Have you ever visited a place and wondered what tales it could tell you, what happens there, what it looked like years (even decades and centuries ago!), who’s been there, what was here and what it is now? We all have.

To help you find the who, what and why while you are discovering the Hawkesbury we’ve outlined some of the self guided tour options just waiting for you to experience them.

11 Stories from the River Dyarubbin Audio Walks

The eleven audio walks will share stories of the river, between Yarramundi and Sackville, guiding listeners along the Hawkesbury River.

Most of the walks have  been released, the remaining audio walks are in production and will be released in coming months at other locations along the river.

Use your own device to listen to stories of Dyarubbin / The Hawkesbury River; the history, ecology and culture of this place and original music inspired by them as you walk along the river.

These fascinating audio stories are underscored by original music and share stories of the history of Dyarubbin’s first people, the Dharug, colonial contact, settlement and frontier violence, floods and farming, geology, ecology and sustainability, told by over 100 participants.

Access the audio walks, map and find out more here.

IMAGE: Leanne Mulgo Watson, Marri Badu Muru – Big Water Path, Acrylic paint and ink on canvas, 2022

Heritage Highlights Walks - Richmond and Windsor

Call into the Hawkesbury Visitor Information Centre to pick up a copy of the heritage highlights guide and map of Richmond and Windsor town centres (or download them here).

Richmond and Windsor are two of the five Macquarie towns originally designated by Governor Lachlan Macquarie to provide safe residences and storage of produce for farmers who had already settled on flood prone land on the banks of the Hawkesbury-Nepean River. Both towns are named nostalgically for the townships they resembled in England.

Today the original settlements planning and architecture may still be seen in the streets, parks and stately buildings on these walks. The modern accompaniments of retail stores, cafes and weekend markets (Richmond on Saturdays, and Windsor on Sundays) make these walks a nice mix of the old and the new for locals and visitors alike. When on the Windsor walk make sure you call into the Hawkesbury Museum for more information about the history of the Hawkesbury.

The Blue Mountains Botanic Garden Walks

The Blue Mountains Botanic Garden is a showcase of local and imported cool climate plants and alpine rainforest. The Garden features many rare species, spectacular cool climate trees, seasonal colour, historically significant plantings and tranquil spaces.

Located on Darug country and situated in a UNESCO World Heritage Area, the Garden is divided into four distinct precincts, interlaced with pathways designed for wandering, exploring and engaging with the natural environment. Within each of these precincts are several themed gardens, lawns and features including pavilions, cascades, benches viewing areas and facilities.

While it isn’t a formalised guided walk, the Blue Mountains Botanic Garden at Mt Tomah 28 hectares of curated garden, much of it has interpretive signage, so you can grab a map from the visitors centre or use their online map to guide your way to all of your favourite plant areas throughout the expansive gardens.  The Stories from the Garden page gives some  great background  on the garden and it's plants. 'A trip down memory lane'  gives the fascinating history of the garden.

Admission to the garden is free, they are open 7 days 9am to 5pm. The Tomah Café operates daily from 9.30 am - 3pm serving breakfast, lunch, burgers, and children’s meals.

Hawkesbury Campus of Western Sydney University Walk

Just to mix things up, consider a self-guided wander through the University campus – not often considered as place to visit it is in fact a very interesting locale, especially for the architecturally inclined. Starting its humble beginnings as Hawkesbury Agricultural College (HAC) in 1891 the Hawkesbury Campus of Western Sydney University in Richmond shows its fascinating architectural and traditional beginnings. The combination of history, modern features and open landscaped spaces makes a visit and tour of campus worthwhile.

Visitors should keep in mind that the campus can be quite busy during term and be relatively isolated outside of term and on weekends. The self-guided tour covers a 1.5km loop, and will take up to an hour and a half depending on stops and how much exploring you do along the way. The guided walk locations and link to the campus map can be found here.

Make sure you spare some time for a visit and refreshments at The Secret Garden and Nursery while you are on campus.

There really is so much to see, do and learn about our beautiful Hawkesbury on our self guided walks – we hope you enjoy your visit whether it is alone, with a friend or a group.