Safe passage … Mackys nestles on the water’s edge.

To a soundtrack of boat engines and the squeals of children in canoes, Louise Hall enjoys a slice of life on the Hawkesbury.

MACKYS river cottage is just over an hour from Sydney’s CBD but feels part of another, simpler world.

One of about 40 waterfront cottages in the tiny settlement of Milson’s Passage, on the Hawkesbury River, Mackys is accessible only by boat. There is no road access – which makes it essential to prepare, as anything that’s forgotten cannot be replaced by quickly popping to the shops.

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Chic interior of the cottage.

Our journey to Mackys begins with a short drive along the F3 freeway before parking at the public wharf at Kangaroo Point, which is on the south side of the Hawkesbury River Bridge, about 23 kilometres north of Hornsby.

Luckily, our GPS navigator has warned us to enter Brooklyn, not Kangaroo Point, or we would have been wandering around Sylvania, 26 kilometres south of the city, looking for our water taxi.

Laden with three days’ worth of breakfast, lunch, dinner and a bottle of wine or six, we lug the portable coolers to the edge of the jetty, where our driver, Rick, helps us load our supplies into his water taxi.

At just 10 minutes, it’s a surprisingly short ride upstream from the wharf to Milson’s Passage. Mackys is the second last in the line of original cottages, boatsheds and renovated weekenders.

With a wave, Rick is off to his next job, picking up a passenger from nearby Dangar Island, another community with boat-only access.

Mackys is a two-bedroom cottage with floor-to-ceiling windows facing the river. This is great for admiring the view but bear in mind it means the neighbours can see your bare behind. The cottage has recently undergone a chic refurbishment, including a new bathroom with underfloor heating and a modern kitchen complete with stainless steel appliances, an extensive set of cooking utensils and condiments. The owners have taken care to ensure everything you could need is provided. The clear glass splashback looks out to sandstone wall and a rockery garden and looks spectacular when lit up at night.

The renovation has made clever use of the limited space available, such as a wardrobe tucked behind the bedhead and a super-quiet dishwasher hidden in the kitchen cupboards, while retaining the layout of the original cottage.

To the side is a terrace with barbecue, wood-fired pot belly stove and table.

We decided to get into the groove of river life by sitting on the comfy chairs on the verandah and watching the small boats head upstream. The delighted squeals of children playing in canoes at a sport and recreation camp across the water at Milson’s Island added to the holiday vibe. We even threw a line in off the end of the jetty, as two fishing rods and reels are available for use.

That night we made use of the DVD collection and flat-screen TV. There is mobile phone access and wireless broadband reception, should you choose to bring your own laptop or smartphone, but no TV reception, which helped create a sense of being away from the world.

Guests can hire a runabout for the weekend for $270, including fuel, or bring their own boat. The Spencer village store and cafe, known locally as the “Hub of the Universe”, is a 45-minute journey upriver. At the Hub you can get breakfast or a light lunch, stock up on meat, fruit and vegies and there’s also a licensed bottle shop.

On weekends, the Peats Bite restaurant offers a five-course set menu lunch for $120 a person. But the famed Berowra Waters Inn and Cottage Point restaurants are too far to reach by self-drive hire boat. We decided the price of return water taxi transfers on top of a degustation dinner would stretch our budget.

If BYO sounds too much like hard work, Mackys can supply its “lazy weekend hamper” of dinners and desserts for two nights and a breakfast hamper for $195 a person.

All too soon Rick’s taxi was at the end of the private jetty waiting to take us back, our portable coolers empty and our tummies full.

The writer was a guest of Mackys and Tourism NSW.

Trip notes

Where Mackys, Milson’s Passage, Hawkesbury River, NSW. 0401 30 88 88, , hawkesburyriver.com.

Getting there Access is by boat only. From Sydney take the F3, cross the Hawkesbury River bridge and take the Brooklyn exit. Follow the road around to the Old Pacific Highway T-junction and turn right towards the river. Come back over the river and take the side road to Kangaroo Point public wharf. From there it is 10 minutes by water taxi or hire boat.

How much Weekends from $740 for two people. Water taxi costs $70 each way.

Style statement A chic refurbishment featuring lots of white, greys and blues of a charming original cottage.

Perfect for Anyone who wants to get away from the city but doesn’t want to travel for more than an hour and a half.

Don’t forget Food and drinks. You need a boat to get to the nearest shop.

Kudos The iPod programmed with chill-out tunes including Katie Melua and Crowded House.

A shame about The lack of watersport equipment. Other cottages on the river have kayaks or canoes available for guests to use.

Take the kids? Children are welcome by prior arrangement. As the house is right on the waterfront, it’s probably not ideal for toddlers or those who can’t swim.