Not so much a town as a fascinating historic relic on the banks of the Macdonald River, the village of St Albans was opened up for settlement in 1842 largely because it had become an important stopping point for people wanting to ship their goods down the Hawkesbury River.

Where It Is?: 94 km north-west of Sydney on the Macdonald River; 21 km north of Wisemans Ferry.

Things To See and Do
Two free 24 hour car ferries provide access to St Albans from the Sydney region along roads following the old goat and horse tracks on either side of the Macdonald. Both roads meander (partly unsealed) through rich country and farms of cattle, melons, orchards and corn. On either side of the river are historic homes and spectacular sandstone towering hills.

One route to St Albans is to turn left just before entering Wisemans Ferry township, cross the Hawkesbury via the Webbs Creek Ferry, then follow up the western side of the Macdonald to the village. The alternative route is through Wisemans Ferry township and north across the Hawkesbury via another ferry, then follow the eastern side of the Macdonald River along Settlers Road. The first bridge to cross the river links the two roads at St Albans.

The Settlers Arms Inn is an iconic pub and the town's most well known feature. It was constructed at a cattle drover's camp on the limit of navigation on the Macdonald River in 1848 and the small village virtually grew around it. The two-storey sandstone building has been largely unaltered and is full of genuine charm. It serves excellent meals and light refreshments, and is an ideal place for a stopover before commencing the return journey.


The Macdonald River, beside which St Albans stands, flows through a peaceful, tranquil valley. With its sandy floodplain and steep sided, heavily wooded slopes on either side, it is very picturesque and travelling through it by car is a very pleasant experience. The valley is dotted with relics from its pioneering past, from old sandstone inns and homesteads to historic churches and church ruins, a flood ravaged cemetery containing a number of 1st fleeter graves, old stab cottages, one of the oldest schools in NSW, and an old butter factory. Floodwaters have changed the course of the river through the valley many times, partcularly after the devastating floods in 1867, 1889, 1913 and 1949.