This NSW island hamlet will sweep you up into a river reverie.
Let’s begin with a statement on which we all agree: nothing kills a great getaway faster than excessive crowds. That’s why insurance company ROLLiN has analysed hundreds of regional towns and destinations in search of the top hidden gem destinations in Australia. These places are genuinely little known to most of the population but still make for lust-worthy escapes not too far from home.
The report’s results are based on a number of factors including how hidden the destination is on social media, search volume hiddenness, destination quality and drive time from nearest capital city. And snagging the top slot as Australia’s top hidden gem destination is Dangar Island – a tiny floating hamlet on the Hawkesbury River.
Australia’s No. 1 hidden gem destination
Take a dip at Dangar Island. (Image: Imogen Eveson)
Welcome to Dangar Island. Kookaburras herald the rising sun, rusty fishing boats sway off honey-hued sand and boathouse wharves, and laid-back locals sip pale ale at the island’s only pub. Located off the eastern fringes of Brooklyn, the serene 30-hectare island is accessible only by boat and lies just 50 kilometres north of Sydney. Yet it feels a world away.
There are no cars on the island. Residents of the estimated 300-strong community use wheelbarrows to transport groceries between the wharf and their houses. There’s just one charming cafe and one bowling club, which are both enveloped by gorgeous unruly bushland. And peace and quiet is easy to come by. Naturally, those looking for a relaxed bush break with creative community quirks will adore this river-skirted jewel, which makes a wonderful weekend or day trip from Sydney.
How to get to Dangar Island
Take the ferry from Brooklyn to Dangar Island. (Image: Imogen Eveson)
It takes just 15 minutes to get to Dangar by boat. (Image: Imogen Eveson)
Dangar is surrounded by peaceful waters. (Image: Imogen Eveson)
Drive or take the train to Brooklyn from Sydney and then hop onboard The Sun. The quaint historic wooden ferry operated by the Brooklyn Ferry Service is now part of the NSW transport network, so you can simply tap on with your card. The ferry takes about 15 minutes and has frequent departures between 6:10am and 7:30pm Monday through Friday, and between 8:00am and 6:30pm on weekends and public holidays.
Best things to do on Dangar Island
Everything on Dangar Island is within walking distance. (Image: Imogen Eveson)
While it’s small, there’s just enough to do on Dangar Island to fill a blissful low-key weekend. First head to Dangar Island Depot next to the ferry wharf for coffee under the sun and tasty brunch bites ranging from BLTs to hot honey and goat cheese-topped toast. Open daily, the cafe – which doubles as a grocery store and post office – brings the island’s small community and visitors together.
Dangar Island Bowling Club is the island’s other key establishment. Slip in for afternoon drinks or pizza night by the community garden. The menu spans chipotle sweet potato fries and fresh seafood catch to crowd favourites like burgers. And don’t miss the live music held on some Sundays.
Spot colourful birdlife. (Image: Imogen Eveson)
At high tide, make a beeline for Bradley’s Beach for a relaxing dip. It’s the only sand beach on the island and where you’ll find people unwinding under beach umbrellas and floating by on stand-up paddleboards. Then set out on the loop walk that takes you up and around the island through the bush, passing quirky ‘roadside’ attractions created by locals such as the giant scrabble board with words that often speak to the beauty of Dangar. It’s like a fun, mini sculpture trail with plenty of bird-spotting opportunities.
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Where to stay on Dangar Island
Watch the river flow by at Banksia Boathouse. (Image: Imogen Eveson)
Banksia Boathouse is right on the beach. (Image: Imogen Eveson)
Design details at Banksia Boathouse. (Image: Imogen Eveson)
There are a handful of Airbnbs and holiday rentals on Dangar Island that will sweep you up into a river reverie. One such stay is Banksia Boathouse, a beautifully designed and perfectly positioned Airbnb for two just steps from the sand. You’ll also wake up to the sound of waves lapping the shore at Deerubbin Boat House, a 1990s stay ideal for larger group on Bradley’s Beach.
Australia’s other top hidden gem destinations
According to ROLLiN, the below destinations are leading the charge when it comes to under-the-radar escapes that are worth your time.
Dangar Island, NSW
Killcare, NSW
Mintaro, SA
Manyana, NSW
Dawesville, WA
Aldgate, SA
Pialligo, ACT
Watervale, SA
Woonona, NSW
Littlehampton, SA
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Eleanor Edström is Australian Traveller’s Associate Editor. Previously a staff writer at Signature Luxury Travel & Style and Vacations & Travel magazines, she's a curious wordsmith with a penchant for conservation, adventure, the arts and design. She discovered her knack for storytelling much earlier, however – penning mermaid sagas in glitter ink at age seven. Proof that her spelling has since improved, she holds an honours degree in English and philosophy, and a French diploma from the University of Sydney. Off duty, you’ll find her pirouetting between Pilates and ballet classes, or testing her friends’ patience with increasingly obscure vocabulary.
