Discover the Hawkesbury: Windsor

You’re a long way from the Mississippi, but you wouldn’t know it on board the Hawkesbury Paddlewheeler, an old-time paddle boat that takes you on a 19th century journey that Huck Finn himself would consider mighty fine. Formerly called the Turrumburra, the boat was built in 1976 by the Reynolds family at Roseville and operated for years in the Lane Cove River Park before being relocated to Windsor in 1996, where it’s now run by Captain Ian Burns. The riverboat offers daily public lunch cruises and can be hired for special events at night. The cruise takes you along the tranquil river, one of the oldest waterways in Australia, and the food is freshly prepared on board.

We recommend the Sunday Lunch and Live Music Cruise, which goes 12.30-2.30pm and includes a barbecue buffet along with a live music act. It’s $45 for 13 years and over, $40 for seniors, $15 kids 3-5 and $22 kids $6-$12; drinks are available at the licenced cash bar. Departs Windsor Public Wharf, The Terrace, Windsor 2756. 0401 798 088.

If you love horses or fancy experiencing travel in the bush the way it was done in colonial times, this boutique riding school in Yarramundi is for you. It offers group and one-on-one classes, after-school classes, and special confidence classes tailored to women. If a one-off riding experience is more your speed, the Bush Trail Ride with Arena Tuition gives you a half-hour primer in equestrian skills followed by a half-hour guided bush trail ride ($75). More experienced riders can take on a 90-minute River Ride, taking you along the banks of the Yarramundi River ($90). Then there’s the more specialised training, such as classes in carriage driving or cattle working.

Hawkesbury Valley Equestrian Centre is owned and operated by Grahame and Renée Ware, formerly of the Sydney Trail Riding Centre, who have a wealth of experience with horses. Grahame is a fourth generation horsemaster for films and has spent over 25 years as a full time horse trainer. Renée started competing in cutting events at the age of eight and more recently has competed in campdrafting and stock horse shows. They both worked on the 2012 set of The Great Gatsby, and their horses frequently appear in films and TV productions. 26 Hillcrest Rd, Yarramundi 2753. 0432 105 104.

A large hotel that’s more like a gracious country retreat, Crowne Plaza Hawkesbury is a great place for romantic weekends away. The hotel’s 105 rooms include Superior Spa Rooms, Balcony Rooms and the spacious self-contained two-storey apartment the Bilpin Room. Many rooms boast views of the hotel’s lush grounds (including a tranquil lake) and the nearby Blue Mountains. Dining options include Harvest Restaurant, an elegant space of white marble fireplaces and plush flooring serving fine seasonal French-inspired fare.

The hotel is the ideal base for exploring local attractions of the Hawkesbury Valley, but there are attractions on the premises too: an elegant heated indoor pool, two floodlit tennis courts, an onsite gym, a kids’ playground and a nearby 18-hole golf course. In need of pampering? The only Villa Thalgo Day Spa in Australia is located on the grounds of the hotel. 61 Hawkesbury Valley Way, Windsor 2756. 02 4577 4222. 

Cattai National Park has two sections to explore. Cattai Farm is an idyllic camping spot where you can expect to wake to birdsong and may well encounter kangaroos during a morning walk to the lookout over Hawkesbury River. The campground is right near the Hawkesbury River, with canoeing, kayaking and fishing opportunities all nearby (be sure to pay the NSW Recreational Fishing Fee and keep your receipt on you). There are shady spots to enjoy a barbecue, and the picnic area is nearby for lunchtime activities. Mitchell Park is the more secluded area and a good spot for fishing – carp and bass are top catches here. Five kilometres of walking tracks take visitors through scribbly gum forest and tall bloodwoods.

There’s also the historic Cattai Homestead and historic buildings, a short walk or drive from campground. Roam around to explore the area’s fascinating farming heritage as owned by the family of First Fleet assistant surgeon Thomas Arndell. The park protects a number of Indigenous sites that are evidence of the Darug people's connection to the land; these include axe grinding grooves on rocks, rock engravings and rock art. Birdwatchers should visit the park's wetland areas to observe several bird species otherwise scarce within Sydney. Caddie Rd, Cattai 2756. Daily 7.30am-6.30pm (during daylight saving); 7.30am-5pm (other times). $8 per vehicle/day.

Every Sunday an act of time travelling takes place on the banks of the Hawkesbury at Wilberforce. Australian Pioneer Village is a volunteer-run attraction that recreates a colonial village of the 1800s. A local, Bill McLachlan, bought the site of one of the earliest land grants in the country in 1961 and determined to save historic buildings of the region from demolition by collecting them all into one ‘Pioneer Village’. Today the village includes a 1888 police station; a 1890 post office; an 1874 hotel stables; an 1890 church; a 1926 railway station; an 1860 general store; and several 19th century cottages. Not all the buildings were transported here: among its buildings is Rose Cottage (1811), the oldest timber dwelling in Australia to still be standing on its original site.

Volunteers dress up in period costume at this open-air museum, which is set on 11 acres of picnic grounds. The buildings include antique and curio shops, the 1879 ‘Bee House’, a whipmaker’s shop, the Damper Camp café, the lolly shop and the 1862 blacksmith’s shop, where qualified blacksmith Wayne Wagstaff demonstrates how to manipulate hot metal into tools, trinkets and art. Rose St, Wilberforce 2756. 02 4575 1777. Sun, public holiday Mon & school holiday Tue, Wed 10am-4pm. $0-$5; family $15.