If you’re keen to get out of town, may we suggest making your way to Dangar Island? This dreamy car-free island is just an hour north of Sydney. Located in the heart of the Hawkesbury and only accessible by boat, this sleepy, tree-studded island is a staggeringly peaceful place to spend a day – and with an RSL slinging good beer and loaded burgers, it’s the perfect spot for a day trip away from the city.
The best news? You don’t need a car to get there – the train runs straight from Central to nearby Hawkesbury River Station seven days a week, so all you need to do to access this island paradise is board a train in the city, then take the three-minute walk from the train station to the ferry terminal. As Time Out Sydney's resident lifestyle reporter, I took it upon myself to test out this intriguing day trip for myself – and I can attest that this idyllic day out is a dreamy escape from the hustle and bustle.
The quaint wooden ferry will set you back $10.90 each way, but the 15-minute journey across the water is worth every penny. Arriving at the island, you’ll find a jetty stretching out into the water, home to a creaky wooden shed that serves as the suburb’s main transport hub. Wheelbarrows line the dusty path that runs up from the wharf, and we discovered that these are used by residents to carry their groceries from the ferry to their fridges – in the absence of cars, creativity comes to the fore.
Next to the wharf, a tiny, nautical-leaning café opens onto garden-style seating – tables overlooking the river, with locals enjoying a Saturday morning coffee and pile of Belgian waffles crowned with berry compote.
The walk to the island’s main swimming beach took us through a narrow path, shrouded by towering blackbutt trees that stretched into the sky. Though the beach is lined with waterfront homes (many of which you can rent via Airbnb), we were the only people there – sprawling on the sand and splashing around in the (slightly muddy) shallows.
If you stop at one place on your trip to Dangar Island, make it the Bowling Club – a beautifully unpretentious building hiding between the footpath and community gardens. Settle in for a schooner or a salad, but just don't forget that the last ferry leaves at 6.30pm on weekends and public holidays.
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