Not only is Sydney hemmed in from the east by the Pacific and riven into north and south by the meandering Parramatta River but the whole outer western suburbs is never far away from the water and the parks and reserves along rivers and lakes.
In southwest Sydney, for instance, there are the recreational parks and picnic areas at the Georges River national park at Picnic Point and the Chipping Norton Lakes in Sydney's southwest, both of which lie along the Georges River. Further west are the Nepean and Hawkesbury Rivers which seem to ring urban Sydney in the west from the foothills of the Blue Mountains.
The Blue Mountains national park is west of the Nepean River and extends up the mountains north and south of the Great Western Highway.
Head away to the Basin
For a leisurely trip through the backblocks of rural Sydney, away from the hustle and bustle of city life, the visitor may want to pack a picnic basket and head to Bents Basin, a natural geological feature on the junction of the Cumberland Plain and the Blue Mountains escarpment.
Bents Basin is 25 minutes by car from Liverpool, where urban Sydney seems to end in the southwest. You can get to Liverpool from the heart of Sydney by driving southwest on the Hume Highway or through Southern Cross Drive and the M5 Motorway, then traveling a short distance west from the Liverpool exit.
At Liverpool take Elizabeth Dr west all the way to the Northern Rd, turn left at the roundabout and turn right where the signs say you’re going to Wallacia.
Backblocks of rural Sydney
It is at Wallacia where your excursion into the backblocks of rural Sydney actually begins when you take either Greendale Rd or Bents Basin Rd southward. Taking Silverdale Rd instead will bring you to Warragambah Dam, major source of Sydney’s tap water.
On Greendale Rd, which is the way I normally take (since the turnoff is less likely to be missed), take time to savor rural Sydney where your car may be the only one on the road as you meander along between farms, paddocks and a hint of bushland.
In the sleepy Greendale village, you'll find one of the oldest Anglican churches in Australia, built around 1848. This is but one of the remaining colonial buildings in this area of rural Sydney.
The signs say it all
Watch for the road signs as you’ll need to turn right at Wolstenhome Ave where the east gate to Bents Basin is located.
If you decide to take Bents Basin Rd instead, travel some metres west on Silverdale Rd and watch out for the turnoff sign for Bents Basin on your left. This is a more direct route and brings you to the north gate of Bents Basin.
A fee is charged for vehicle entry, usually paid (when the gates aren’t manned) by dropping coins into a slot on your way out. Have the right coins ready.
The recreation area is open seven days a week from 9am to 4.30pm (5.30pm on weekends and during daylight saving time). The gates are locked after closing hours.
Aboriginal importance
Bents Basin itself, located on the Nepean River midway between the Camden and Penrith, was originally gazetted as a State Recreation Area in 1980.
It was George Caley, a botanist employed by Sir Joseph Banks, who first came upon the area "at the end of the hills that seemed to be rent asunder for a passage for the Nepean."
Aside from picnic areas, there is an education centre which, when open, features Bents Basin's wildlife, scenery, history and Aboriginal importance to the culture of the indigenous Gandangara people. Protected Aboriginal sites are located within the area.
Enjoy a cool swim
When the weather is warmer, enjoy a cool swim in the Basin itself.
You probably won't find a more serene, more restful place in Sydney than the Bents Basin environs.
So bring out the sangers and drinks for a leisurely lazy day that's far removed from the urban frenzy.
