View source for Windsor, New South Wales

{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2021}}
{{Use Australian English|date=August 2014}}
{{Infobox Australian place
| type        = town
| name        = Windsor
| city        = Sydney
| state       = nsw
| local_map   = yes
| zoom        = 12
| image      = WindsorNSW.jpg
| caption    = The Windsor Mall (The Water Wheel)
| alternative_location_map = Australia NSW metro Sydney
| pushpin_map_caption = Location in [[Sydney|greater metropolitan Sydney]]
| coordinates = {{Coord|33|36|49|S|150|48|42|E|display=title}}
| lga         = City of Hawkesbury
| postcode    = 2756<ref>[https://auspost.com.au/postcode/windsor/nsw/chfg Find a Postcode] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250116231029/https://auspost.com.au/postcode/windsor/nsw/chfg |date=16 January 2025 }} Australia Post</ref>
| est         = 1791
| pop         = 1,915 (Greater Windsor is 17,000)
| pop_year    = {{CensusAU|2021}}
| pop_footnotes = <ref name=abs2021pop>{{Census 2021 AUS|id=SAL14343|name=Windsor (State Suburb) |access-date=20 October 2024|quick=on}}</ref>
| elevation   = 21
| maxtemp     = 
| mintemp     = 
| rainfall    = 
| stategov    = [[Electoral district of Hawkesbury|Hawkesbury]]
| fedgov      = [[Division of Macquarie|Macquarie]]
| dist1       = 56
| dir1        = north-west
| location1   = Sydney CBD
| dist2       = 32.4
| dir2        = north-west
| location2   = [[Parramatta]] CBD
| dist3       = 5
| dir3        = east
| location3   = [[Richmond, New South Wales|Richmond]] 
| near-nw     = [[Cornwallis, New South Wales|Cornwallis]]
| near-n      = [[Cornwallis, New South Wales|Cornwallis]] and [[Freemans Reach, New South Wales|Freemans Reach]]
| near-ne     = [[Pitt Town, New South Wales|Pitt Town]] and [[Wilberforce, New South Wales|Wilberforce]]
| near-w      = [[Clarendon, New South Wales|Clarendon]]
| near-e      = [[Pitt Town Bottoms, New South Wales|Pitt Town Bottoms]]
| near-sw     = [[South Windsor, New South Wales|South Windsor]]
| near-s      = [[Mulgrave, New South Wales|Mulgrave]]
| near-se     = [[McGraths Hill, New South Wales|McGraths Hill]]
}}

'''Windsor''' is a historic town in north-western [[Sydney]] in [[New South Wales]], [[Australia]]. It is the council [[Seat of government|seat]] of the [[City of Hawkesbury|Hawkesbury]] [[Local government in Australia|local government area]]. The town sits on the [[Hawkesbury River]], enveloped by farmland and [[Australian bush]]. Many of the oldest surviving European buildings in [[Australia]] are located at Windsor. It is {{cvt|56|km}} north-west of the [[Sydney]] CBD, on the fringes of [[urban sprawl]].

== Demographics ==
[[File:WindsorNSWChurch.JPG|thumb|The Sanctum at Sunny Brae]]
[[File:WindsorChurchNSW.jpg|thumb|St Matthew's church]]
At the {{CensusAU|2021}}, Windsor had a reported population of 1,915 people, with a median age of 41. The most common ancestries in Windsor were [[English people|English]] (38.4%), [[Australians|Australian]] (37.7%), [[Irish people|Irish]] (12.7%), [[Scottish people|Scottish]] (10.7%), and [[Aboriginal Australians|Australian Aboriginal]] (6.3%). Most people from Windsor were born in [[Australia]] (77.2%), followed by [[England]] (2.9%) and [[India]] (2.2%).<ref name=abs2021pop />

The most common religious group in Windsor was [[Christianity]] (55.5%), including 19.1% [[Catholic Church|Catholic]] and 19.1% [[Anglicanism|Anglican]]. The second largest group was [[Irreligion|No Religion]] (34.7%).<ref name=abs2021pop />

The most common occupations in Windsor included Professionals (17.4%), Technicians and Trades Workers (15.9%), Clerical and Administrative Workers (13.4%), Managers (12.9%), and Labourers (10.6%). The median weekly household income was {{Currency|amount=1679|code=AUD}}.<ref name=abs2021pop />

== Geography ==
The Greater Windsor area includes South Windsor, Bligh Park, Windsor Downs, McGraths Hill and  Mulgrave suburbs.

