Past Tours & Events
Heritage Venture hosts regular tour experiences from village explorations to river cruises and historical meanders in the bush.
Our tours range from half day to full tours, 'tag along' adventures and weekend tours.
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Join us on our hidden histories tours to the lesser known places and stories with expert guides and local knowledge holders.
The Caves
of Kulnura
21 July 2024
An all day bush tour to the caves and sandstone country around Basalt Hill and Kulnura. In this wild landscape we'll be exploring side gullies and ridges to experience the diversity of winter flowers and rock formations. Hear about the archaeological surveys undertaken around Upper Mangrove Creek and the dating of the oldest habitation site on the Central Coast. A day of exploration, history and nature immersion. A bush morning tea on the way.
The Mysteries
of Mullet island
10 May 2024
David Reynolds, local historian and President of the Dangar Island Historical Society takes us on an insiders tour of Dangar Island on the Hawkesbury River. Starting with a ferry ride to the island on a restored heritage boat, the tour explores the rich indigenous and colonial histories - from evidence of Guringai occupation to Gov. Authur Phillip's search for arable land in 1788. Lunch at waterside cafe and visit to summit for Hawkesbury River views.
Australian Moths and Butterflies Watercolours
10 March 2024
Join us for a fun and exciting watercolour workshop celebrating
Australia’s own fluttery butterflies and moths. Under the expert guidance of artist and designer Leonie Loewe you’ll learn some cool, creative and fun techniques to paint these alluring creatures. You'll leave with a myriad of new skills even if you've never picked up a paintbrush before. All equipment, morning tea and lunch provided.
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Mailman Track:
Mt Olive and Ironbark
15 October 2023
All day adventure exploring the bridle bush tracks of the mailman's route - Ironbark catchment to Mt Olive with side trip to Donovan's Forest. Visiting rare volcanic diatreme forest, sandstone overhangs and passing through 'the eye of the needle'. On the way we hear stories of life for the creek dwellers in the 19th and 20th centuries. Physical evidence of an older culture can be seen in tessellated platform engravings along the track.
The Secrets of
Dubbo Gully
8 July 2023
Explore the historical remains of Dubbo Gully when Mangrove Creek was a thriving community with wharves, inns and slab homes. Gain insight into the past at St Thomas' Cemetery and visit Fairview to hear about the experience of growing up in the area and the campaign to save the last remaining homestead. We will visit the original road from Sydney to the cast and hear about the haunted 'inn of the Damned'
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Australian Bird Watercolours
11 March 2023
Enjoy a day by the Hawkesbury River enjoying the wonders of local native birds. Our day begins catching a glimpse of the local species along the river - maybe spoonbills, wood duck and plover in the company of a Hawkesbury River bird expert followed by a morning tea at the Hawkesbury Duck workshop space. Learn simple techniques for painting Australian birds in watercolour under the expert guidance of Central Coast artist and designer Leonie Loewe.
Australian Botanical Watercolours
11 November 2022
Learn how to paint botanical art in watercolours at this fun all day workshop on teh Hawkesbir River. You will take away your own beautiful atwork and the skils of capturig plants and flowers in stunning water colours. The day starts with a nature walk to take in the botanical woders of the area. In the workshop you will be taught how to mix and apply colours, depth and shading to bring out the details of a local native speciment. All materials provided, plus morning tea and lunch and a take home gift
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Up High over Spencer
6 August 2022
Adventure into the bush slopes behind Spencer village. With unique access we investigate fern-filled valleys, caves, and the indentations of rushing creeks. Passing through hanging swamps we view history from on high reimagining Dyarrubin 100 years ago, at first contact, and beyond into deep time. Evidence of the original custodians are written across and into this rich and sustaining landscape.
