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region in New South Wales, Australia
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Hills and Hawkesbury is the largely residential area to the north west of the CBD and north of Macquarie Park. It includes the Hills District area around Castle Hill and Baulkham Hills and the semi-rural areas around Dural and Galston.

Understand

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The Hills District has been gradually developing from a more-or-less rural area to a part of suburban Sydney over the past 30 years, so you will encounter elements of both lifestyles here. Travellers may be more interested in the rural qualities and, especially, the nearby National and Regional Parks. However, it can be very convenient indeed to have access to the 'creature comforts' of civilization that are right next door in a modern city of more than 4 million people. Once the main vegetable growing region for Sydney, The Hills District continues to be the centre for plant nurseries, both large and small. You can still find vegetables and flowers for sale alongside the road in many places. Lots of people drive out to the northwest on weekends, visiting antique shops and art galleries and checking out the local markets. Increasing numbers of private schools, alternative centres, churches, etc. have re-located here. Traffic is therefore steadily increasing, but most of the area still has a rural feel, especially at its outer edges. In short, you can enjoy the bush and still have wireless internet and a good cappuccino!

Visitor Information Centre

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Get in

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Map
Map of Sydney/Hills District

Outer areas such as the Hills District are less well serviced. The most convenient railway station is in Pennant Hills, however, in general, it's much more convenient to have your own car for travelling around the area.

By car

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The area is connected to Sydney City by the Warringah Freeway, Gore Hill Freeway, Lane Cove Tunnel and Hills Motorway. Travel outside of peak hour if possible, as the roads get congested during the commute hours into Sydney.

By metro

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There is a chain of new metro stations running from the city right through this area, including Cherrybrook, Castle Hill, Bella Vista and Rouse Hill.

By bus

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Hillsbus services the area. Castle Hill (location of a future metro station) can be considered the main hub, with buses from the Sydney City centre (610x 612x etc) which run frequently at around every 10 minutes in peak periods. There are also connections from Castle Hill, Parramatta, Seven Hills, Pennant Hills and others.

The rural area to the north of Castle Hill does have some limited public transport, but you will likely find it challenging to get to the smaller rural settlements by bus.

History

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West of Parramatta out to the Nepean and Hawkesbury was the site of some of Sydney's most important colonial development. The earliest colonialists built their first roads and railways here, away from the barren ground of Sydney Town to the fertile plains to the west. Those free settlers and ticket-of-leave convicts made their fortunes here, building estates and mansions to emulate the landed gentry of England - a place that they still considered themselves very much a part of. This is where the convicts of the Irish rebellion tried to overthrow the government and were slaughtered. This is where the Aboriginal people saw their hunting grounds taken from them, and mounted some resistance with their spears against the British guns.

However, much of what was here is lost underneath the Sydney suburban sprawl. Some of Australia's most significant history is open to be visited. Convict built roads can be walked, and colonial mansions and properties remain. Much is under the shopping malls carparks - only found in history books.

Art studios

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Museums and culture

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  • Muru Mittigar, 356 Annangrove Rd Rouse Hill, ☏ +61 2 4730 0400, fax: +61 2 4729 4193, . M-F 8:30 AM to 4PM. Muru Mittigar is an indigenous cultural education centre, featuring short tours and talks on such subjects as traditional use of plants, art designs and dance. Bookings essential. 
  • Museums Discovery Centre, 172 Showground Road Castle Hill, ☏ +61 9217 0111. The Museums Discovery Centre is a museum displaying many different exhibits on historical objects. Temporarily closed because of COVID-19. 

