From one of Sydney’s most iconic and well-known destinations at No 6: Bondi Beach to one of it’s more obscure and remote destinations at No 7: Bradleys Beach at Dangar Island off Brooklyn in the Hawkesbury River.
Bradleys Beach is roughly 60 kilometres (37 miles from home).
It is, I think, the northern most beach in this tour. Jim took us there on his boat as part of a larger day of enjoying being out on the water in the Robyn.
Bradleys Beach is on the southern side of the island and boasts a number of holiday rentals. The day of our visit we had the beach to ourselves.
Dangar Island proved an interesting discovery in its own right. Home to a permanent population of about 250 — there’s a bowling club and a cafe/general store. The island is served by a ferry out of Brooklyn and people get around on foot and move their gear and goods in large trolleys.
Prior to European colonisation Dangar had been home to the Guringai people. Governor Arthur Phillip was the first white to visit when he was surveying the area in March 1788.
The island was leased to the Union Bridge Company of Chicago during the 1886-1889 construction of the original Hawkesbury River Rail Bridge. During that time some 400 Americans — workers and their families — made their home on Dangar.
Bradleys Beach and Dangar Island are in the Hornsby Shire LGA, the state district of Hornsby (Matt Kean, Liberal) and the federal division of Berowra (Philip Ruddock, Liberal).