Wisemans Ferry is a town on the northern outskirts of Sydney and the south-west of the Central Coast region in the state of New South Wales, Australia, located 75 kilometres north north-west of Sydney. It is located in the Sydney local government areas of the Hornsby Shire, The Hills Shire, City of Hawkesbury and the Central Coast local government area of . The town is a tourist spot with picnic and barbecue facilities. As well as a rich convict and colonial heritage in the area, the Dharug National Park and Yengo National Park are close by.

History

The town was originally called Lower Portland Headland, but the name was eventually changed to Wisemans Ferry, named after Solomon Wiseman, a former convict (1777–1838), who received a land grant in the area from Governor Macquarie in 1817. Wiseman established a ferry service on the Hawkesbury River in 1827 for the transport of produce and provisions to the convicts building the Great North Road and was known to many as King of the Hawkesbury.

Wisemans Ferry, New South Wales

Wisemans Ferry Post Office opened on 1 January 1857.

Wisemans Ferry, New South Wales

There is information on the early history of Wisemans Ferry in Ball, John and Pam, 'Early Wisemans Ferry: George Mollison, Solomon Wiseman, Bushrangers and Land Title Confusion', Oughtershaw Press, Riverview, 2014 - .

Wisemans Ferry, New South Wales

Heritage listings

Wisemans Ferry & Mount Manning has a number of heritage-listed sites, including: Old Great North Road (Devine's Hill to Mount Manning Section)

Schools

Wisemans Ferry Public School was established in 1867.

Transport

Today, two ferry services cross the Hawkesbury River from the town of Wisemans Ferry. The eponymous Wisemans Ferry crosses the river to a point down-stream of its confluence with the Macdonald River, connecting with the old Great North Road. Webbs Creek Ferry crosses to a point upstream of the confluence, connecting with the St Albans Road that follows the west bank of the Macdonald River.

References

External links

Great North Road - Convict Trail

Wisemans Ferry bus timetable

Suburbs of Sydney

City of Hawkesbury

Towns in New South Wales

1827 establishments in Australia

The Hills Shire

Hornsby Shire