Top Attractions For RICHMOND

• The Macquarie Towns - First settled in 1794, Richmond and Windsor form the centre of a group of historic rural settlements known as the Macquarie Towns, comprising Kurrajong, Bilpin, Lower Portland, Ebenezer, Pitt Town, Colo, and Wiseman’s Ferry. The area was originally explored by British settlers in 1798 and named by Governor Phillip after the Duke of Richmond. In 1794, 22 Europeans settled at Richmond, the third area to be occupied after Sydney and Parramatta. The St Peter’s Anglican Church cemetery has graves dating from 1811 and the town itself retains numerous historic buildings from this period. Historic Walking Tours, devised by Hawkesbury Tourism, are available for both Richmond and Windsor. Australia’s oldest existing church, built in 1809, can be seen at Ebenezer, where visitors can explore the colonial graveyard and the Schoolmaster’s house, while Wiseman's Ferry was the location upon which Kate Grenville's 2005 award-winning novel "The Secret River" is based, being set in the early nineteenth century on what was then the frontier of European exploration, the Hawkesbury River. Attractions in the vicinity include the Blue Mountains, the Three Sisters rock formation, Norman Lindsay's House, Mt Tomah Botanic Gardens, Kurrajong Radio Museum, Fernbrook botanical garden and art gallery, Penrith Regatta and Whitewater Centres, the Nepean Belle and Hawkesbury Paddlewheeler river trips, and the Weekend Craft Markets at Richmond and Windsor.
  
  
• Blue Mountains National Park - The Hawkesbury is part of a World Heritage area encompassing the Blue Mountains and Wollemi National Parks, with facilities for bush walking, caving, rock climbing and associated activities. The Wollemi Pine, dating back some 150 million years and known only as a fossil before its re-discovery in 1994, grows to a height of 35 metres with a trunk diameter of more than one metre. An example of the Pine can be seen at Mount Tomah Botanic Gardens.
  
  
• Mount Tomah Botanic Gardens - Situated at an altitude of over 1000 metres in the northern Blue Mountains of New South Wales, the Mount Tomah Botanic Garden was established as the cool-climate garden of the Royal Botanic Gardens Sydney. It is one of the major tourist attractions in the region.
  
  
• Fernbrook - Fernbrook is situated on Bellbird Hill at Kurrajong Heights, where the Blue Mountains National Park meets the Wollemi National Park, overlooking the historic Hawkesbury Valley. It is regarded as one of Australia's most beautiful woodland gardens, covering approximately 12 acres. The garden was created by horticulturist and garden designer Les Musgrave, who chose this particular area for its climate and enriched deep brown loam, his aim being to establish a well-balanced and varied mix of native and exotic species.
  
  

Top Activities For RICHMOND

• Hawkesbury River - Recreation facilities on the nearby Hawkesbury River include fishing, boating, rowing, and water skiing.
  
  
• Richmond Golf Club - Richmond Golf Club is a vastly improved 18 hole golf course located in East Richmond, five minutes' drive away from the Motel. The course provides a challenge to the seasoned golfer, as well as being a great day out for the social player.
  
  
• Horse trails - Valley View Park is a large country property at Grose Vale in the foothills of the Blue Mountains, 7kms from Richmond, with horses and ponies to suit all, from absolute beginners to fully experienced riders. Guided trail riding is available. All rides pass through natural scenic bush land, and last from 30 minutes to 1 ½ hours. Pony-led rides are available for children under 5 years or for others not wishing to join a trail ride.
  
  
• Polo - Windsor Polo grounds, the home of Windsor Polo Club and venue for international polo matches, are situated in North Richmond, less than 2 kms from the Motel.