I heard about the Riverboat Postman shortly after arriving in Sydney and for some reason I couldn’t stop thinking about it. I did some online research and came across a recent Wall Street Journal review of the trip - exactly the endorsement I needed! I promptly signed us up.
The Riverboat Postman is just what its name suggests - a boat licensed by Australia Post to deliver the mail to the tiny communities that dot the islands and shores of the Hawkesbury River, some of them accessible only from the water. The Hawkesbury Riverboat Postman claims to be the last of its kind in Australia. I’m not sure how long they’ve been welcoming tourists aboard the boat, but at $50 a pop it’s a nice little moneymaker.
After an easy one hour train ride north of the city, we arrived in the town of Brooklyn. We grabbed some coffee at JJs - a little fish n’ chips shack near the station and then headed to the marina. We joined two other Aussie couples on the boat for an utterly relaxing cruise up the Hawkesbury River. We stopped at probably 6-8 tiny little communities with names like Little Wobby Beach, Dangar Island and Marlow Creek. At each stop someone was waiting for us at the dock (usually with a dog or two) to pick up the mail and possibly some food goods. The boat hand made small talk and tossed biscuits to the dogs, who were always very excited to see us! Living on the Hawkesbury has got to be the epitome of ‘getting away from it all.’ The pace of life just seemed otherworldly.
The Riverboat Postman also proved to be a great way to see the Hawkesbury, which is an extremely scenic waterway that’s navigable for over 100 kilometers. Meandering and tranquil, the river is home to fisherman and oyster boats, which harvest the famous Sydney rock oysters.
After the four hour cruise we arrived back in the town of Brooklyn. We checked out the lunch options and decided to head back to JJs for a salty dose of fish n’ chips. We had some time to kill before the train arrived so we got ice cream at the local hardware store and wandered around a park where we spotted some beautiful gray and pink parrots. A divine day!
We recommend the Riverboat Postman to tourists and friends. To make a booking call 02 9985 7566. Boat departs Brooklyn at 9:30 am Mon-Fri and returns at approximately 1:15 pm.
Jun 16, 2009 at 8:22 PM I'd like to be a Riverboat Postman! Sign me up!!
Jun 17, 2009 at 8:48 AM Watching the video is a one minute mini-vacation. It's very relaxing and gives you the feel of a slower pace of life. Thanks for sharing!