This winter, these secret Sydney harbour suites are the staycation we’ve been looking for.
Whether it’s the crisscrossing ferries or the white sails of the Opera House rising out of blue depths, Australia’s biggest city lives for its harbour. But while locals might glance at that watery expanse on their daily commute across the Bridge, it can still be hard to truly connect with Sydney’s maritime soul. The secret: seeing the harbour eye-to-eye, right at water level. And what better place to submerge yourself in that energy than sleeping there? That’s where Pier One Sydney Harbour comes in (and with new all-inclusive bed and breakfast benefits, there’s even more to love).
All-inclusive VIP benefits
Book in for the all-inclusive VIP treatment.
The hard truth is that it will be very difficult to tear yourself away from your ultra-luxurious harbour home-away-from-home to explore the city. If you want to make leaving even harder, opt for Pier One’s all-inclusive VIP treatment.
The Bed and Breakfast with Suite Benefits package turns up the volume on what is already the ultimate staycation, with complimentary valet parking, daily breakfast for two and turndown service. The biggest perk? Enjoy a bottle of French champagne every day during your whole stay
Pier One Sydney Harbour
Step into a piece of history with all the modern comforts. (Credit: Dave Wheeler)
The five-star Pier One Sydney Harbour is quite literally old Sydney through and through. Built on what was once a working cargo wharf and the passenger terminal for those heading to the North Shore before the bridge was constructed, the heritage building sits right between the tangle of cobblestones, pubs and alleyways of The Rocks and the historic docking zone of Walsh Bay – at the centre of the city’s old sea trade.
If knowing the hotel’s history isn’t enough to get your sea-longing going, the interior design certainly will. As soon as you step up to the concierge desk in the lobby of the restored building – which underwent a $15 million redevelopment in 2019 – you’re immersed in Sydney’s seafaring tale. Weathered wood panelling and white marble floors surround you, while loop lighting installations hover above the bar island just beyond, ringed with stools ready for intimate, martini-tinted conversations. Steel rivets and timber beams speak to its past, and glass-walled views anchor you firmly in the present-day life on the harbour.
Pier One Suites
Enjoy incredible views from your suite.
Across the 189 rooms and suites built on and over the water, the maritime theme continues. Sculptural aged brass fittings, exposed girders, colour schemes that evoke shifting currents, and mirrors that reflect ripples that – depending on your booking – sit just metres from your pillow.
United on theme yet unique in set-up, each room or suite is different. On the ground floor, dog-friendly rooms with direct access to the pier are all prepped for pampered pups, while others have views and even balconies overlooking Walsh Bay, the Bridge and the Harbour.
But the 19 suites step things up even more. Gaze out through floor-to-ceiling windows, or get even closer. Your private balcony is made for sipping a Nespresso coffee on as the sun comes up – or soaking in the bathtub of the Admiral Suite on the deck, a drink from the locally stocked mini bar in hand. This mini bar was recently completely transformed, so you have more Aussie favourites to choose from, including alcohol and snacks.
Dining at Pier One
Settle in for an afternoon of good drinks and views.
Once you’re checked in, start your afternoon with a spritz at PIER BAR – or arrive by boat via the private pontoon if the occasion calls for it – and settle into one of the cabanas. Weekdays bring Happy Hour (or ‘sunset hour’ at Pier One); weekends bring the DJs. After an even sweeter experience? The Everyday Creamery and Matcha Kiosk is slinging mango and vanilla soft serve – classic and those spiked with Midori and gin alike.
PIER Dining is an ode to contemporary Australian flavours across the terrace, pier and dining room. On its seafood-leaning menu are Sydney rock oysters from Merimbula, potato scallops with salmon roe and crème fraîche, chicken with melting sundried tomato butter, vodka rigatoni with Shark Bay prawns. And the ‘Pierlova’ – that’s pavlova with chocolate, dulce de leche and banana is worth saving room for. Make sure to ask for the wine list – it’s 100 per cent Australian drops.
Around town
Explore the neighbourhood during your stay. (Credit: Destination NSW)
If you’re strong enough to polish off just one last pastry from the breakfast buffet and walk out the door, we applaud you. Luna Park across the harbour beckons with its wide grin, while a glance upward might spur you to climb the Bridge’s famous iron arches. The Opera House – just across Circular Quay from the Museum of Contemporary Art – sings out for a concert.
You’ll want to book ahead for those hot-ticket performances at Sydney Theatre Company and Sydney Dance Company, just a few minutes’ walk south of the hotel. Ten minutes further brings you to the waterfront bars, restaurants and clubs of Barangaroo, or the karaoke, gardens and dim sum of Chinatown further afield.
Keep the mellow of your weekend getaway going with a stop at Barangaroo Reserve, watching the yachts go by – all before returning for that Sydney sundowner at Pier One.
