St Josephs Guesthouse

Overview

You can practically skip stones into the Hawkesbury River from this magnificently restored 19th century church. The grand sandstone structure has been divided into five private bedrooms (four with ensuites, one with an in-room clawfoot tub), a kitchen, dining area and living room complete with movie projector screen.

The deck and plunge pool are welcome features for the warmer months, while a soaring steel steeple protects the rooftop lounge area from the elements for optimal sunset sessions by the fire pit. If you can drag yourself away from this ultimate chill-out pad, visit your hosts for dinner at the Settlers Arms Inn (which they also run) just five minutes up the road.

And if you want to extend your stay in the area, hit the Womerah Range trail for a challenging two-day hike that takes you to the remote Heartbreak Hill campground in the Parr State Conservation Area.

Images: Destination NSW