Just over an hours drive north-west of Sydney at the end of the Richmond train line from Central, Town Hall or Wynyard Station, Sydney.

The Hawkesbury Valley is located at the foot of the Blue Mountains, nestled amongst the vast wilderness of the Blue Mountains and Wollemi National Parks, where pristine creeks feed into the magnificent Hawkesbury River.

The great river meanders through the townships of Richmond and Windsor, where some of the earliest colonial settlements were born.

Originally the home of the Darug Clan of the Aboriginal people, the area was discovered in 1789 by Governor Arthur Phillip in search of fertile farmland. The rich riverland was settled in 1794 and the district holds a wealth of heritage with numerous well preserved historical buildings still in use.

Descendents of the original settlers are still prominent in the Hawkesbury with many continuing the family tradition on the land, side by side with the second and third generation farmers from early European migrants.

Despite Hawkesbury's close proximity to Sydney, Australia's largest city, it is still very much a rural community, with market gardens, orchards and rich pasture covering much of the landscape from the floodplains to the hills.

Known as the "food basket" for Sydney, the Hawkesbury area grows a vast range of produce including stone fruits, oranges, apples, pecan nuts, berries and various vegetables, many of which are for sale at various stalls dotted around the roads.

Many of the orchards are open for "pick you own" customers. The orange orchards are found on the plains around Freemans Reach and Agnes Banks whilst the apple and stone fruit orchards are located further up the hills of Bilpin, Grose Vale and Kurrajong.

In between, there now exists a variety of artisan workshops from wood turners and potters to boutique cheesemakers and wineries.