Australia: Riverboat Postman

Another post I found in my drafts folder, from our trip to Australia way back in September 2016.

Our last full day in Australia was a little challenging to plan because we’d be traveling between Ettalong Beach and the Westin in Sydney, and I thought it would be nice to stop partway to check out the Hawkesbury River. Although the trip only takes about an hour and a half by train, and there are plenty of trains throughout the day, we’d have all our luggage along with us.

As of the day before, I hadn’t lined anything up.

But a last-minute flurry of emails secured us the last six seats on the Riverboat Postman on the Hawkesbury.

This was the perfect outing for the day because the boat launches from Brooklyn, a hamlet on the train route between our departure point and Sydney. The Riverboat Postman organizers told me we could store our bags at The Tea House, so we checked out of the Ettalong Mantra, hopped on the bus to Woy Woy Station, and rode the train just four stops to Hawkesbury Station in the town of Brooklyn.

Brooklyn is a tiny town with no elevator in the train station. Another traveler there helpfully showed us how to slide our suitcases on the central stairway railing as we climbed first down, then up, to get out.

We looked around Brooklyn, which seemed to consist of just a few shops and restaurants, a lot of grassy lawn, and a boat launch.

“What’s this tea house called?” Erik asked.

“THE Tea House,” I reminded him.

Here are some of my favorite moments from the riverboat, which as promised made multiple mail deliveries along the way:

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