales fruit and vegetables grown in the area, pick up a copy of The Hawkesbury Farm Gate Trail map from the local Visitor Information Centre at Clarendon (opposite the Richmond RAAF Base) and tour the area. Stop and enjoy a wine at a historic Winery, try gourmet goats cheese or visit one of the numerous orchards and pick your own fresh fruit to take home with you.

Hawkesbury Valley Highlights.....
* Stay in a secluded and charming 'Hawkesbury Hideaway' B&B, located in and around historic towns that make up the Hawkesbury Valley.
* Canoe the pristine Grose and Colo rivers or explorer the magnificent Wollemi National Park.
* Enjoy the beauty of the Greater Blue Mountains World Heritage area that is located within the Hawkesbury Valley.
* Explore the glow worm grottos and the deep canyons of the fabulous Hawkesbury River system with one of the local tour companies.
* Enjoy a leisurely boat cruise on the Hawkesbury River from historic Windsor. Abundant in history, the early colonial towns of Windsor, Richmond and St Albans are a must to visit.
* Water-ski on the mighty Hawkesbury River from Windsor to Wisemans Ferry.
* Enjoy the family fun of the Hawkesbury Wine, Food and Music Festivals.
* Tour the area with the Farm Gate trail guide and sample the Hawkesburys' bountiful array of fresh seasonal produce grown in the area.

Facilities

• Accommodation
• Automatic Teller Machine
• Banking Facilities
• Electronic Funds Transfer at Point Of Sale
• Newsagent

• Public Telephone
• Restaurant
• Supermarket
• Takeaway Food
• Visitor Centres

Experiences/Activities

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• Water based:
• Canoeing:
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How to get there

Travelling By Car From Sydney City, Take the Harbour Tunnel or Harbour Bridge, follow the Warringah Expressway straight through to Lane Cove, and follow through onto the M2 Motorway right to the end till the Blacktown Exit - Turn right onto Burns Road which follows onto Old Windsor Road, which runs into Windsor Road, turn right and it will take you right into Windsor in about an hours drive. Travelling By Train Rail services operate daily from North Sydney, Central Station through to Windsor and Richmond, terminating at Richmond station. Services generally run every hour with half hourly services in peak commuter periods. As an indication of rail travel times, a trip from Central Station to Windsor is around 1 hour 10 minutes while Central to Richmond is approximately 1 hour and 20 minutes by rail. Get on the 'Richmond Line' from Central Station, Town Hall, Redfern, Strathfield, Parramatta or Blacktown.