Wildlife

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  • 1 Koala Park, 84 Castle Hill Road, West Pennant Hills, ☏ +61 2 9484 3141, fax: +61 2 9484 8009, . Daily 9AM-5PM. If you don't have time to go out a look in the bush by yourself, you can get up close and personal with a koala or kangaroo at the Koala Park Sanctuary. You can see the koalas being fed at 10:20am, 11:45AM, 2PM and 3PM. Admission is $27 adults and $9 children. Koala Park Sanctuary (Q6424208) on Wikidata Koala Park Sanctuary on Wikipedia (updated Sep 2016)

Parks and gardens

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Sports

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Leisure

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  • Calma Connections, 2 Kenthurst Road, ☏ +61-2-9651-5755. Round Corner (Dural Mall). Bowen Therapy, remedial massage, various therapies and meditation sessions. ATMs accredited. 
  • Swami Sarasvati Health Farm, 183 Pitt Town Road, Kenthurst, ☏ +61-2-9654-9029. Yoga, meditation, stress management and Tai Chi with one of Australia's foremost instructors. Set on 60 acres of bushland, with a spa, pool, gym and tennis facilities. 

Local produce

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Shopping centres

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There are several large shopping centres in the area.

Antiques

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  • Dural Antiques, 857 Old Northern Road, Dural, ☏ +61-2-9651-2113. Open Friday, Saturday and Sunday. 
  • Stewart Antiques, 934 Old Northern Road, Glenorie, ☏ +61-2-9652-1662. Open Wednesday to Sunday. 

Nurseries

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  • Dural Orchids, 702 Old Northern Road, Dural, ☏ +61-2-9651-1294. Closed Wednesdays. 
  • Geranium Cottage, 828 Old Northern Road, Middle Dural, ☏ +61-2-9652-0475. A nursery growing geraniums and petargoniums. 
  • Highland Rose Nursery, 859 Old Northern Road, Dural, ☏ +61-2-9651-1243. 
  • Nati Brothers Roses, 790 Old Northern Road, Dural, ☏ +61-2-9651-1375. Daily. 
  • Swane's Nurseries, 490 Galston Road, Dural, ☏ +61-2-9651-1322. One of Sydney's most famous plant nurseries, in business 84 years, with coffee shop and gift shop. 
  • Virginia Farm Woolworks, 112 Annangrove Road, Annangrove, ☏ +61-2-9654-1219. Fibres, yarns and spinning equipment for the handspinner, felter and weaver. 
  • 1 Wildpear Cafe, 658 Old Northern Rd Dural, ☏ +61 2 9651 6600. Brunch and lunch, with much emphasis on the pear ingredient. Nice views across the countryside. Mains from $20. (updated Jul 2015)
  • Black Stump Restaurant, 243 New Line Road, Dural, ☏ +61-2-9651-1143. Steak house, not recommended for vegetarians! 
  • Butterfly Cafe, 628 Old Northern Road, Dural (next to Hargraves Nursey), ☏ +61-2-9651-1868. Has private gardens and running waterways in a rainforest setting. Open only Thursday through Sunday. 
  • Buoni Amici Italian Seafood Restaurant, 83 Annangrove Road, Kenthurst, ☏ +61-2-9654-0222. Alfresco dining and take away. Pizza and pasta home delivery. 
  • Cafe Belle Fleur, 609 Old Northern Road, Dural (Located inside the Flower Power Nursery), ☏ +61-2-9899-7783. Open seven days. 
  • Cristina's Pizzeria, 14 Kenthurst Road, Round Corner, ☏ +61-9651-2840. Eat in, take-away and home delivery. 
  • Dural Country Club, 662 Old Northern Road, Dural, ☏ +61-2-9651-4272. Open for lunch and dinner seven days a week. Entertainment by local and international artists. 
  • Dural Terrace Chinese Restaurant, 268 New Line Road, Dural (Off the "Roundabout"), ☏ +61-2-9651-2271. 
  • Gallery Two Cafe, 1 Porters Road, Kenthurst, ☏ +61-2-9654-2233. 
  • Ironbark Cafe, 490 Galston Road, Dural (Within Swanes Nursery), ☏ +61-2-9653-9051. Open seven days for breakfast, lunch and afternoon tea. Closed Christmas Day and Good Friday. 
  • Jim's Malaysian, Level 1, Shop 1224, Castle Towers, Castle Hill. Authentic Malaysian food. (updated Jun 2021)
  • Journey to India Restaurant, 632 Old Northern Road, Dural, ☏ +61-2-9651-3700. 
  • Mother Earth Cafe, 1A Annangrove Road, Kenthurst, ☏ +61-2-9654-1423. A cafe in a plant nursery in an unusual mud brick building with a waterfall cascading off the roof! Open Tuesday through Sunday for breakfast, lunch and afternoon tea. 
  • Nobles Restaurant and Bar, Corner of Windsor & Salisbury Roads, Castle Hill (in the Hills Lodge Grand Mercure), ☏ +61-2-9680-3800. Offers buffet breakfast, lunch and dinner seven days a week. Log fire, courtyard, children's menu. 
  • Puddle Cottage, Corner of Sedger and Annangrove Roads, Kenthurst (in the Hills Garden and Landscape Centre), ☏ +61-2-9654-3068. 
  • Regals' Rendezvous Restaurant, 249 Annangrove Road, Annangrove, ☏ +61-2-9679-0175. Indoor dining in a 100-year-old cottage, outdoor dining, and a bar. 
  • Secret Garden Cafe, 658 Old Northern Road, Dural (inside the Dural Garden Centre), ☏ +61-2-9651-1188. Open seven days for breakfast, lunch and afternoon tea. 
  • Tandoori Sizzler Indian Restaurant, 524 Old Northern Road, Round Corner, ☏ +61-2-9651-4451. 
  • Waratah Cottage Cafe, 272 Old Northern Road, Dural, ☏ +61-2-9651-5690. Has a log fire in winter and alfresco dining year round. Open seven days a week. 
  • Ranch Bistro and Hotel, Epping Rd, North Ryde (Near Macquarie Shopping Centre). Great family orientated place to eat with a very large and popular bistro. This place is more bistro than a pub. 