History Afloat:
Kayak Popran Creek
24 August 2024
Launching from Spencer we paddle with the tide past Holy Trinity Church into the serene waters of Popran Creek. Historical stories unfold through the lost names of Sawmill Flat, Kellys Creek and Neverfail island. Look out for azure kingfishers, white faced herons and soaring sea eagles. Morning tea by mangroves and Casuarina fringed wetlands. Lunch at a secret location further upstream.
The Caves
of Kulnura
7 July 2024
An all day bush tour to the caves and sandstone country around Basalt Hill and Kulnura. In this wild landscape we'll be exploring side gullies and ridges to experience the diversity of winter flowers and rock formations. Hear about the archaeological surveys undertaken around Upper Mangrove Creek and the dating of the oldest habitation site on the Central Coast. A day of exploration, history and nature immersion. A bush morning tea on the way.
Voices from the Secret River 2024
28 April 2024
Journey into the waterways of Dyarubbin with historians, writers and storytellers for a morning river cruise exploring the secret histories of the Lower Hawkesbury. Our exploration continues with an afternoon symposium visualising rock engravings, sky connections and the archaeology of Mangrove. Join us for a river cruise, symposium or both where Mangrove Creek meets the Hawkesbury River.
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History Afloat
Kayaking Pumpkin Creek
17 Feb 2024
Kayak the mysterious mangrove edged tributary known as Pumpkin Point Creek. Only accessible by small craft when the tide is right. Launching from Spencer catch glimpses of sea eagles, fishing cormorants and herons along the way. Gliding by twisted red gums and weathered rock ledges we pull in for lunch at the ruins of an abandoned homestead and hear historical tales of this remote area. Double kayaks, all gear morning tea and lunch provided.
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Fish of the Hawkesbury
in Watercolours
29 September 2023
Enjoy a day of water colours at the Hawkesbury Duck in Spencer. Get to know the creatures of our local and Australian waters with artist and designer Leonie Loewe. Painting from a beautiful fish illustration learn techniques of texture and shading and how to turn this into a finished fishy watercolour. Hawkesbury marine stories + watercolour workshop. Morning tea, lunch and all materials provided.
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Red Hands and Birds Eye Creeks Tour
10 June 2023
Join us on an exclusive tour in the natural habitat of a number of vulnerable species of Hawkesbury river tributaries. We travel up spurs through lush forest to strands of rare biconvex paperbark and locations where the noisy pitta bird and the Sydney rock warbler have been seen. Visit red hands creek & the site of the elusive giant burrowing frog. Billy tea on route through regrowth forest once logged for orange groves and now the home of these rare wonders.
Mill Creek Wonders - A Walking Adventure
24 March 2023
Walk in wonder along bush tracks to the headwaters of Gunderman and Mill Creeks.We gradually ascend through gullies past rocky overhangs and wild flowers to Flat Rocks Ridge. High on the ridge is a large rock platform part of a long gallery stretching fo kilometers. Join us and our expert guides for time trvel, ecology and nature immersion in March.
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Mill Creek Wonders
22 October 2022
Walk in wonder along bush tracks to the headwaters of Gunderman and Mill Creeks.We gradually ascend through gullies past rocky overhangs and wild flowers to Flat Rocks Ridge. High on the ridge is a large rock platform part of a long gallery stretching fo kilometers. Join us and our expert guides for time trvel, ecology and nature immersion in October.