Windsor's proximity to the [[Hawkesbury River]] has resulted in numerous disastrous floods. A horseshoe on the outside wall of the [[Macquarie Arms Hotel|Macquarie Arms]] pub marks the level the flood peaked at in 1867. During the 1867 flood, beaches along the [[Hawkesbury River]] to [[Barrenjoey, New South Wales|Barrenjoey]] were littered with the debris from the town.

== History ==
The Windsor area was originally inhabited by the [[Darug|Dharuk]] (also [[Darug]]) nation of [[Australian aboriginals|indigenous aboriginal peoples.]]

Windsor is the fourth oldest place of [[Settlement of Australia|British settlement]] on the [[Australia (continent)|Australian continent]]. Settlement at the location was first established circa 1791, near the head of navigation on the [[Hawkesbury River]] (known as ''Deerubbin'' in [[Sydney Language|Dharuk]]). European settlers utilised the fertile river flats for agriculture. The area was originally called Green Hills, but renamed Windsor (after [[Windsor, Berkshire|Windsor]] in England). The town was officially proclaimed in a Government and General Order issued from [[Government House, Sydney]], dated 15 December 1810. [[Lachlan Macquarie|Governor Lachlan Macquarie]] "marked out the district of Green Hills", which he "... called Windsor", after Windsor-on-the-Thames.

While in Windsor, [[Lachlan Macquarie|Governor Macquarie]] ordered the main institutions of organised settlement to be erected, including a church, school-house, gaol and "commodious inn" ([[Macquarie Arms Hotel]]). Of these new buildings, the most outstanding was [[Francis Greenway]]'s [[St Matthew's Anglican Church, Windsor|St Matthew's Anglican Church]]. [[Lachlan Macquarie|Governor Macquarie]] himself chose the site for the church. [[Samuel Marsden]], principal chaplain of the [[Colony of Australia|colony]], consecrated the church on 8 December 1822.<ref>{{cite book |last=Baker |first=Helen |title=Historic Buildings. Windsor and Richmond |year=1967 |edition=1st |publisher=The State Planning Authority of New South Wales}}</ref>

Windsor was chosen during settlement because of its agricultural potential and accessible location. In 1813 a report was given to [[Lachlan Macquarie|Governor Macquarie]] from [[Earl Bathurst]] detailing a proposed invasion of the [[Hawkesbury River]] by [[France]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.hawkesburyhistory.org.au/stubbs/french.html |title=Reports of a possible French invasion off the Hawksbury |work=Hawkesbury Historical Society |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120319110504/http://www.hawkesburyhistory.org.au/stubbs/french.html |archive-date=19 March 2012 |access-date=18 December 2016}}</ref> This planned invasion that did not eventuate targeted the Windsor [[granary]] in order to cut off supply to [[Sydney]], demonstrating the relative importance of this new settlement on a global scale. Windsor is {{cvt|56|km|mi}} north-west of Sydney, and easily accessible by coastal shipping from Sydney along the [[Hawkesbury River]]. It was known as the "bread basket", ensuring the survival of the starving colony. The extensive agriculture caused major silting in the [[Hawkesbury River]]; by the 1890s the [[Hawkesbury River]] had become so blocked with silt, ships could not travel up to Windsor from the coast. By then, a railway (in 1864) and road (in 1814) had been built to compensate.

On 1 January 1803, [[Daniel Egan]] was born in Windsor. He went on to become [[Mayor of Sydney]] in 1853.
[[File:GeorgeStreetWindsor.jpg|thumb|George Street Windsor]]
[[File:WindsorAg.jpg|thumb|An agricultural area in Windsor]]
[[File:Windsor Post Office (New South Wales).jpg|thumb|Windsor Post Office]]

== Attractions and Heritage listings ==
Major attractions of Windsor are The Windsor Mall (Water Wheel), Windsor Mall Sunday Market, Hawkesbury Regional Museum, Howe Park, Windsor Beach, Macquarie Park, Governor Philip Park,  Hawkesbury Regional Gallery, St Matthew's Anglican Church, Windsor Bridge and Hawkesbury Paddlewheeler.

