History runs deep on the riverside

The Hawkesbury River - or Dyarubbin in the languages of the traditional custodians - is one of Australia's most storied rivers, connected with millennia of Indigenous occupation and to the earliest years of European settlement. Once a place of trade for Aboriginal people and a key transport corridor for white settlers, it now provides boating, skiing and water fun for everyone.

Featuring the "Five Macquarie Towns" established by Governor Lachlan Macquarie in the 1810s, and even more colonial heritage besides, the Hawkesbury region is home to one of the country's oldest pubs - the 1836 Settlers Arms Inn at St Albans - and to Australia's oldest church at Ebenezer.

Bilpin is the place to visit. You can go fruit picking at the many orchards, test out some of the locally brewed ciders at Bilpin Cider Co and Hillbilly Cider, get a brilliant coffee and lunch at the Grumpy Baker or pick up the best apple pie you will ever try at the Bilpin Fruit Bowl (if you do try one in town, be prepared to take 10 home with you).

If you want a city vibe out in the sticks, then check out Easy Lane, which brings "the big flavours of New York" to town - think burgers like The Big Easy and fried pork belly bites with corn ribs. It's attached to the Windsor RSL and I love their craft-beer selection, and the cocktails, wines and food always go down a treat. For something quick and easy, Windsor Seafoods is the go. The long-standing venue - serving classic fish and chips, and loved by locals and visitors alike - never fails to hit the spot.

The newly refurbished Crowne Plaza Hawkesbury Valley is the only 4.5-star hotel in the region. It has rooms for couples through to three-bedroom apartments for families.

A place unknown to even some locals is the Vale of Avoca lookout in Grose Vale. A short bushwalk will lead you to stunning views of Blue Mountains National Park, where you can capture that perfect pic.

Another little place most visitors don't know of is the National Trust-listed Tizzana Winery in Ebenezer, "A touch of Tuscany on the banks of the Hawkesbury River". It has its own vineyard, olive grove and some of the best wines I've ever tasted.

See discoverthehawkesbury.com.au and, when you're there, visit the Hawkesbury Visitor Information Centre in Richmond.