Grave Tales: Bush Religions and a Horse called Mettle
17 July 2022
Enjoy a walking tour of two historic cemeteries on Mangrove Creek with engaging historytller Max Bunrs-McRuvie. Hear about the stronghold of the Church of England in teh early colony, bush churches, rouge Papism and stories of the Indefatigable Reverent Alfred Glennie and his horse Mettle. Explore th elast resting places of ex-convicts, free settlers adn 'cornstalks' of Greengrove Cemetery and Holdy Trinty Church, Spencer
The Secrets of
Dubbo Gully
4 August 2024
Explore the historical remains of Dubbo Gully when Mangrove Creek was a thriving community with wharves, inns and slab homes. Gain insight into the past at St Thomas' Cemetery and visit Fairview to hear about the experience of growing up in the area and the campaign to save the last remaining homestead. We will visit the original road from Sydney to the coast and hear about the haunted 'Inn of the Damned'
A Taste of History:
Butcher Boats and Colonial Rations
9 June 2024
Sample native tea while hearing about convict rations and what was on the governor’s table. Travel to one of Gov. Darling’s planned routes from Sydney to the Hunter hacked out by the no 3 chain iron gang (now world heritage listed). Stopping at the Hawkesbury River visit the site of an abandoned tidal mill and time travel to when the river was the highway with trading and store boats plying the waterways.
Up High Over Spencer
24 March 2024
Adventure into the bush slopes behind Spencer village. With unique access we investigate fern-filled valleys, caves, and the indentations of rushing creeks. Passing through hanging swamps we view history from on high reimagining Dyarrubin 100 years ago, at first contact, and beyond into deep time. Evidence of the original custodians are written across and into this rich and sustaining landscape.
Ceramic Art and Forgotten Treasures
2 December 2024
Join us for a panel presentations from a dynamic group of ceramic artists, vintage experts, and collectors. Bring your antiques and learn the art of researching design history and estimating value with Hannah Clayton Atkin, director of Swan Deverell auctioneers. Morning tea served from specialist tea enu with Australian themed cakes adn biscuits. Domestic pottery, vintage and ceramics for sale.
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Clay Hill
and Beyond
10 September 2023
Adventure into the bush slopes behind 'Sunnyview Estate' Spencer. Gymea lily and banksia woodland lead onto a ridge top of angophoras and grass trees framing river views of Mangrove Creek. We walk through eriostemons, wedding bush and pea flowers exploring sandstone caves and overhangs. Looking across to Wendoree Park and NeverFail hear about the forgotten histories of these tiny settlements.
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The Mysteries
of Mullet island
18 August 2023
David Reynolds, local historian and President of the Dangar Island Historical Society takes us on an insiders tour of Dangar Island on the Hawkesbury River. Starting with a ferry ride to the island on a restored heritage boat, the tour explores the rich indigenous and colonial histories - from evidence of Guringai occupation to Gov. Authur Phillip's search for arable land in 1788. Lunch at waterside cafe and visit to summit for Hawkesbury River views.
An Object - A Story: Spring Soirée High Tea
11 Sept 2022
A special Spring soiree with high tea. Enjoy Sunday afyernoon in the company of like minds to travel into the past via the mystery and history of objects. Discover the stories behind strange and fatnastical artefacts collected rom river jounreys, hearth adn home, maritime exploits and living off the land. Vintage high tea with an 'eat your history' flavour and an exclusive tea menu.
Exploring the Mailman Track
12 June 2022
Join outdoor specialist Belinda Cook on this exploration of the mailman track used since the 1820s as the connection between Mangrove Creek communities and teh Central Coast. Trace the original bridle path from teh foothills of Mount OLive to Glenworth Valley through heathland and foret canopy. Enjoy the historical storeis of smugglers, moonshiners and Mary's Valley'​​​​​​​​​​
Terms and Conditions
1. Bookings can be made online, by telephone or in person at the office, The Hawkesbury Duck.
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2. Cancellation and Refunds. There are no refunds if the cancellation is made by you. We reserve the right to cancel a tour for any reason and a full refund will be provided.
3. COVID-19. For the safety of all participants in our tours and our staff, tour leaders and tour managers, it is a condition of travel on all of our tours, day tours, festivals that all participants adhere to NSW Government Health Regulations.
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4. Fitness to participate. Most of our tours require a moderate level of fitness. This requires fitness to undertake walking tours of 2-3 hours duration, including using bush tracks, walking over rough stones and other uneven surfaces. Certain tours will require an above moderate or challenging level of fitness.
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