The Hawkesbury Valley has been the food basket for Sydney since colonial times. The need for viable farming land to feed the rapidly growing Sydney community led to the discovery and the settlement of the Hawkesbury Valley region, and for many years afterwards it remained the primary produce market for the Sydney settlement

Today the region is still well known for its quality apples, stone fruits, oranges, honey and vegetables - many of them grown organically - and it is still the home to a variety of produce farms, small business and markets which provide goods to the Sydney market.

Depending on the season visitors can stop in at a range of properties or markets to sample produce and fill up the boot! The Farmgate Trail is a self drive tour through the Hawkesbury Valley with stops at orchards, cheese makers, smokehouses, wineries and much more - a gastronomers delight! Whether for a day, a weekend or longer, visitors will enjoy touring the region and sampling locally grown food and wine.

From gourmet goat cheeses to Australian native foods or just-picked fruit, the Farm Gate Trail offers country goodness and variety just over an hour's drive from Sydney

While still very much a rural setting, the Hawkesbury Valley boasts some great restaurants. Taking advantage of the fresh produce, a whole host of restaurants of sprung up from Bilpin through to Wiseman's Ferry and the Colo River. Here you can try a range of cuisines from English style pub food, to full a la carte and contemporary Australian menus, gourmet pizzas and fresh seafood - and all within the beautiful surroundings of the Hawkesbury Valley - just one hour from Sydney.