Hawkesbury City Council’s Arts and Culture program is marking the 2026 Australian Heritage Festival with a series of immersive tours at some of the region’s most significant historic sites.
Running from 18 April to 18 May, the Australian Heritage Festival is the country’s largest community-driven celebration of history and culture.
Held annually for more than 45 years, the festival invites communities across Australia to explore and connect with the nation’s diverse stories through a wide range of events and experiences.
This year’s theme, Change, encourages reflection on how the past continues to shape the present and how today’s actions will influence the future.
Throughout the festival, Hawkesbury Regional Museum will host guided tours each Wednesday at Howe House in Thompson Square, as well as the Old Hawkesbury Hospital Site and Mortuary.
The tours offer rare access to these 19thcentury buildings, which are seldom open to the public, and provide insight into the people and stories connected to them. Both morning and afternoon sessions are available, with bookings required.
Hawkesbury Library Service will also present guided cemetery tours on Thursday 7 May and Saturday 16 May at Sackville and Wilberforce. See the Library News page.
The walking tours explore a mix of notable, unusual and tragic local histories, including stories linked to First Fleet convict Matthew Everingham, riverboat operator Captain Manning, and midwife Sarah Cobcroft.
The events form part of the national Australian Heritage Festival, coordinated by the National Trusts of Australia. For bookings and further information, residents can contact the museum or library directly or visit their respective Eventbrite pages.
