Hawkesbury Culinary Cruise offers a unique boating experience for 22 Riviera luxury motor yachts
by Riviera 28 Aug 2021 05:21 BST
Hawkesbury Culinary Cruise offers a unique boating experience © Riviera Australia
A blend of history and natural beauty, combined with a rare opportunity to picnic at Stix Farm, made the Hawkesbury Culinary Cruise with Scott Dillon from R Marine Dillon in Pittwater, Sydney, a truly memorable event.
Held across three days, 22 Riviera luxury motor yachts travelled some 48 nautical miles from Newport along the Hawkesbury River to Cumberland Reach.
For Greg Rowe aboard his fourth Riviera, a 52 Enclosed Flybridge named White Knight, the trip promised a unique experience.
"I've been up and down the Hawkesbury River all of my life, but this trip plan looked a little bit different compared to other boat trips," says Greg. "River cruises are a unique environment, and there was quite a lot of variety in what we did and saw."
The end of the first day was marked by drinks and canapés catered by Scott Dillon and his team at the Spencer Village Store.
"We stopped for a night at Spencer, which is a little community not too far from Broken Bay, with a little pub and tavern," says Greg. "It was fun with everyone together; there was a novelty in being there with a big group of people."
A leisurely cruise the following morning brought the convoy to Cumberland Reach.
"I hadn't travelled up this part of the river for many years and enjoyed seeing some of the changes in the flood plains and houses. The Hawkesbury has a lot of history; there was something different to see the whole time."
Navigable for over 100 kilometres, the waterway is surrounded by National Parks and small river communities.
"The way the experience was organised by Scott and his team meant we had time to enjoy the company of others and yet still take opportunities for quiet time or to do what we wanted alone - it was a great blend. They provided a great level of hospitality in a relaxed environment; we all had a really enjoyable time."
First-time Riviera owner Kris Kumar says the introduction to the Riviera lifestyle was an 'absolute pleasure'.
"It's a great way to start retirement," he says. "A fabulous trip on an incredible boat, accompanied by lovely people - more than 70 of us - and in such gorgeous surroundings. It was the first time my wife and I spent two consecutive nights aboard our 395 SUV, Take it E-sea. Spencer and Cumberland Reach are spectacular locations to wake up to, with fabulous fog and mist for incredibly beautiful sunrises."
"Meandering up the river was magical. It's not far from Sydney and, at the same time, it feels like a million miles from anywhere. There are new sights and scenery at every bend and curve. We had people from the convoy on the VHF recounting parts of the Hawkesbury history; it made the experience all the more interesting."
Weaving through Sydney's northern hinterland, the Hawkesbury has a long history of feeding Sydney. During the 1800s, the river was a major transportation route for ferrying food from the hinterland to Sydney. Boats would wait in sheltered Broken Bay and Pittwater until calm seas allowed them to continue to Sydney Heads.
"Stix Farm is a magical spot," says Kris. "The farm is renowned for supplying Sydney's top restaurants. We enjoyed a personally guided tour with David Allison; it was great to see organic farming in action. Then we enjoyed a totally gourmet picnic with plenty of champagne on a gorgeous sunny day."
"You can't ask for anything better than that - it was fantastic and phenomenally well organised. It's incredible to be able to do anything like this, especially in these times."
Scott Dillon is delighted that the cruise had been such an enjoyable experience.
"We always aim to provide a diverse experience for our Riviera owners. Many hadn't been up the Hawkesbury River before on their yachts, and it was great for them to discover how large a body of water it is. The opportunity to have a catered lunch at Stix Farm was truly unique, combined with the great weather and a band; it was a terrific social event."