Hawkesbury mail boat tour: Mail run cruise near Sydney
The Riverboat Postman Hawkesbury River cruise from Brooklyn, NSW, is also a mail run. The Hawkesbury mail boat is a fun way to meet local characters as well as enjoy the river scenery.
For most of its run, the Hawkesbury River marks the northern boundary of Sydney. It is a craggy, splintered waterway, with sparkling blue waters, green-topped islands and a series of small communities.
Life’s a little different for the remote communities on the Hawkesbury River. There’s no road access, which means they have to get around by boat. It also means that Australia Post has to get inventive, subcontracting the mail run to a company running Hawkesbury cruises.
13 brilliant experiences in Sydney you should book
- (💲Great value 💲) Tick off several bucket list items on a highlights-packed Blue Mountains day tour.
- Get perfect views of the world’s most beautiful city on a Sydney Harbour helicopter tour.
- Save money with a multi-attraction pass.
- ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Enjoy the romance of a tall ship cruise on Sydney Harbour.
- Eat all you can at the Skyfeast at the top of Sydney Tower.
- See migrating humpbacks – on a whale-watching cruise.
- (Highly recommended ✅) Go behind the scenes of Australia’s most famous building on an Opera House tour.
- Dine as the city lights up on sunset dinner cruise around the harbour.
- Combine beers and stories on a historic pubs tour through the convict-era Rocks district.
- Stand on your board and catch waves during Bondi Beach surfing lessons.
- Go to wombat and kangaroo-spotting hotspots on a Southern Highlands tour.
- Enjoy Sydney’s wild side on a Manly snorkelling & nature walk.
- (🥇Top choice in Sydney) And, best of all, paddle to hidden beaches on a harbour kayaking adventure.
Riverboat Postman on the Hawkesbury River
The Riverboat Postman, therefore, is both an essential service and a lovely way to spend a couple of hours. The mail boat cruise is one of the best things to do in Brooklyn, NSW.
Randall Ferrington is behind the wheel as the Riverboat Postman makes its extremely leisurely way around seven drop-offs. On the way, the Hawkesbury mail boat takes in gum tree-covered islands and chunky sandstone cliffs.
At Marlow Creek Wharf, Boots the dog comes bounding down towards the wharf. A member of crew jumps off with a biscuit in one hand and the mail sack in the other. “She loves her Anzac biscuits,” says Randall.
Riverboat Postman at Milsons Passage
At Milsons Passage, a whiff of rebellion is in the air. “It’s still a postal run, first and foremost,” says Randall. “The people of Milsons Passage have already declared themselves an independent republic. If their parcels don’t arrive, they might declare war. And we’d be the first casualty.”
As a huge pelican flies across the eyeline and kayakers pass under the railway bridge, he adds: “But this isn’t exactly a hardship posting.”
The Riverboat Postman is more than just a Hawkesbury River cruise. It’s more than just a mail run, too. The Hawkesbury mail boat is an opportunity to get a feel for small, quirky, riverside communities.
Hawkesbury River cruise cost
The Riverboat Postman mail boat cruise departs from Brooklyn, very close to the Hawkesbury River Station. That’s on the Central Coast and Newcastle Line from Sydney. The Hawkesbury mail boat departure point looks out over Dangar Island and Long Island.
The Hawkesbury River cruises depart at 10am every weekday, include lunch and last around three hours. The river cruises cost $59.
More New South Wales travel
Cheap beachside accommodation at the Fingal Bay caravan park in Port Stephens.
How long is the drive from Sydney to Bowral in the Southern Highlands?
Go for a swim at Jellybean Pool in the Blue Mountains National Park.
Indie shopping in Long Jetty on the Central Coast.
Take a scenic flight along the Illawarra coast from Albion Park.