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History in mind
Dating back to the earliest years of the NSW settlement, the Hawkesbury region is within easy reach of Sydney. Tne of the main waterways of the Sydney region, the Hawkesbury River snakes its way from the foot of the Blue Mountains through towns and settlements such as Windsor, Richmond, Wisemans Ferry and Brooklyn, and enters the sea just north of Palm Beach.
>> Conference
& meeting venues in Hawkesbury
Historically, it has always played an important role, and for this reason is renowned as the historic heart of the state.
It dates from the very earliest days of the First Fleet, with Governor Arthur Phillip sanctioning farming in what became known as the Hawkesbury Valley from 1794.
As settlement proceeded, a number of towns came to prominence. Governor Lachlan Macquarie founded Windsor and Richmond in 1810.
Both towns now have an emphasis on their heritage character, with many fine public buildings and private homes. At least one of the hotels in Windsor, for example, has been in almost constant use since 1815.
The river is the lifeblood of the region. While it is little more than 90 minutes from the centre of Sydney, the rural character of the Hawkesbury lends the conference market a certain get-away-from-it-all appeal.
Activities such as boating, fishing, sailing, waterskiing, jet-boating and canoeing are popular. The many national parks throughout the Hawkesbury area give a real taste of what Sydney was like before the arrival of European settlement.
While Windsor and Richmond have a lively small-town appeal, Wisemans Ferry is set against a quiet rural backdrop. Located 85 kilometres north of Sydney, it is one of the last places within close proximity of the city with a ferry crossing. From Wisemans Ferry, visitors can travel on to the Hunter Valley, providing a scenic and little travelled alternative to the northern freeway.
In its rustic and historic charm, the towns and settlements of the Hawkesbury region give meetings groups the opportunity to get away from the city yet be within easy driving
distance.
