A Day Trip to Historic Windsor, Hawkesbury

Located in the north-west of Sydney, the town of Windsor sits by the Hawkesbury River, is the third oldest colonial settlement in Australia, and is home to many little surprises.

Lime and Coconut Cafe

We began our trip to the serene town of Windsor by heading to ‘Lime and Coconut Cafe’, a small but great cafe with quality food and coffee. Built into an old heritage building, the interior of the cafe has refurbished and decorated to take a retro, home-like spin, and is the perfect introduction to the aesthetics and theme of the town of Windsor.

As soon as we entered the cafe, we were greeted warmly by the workers, who kindly informed us that we were allowed to take any available table. Our experience at Lime and Coconut was quite interesting as the cafe’s atmosphere was more like a home than a commercial cafe- peaceful but lively, with the soft but audible music in the background, natural light, and neutral decorations with a pop of colour here and there.

Upon a look at the menu, you may think that the prices are a little pricey, but considering the quality and quantity, I would say the price is worth it. Upon ordering, it was only 5-10 minutes before all our food was brought out. We ordered a Cappuccino, Sweet Cheeks (Juice), House Breakfast, Vegan Bowl, and Waffles, all of which were quite good- no food was left behind.

Hawkesbury River and Parks

As the town of Windsor sitting alongside the Hawkesbury River, residents and visitors alike are able to enjoy the parks sitting beside the river and their facilities. There are three parks I visited on my trip to Windsor;

1) Governor Phillip Park
Governor Phillip Park is just a short 2-minute drive away from the commercial Windsor area and situated in the middle of suburbia. Here, visitors are able to overlook the Hawkesbury River whilst also enjoying the park’s BBQ and picnic facilities, whilst children are able to run freely around the newly built playground, which includes in-ground trampolines, water fountains, musical chimes, a large fort, and so much more- a large step up from your average local playground.

2) Howe Park
Howe Park sits right between the shopping areas of Windsor and the Hawkesbury River. Although there isn’t too much to do here, perhaps that is the point of this park. With benches parked alongside the walkway alongside a view of the Hawkesbury River, what this park offers is a simple but peaceful experience- a step away from life kind. Extending from the park is a lookout porch, that provides a more open view of the Hawkesbury River and the park on the other side- Macquarie park.

3) Macquarie Park
Quite different from your typical park, Macquarie Park is home to a family restaurant as well as a beach area for safe and direct access to the Hawkesbury River, opening the outdoor activity options from your typical frisbee or soccer to canoeing, kayaking, and swimming your dog. As nice as this park was, it is advised to be cautious when driving towards it as the entrance is not the most visible I’ve come across.

Information Centre and Museum
As many great historic towns do, the town of Windsor has an Information Centre and Museum, where displays of the town’s history and foundations can be seen and understood. From the old post office, old Hawkesbury home decor, to HMSA Hawkesbury member’s diary during WWII, visitors will be able to see and learn about Australia’s third oldest colonial settlement.

Windsor Seafood
We finished our day off with a visit to ‘Windsor Seafood’. The store, like most others in this town, is heritage- but both inside and out, you can see that the store has been well kept, whilst also maintaining its history. Here, we ordered a Crumbed Fish and Chips, and despite how full we were, it was pretty good.

Pros and Cons
As the town of Windsor isn’t too small, I felt that I was unable to explore all the hidden gems of Windsor, but I would definitely visit another day to find and explore this historic town.

Overall Experience
My day trip to Windsor was overall, quite peaceful- the town was busy enough for me to feel as if I had blended in, but much more serene compared to a typical day in Sydney. With this day trip, the town of Windsor has become another destination added to my day-trips list.