About
About Greenmans on the Hawkesbury
When you arrive at Greenmans on the Hawkesbury you’ll feel like you’ve travelled a million miles from the hustle and bustle of the city, in reality it’s less than an hour’s drive north of Sydney. Nestled amongst dramatic escarpments and stunning native Australian bushland, Greenmans is located on the banks of the beautiful Hawkesbury River.
We are a family business that welcomes our guests with a friendly smile and a genuine desire to make your holiday a great experience with fond long lasting memories. We provide an experience which captures the simple pleasures of camping close to nature while having the comforts of amenities such as hot showers, BBQs, an undercover camp kitchen, a kiosk, a swimming pool and powered sites. Our guests enjoy fishing, boating, kayaking, swimming, bushwalking, wildlife spotting or just relaxing around the open fire with friends and family.
History
The Hawkesbury River is rich in both Aboriginal and early colonial history, making it the perfect cultural holiday just one hour north of Sydney.
Ceremonial sites and ancient rock carvings from the Hawkesburys first inhabitants, the Darug people, can be seen by bushwalking or by boat. These early inhabitants used the waterway as a convenient means of transport and a rich source of food.
The history of how Greenmans was named is mysterious, intriguing and indeed a little spooky. On the site were Greenmans on the Hawkesbury is located there was a convict-built pub, known as the Greenmans Inn, built in the early 1800s from the sandstone that was cut from the surrounding mountains.
The story goes that around that time an escaped convict had been found guilty of murdering a young woman and her baby and was sentenced to death by drowning. He was weighted down with rocks and over time his body and hands turned green and would appear and disappear with the turning of the tide and movement of the waves. Hence the name ‘GREENMANS’.
Unfortunately there is little remaining of the Greenmans Inn however, the remains of a convict built wharf, a quarry and a road can still be found at Greenmans on the Hawkesbury. Fence posts can still be seen amongst the mangroves from a time when Greenmans was used for crops and grazing and before the tides eroded the foreshore.
Activities at Greenmans and surrounding areas
The Hawkesbury River is renowned for its great fishing and best known for its Jewfish but is also home to plenty of bream, flathead, kingfish, luderick, flounder, oysters and mud crabs to name a few. Bring your boat and launch directly from our onsite boat ramp or for those guests who don’t have a boat, we provide solo and tandem kayaks for hire. Campers and guests wanting a lazy cruise up a peaceful river, can simply board the Riverboat Postman from nearby Brooklyn accompanied by knowledgeable local guides.
See below for other great activities and tourist attractions located within 30mins from Greenmans on the Hawkesbury.