Drink

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  • Hillside Hotel, 273 Old Northern Road Castle Hill, ☏ +61 2 9680 8788. Hillside Hotel offers patrons an indoor and outdoor drinking and dining experience with great live entertainment. Relax over dinner in the bistro, grab a quick bite to eat before or after the cinema or simply catch up with friends over a glass of wine. Comfy leather lounges and chilled out background music. Upstairs sleek cocktail lounge. Modern decor. 
  • Dural Hotel Motel, 271 Old Northern Road, Dural, ☏ +61-2-9651-1811. Cozy pub that offers a bottle shop, sundeck bistro, gaming lounge. Has motel accommodation. 
  • Bull and Bush Hotel, Windsor Road, Baulkham Hills. A relaxed, friendly atmosphere. Casual drinking. Basically, your classic Aussie pub. 

Sleep

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Connect

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Most of the Hills district is well covered by 5G, but some areas to the far north side of the Hills district is sometimes patchy.

Go next

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  • Cattai National Park - First Fleet surgeon Thomas Arndell's 1821 Cattai Farm and surrounds has grassy picnic areas, barbecues and shelter sheds beside the Hawkesbury River, and car-based camping is available year round (bookings essential). Tel: ☏ +61 2 9995 5000. Lots of walking tracks and the ruins of a windmill thought to be the oldest industrial building in NSW. About 30-40 minutes drive from the area, north of Windsor.
  • Marramarra National Park - Well worth a visit, only about a 15-minute drive north of Dural, at the junction of Hawkesbury River and Berowra Creek. Canoeing, camping, bushwalking, picnicking or birdwatching. Tel: ☏ +61 2 9995 5000.
  • Scheyville National Park - near Windsor, is about a 30 minute drive. Conserves endangered ecological communities and species of the Cumberland Plain and Hawkesbury River catchment. Some colonial remnants and relics from old farms. Tel: ☏ +61 2 9995 5000.
This district travel guide to Hills District is a usable article. It has information for getting in as well as some complete entries for restaurants and hotels. An adventurous person could use this article, but please feel free to improve it by editing the page.
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