As a commuter, I was always captivated by the tranquil landscape of the Hawkesbury River on the otherwise monotonous train journey between the Central Coast and Sydney. For 13 blissful minutes, the busy urban streets and graffiti-covered buildings along the train line were replaced by an almost otherworldly scene unfolding outside the window.
Mobile phone reception waned, causing a literal and metaphorical disconnection as the train snaked its way along the gentle, glass-like river, which is framed by honey-coloured sandstone chasms and thick bushland.
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But the Hawkesbury River, which marks the northern edge of Sydney, is so much more than a magical interlude on a dull train trip. The region that surrounds it is rich in Indigenous and colonial history.