Windsor has a number of heritage-listed sites, including:{{col-begin|width=100}}{{col-2}}
*Blacktown–Richmond railway: [[Windsor railway station, Sydney|Windsor railway station]]<ref name=nswshr-1287>{{cite NSW SHR|5012289|Windsor Railway Station Group and Former Goods Yard |hr=01287 |access-date=18 May 2018}}</ref>
*32–34 Bridge Street: [[Windsor Police Station Stables]]<ref name=nswshr-1018>{{cite NSW SHR|5045305|Stables at rear of Police Station |hr=01018 |fn=H00/00361; H99/00450 [S170] |access-date=18 May 2018}}</ref>
*Claremont Crescent: [[Claremont Cottage]]<ref name=nswshr-738>{{cite NSW SHR|5000841|Claremont Cottage |hr=00738 |fn=S91/00080/5 |access-date=18 May 2018}}</ref>
*Court and Pitt Streets: [[Windsor Court House]]<ref name=nswshr-804>{{cite NSW SHR|5045175|Windsor Court House |hr=00804 |fn=EF14/4735; H99/211/1 |access-date=18 May 2018}}</ref>
*29 Fitzgerald Street: [[Mackenzie House, Windsor|Mackenzie House]]<ref name=nswshr-735-3>{{cite NSW SHR|5045023|Mackenzie House |hr=00735 |fn=S90/03365 & HC 890475 |access-date=18 May 2018}}</ref>
*41 George Street: [[Government Cottage Archaeological Site]]<ref name=nswshr-1843>{{cite NSW SHR|5061086|Government Cottage Archaeological Site |hr=01843 |fn=10/01253 HC 2325 |access-date=18 May 2018}}</ref>
*126 George Street: [[Loder House]]<ref name=nswshr-3>{{cite NSW SHR|5045756|Loder House |hr=00003 |fn=EF14/4706; S91/6858; H99/55 |access-date=18 May 2018}}</ref>
*226 George Street: [[Simmons Hardware Store]]<ref name=nswshr-667>{{cite NSW SHR|5045214|Simmons Hardware Store |hr=00667 |fn=EF14/4724; S90/1393; HC87 1906 |access-date=18 May 2018}}</ref>
*350 George Street: [[Reverend Turner Cottage]]<ref name=nswshr-202>{{cite NSW SHR|5045392|Rev. Peter Turner Cottage and Well |hr=00202 |fn=S90/05972 |access-date=18 May 2018}}</ref>
*361 George Street: [[McQuade Park]]<ref name=nswshr-1851>{{cite NSW SHR|5053906|McQuade Park |hr=01851 |fn=EF14/4711;10/17346 HCPlan 2370 |access-date=18 May 2018}}</ref>
*23–27 Johnston Street: [[Johnston Street terraces]]<ref name=nswshr-75>{{cite NSW SHR|5045525|Terrace Building |hr=00075 |fn=S90/06158 & HC 32107 |access-date=18 May 2018}}</ref>
{{col-2}}
*Macquarie Street: [[Windsor Uniting Church and Hall]]<ref name=nswshr-735-4>{{cite NSW SHR|5045614|Uniting Church and Hall |hr=00735 |fn=S90/03365 & HC 890475 |access-date=18 May 2018}}</ref>
*49 Macquarie Street: [[Windsor Methodist Parsonage]]<ref name=nswshr-735-2>{{cite NSW SHR|5045178|Methodist Parsonage (former) |hr=00735 |fn=S90/03365, HC 890475 |access-date=18 May 2018}}</ref>
*Moses Street: [[St Matthew's Anglican Church, Windsor|St Matthew's Anglican Church]]<ref name=nswshr-15>{{cite NSW SHR|5045677|St. Matthew's Anglican Church, Rectory, Stables & Cemetery |hr=00015 |fn=14/4726; S90/2647, 09/1468 |access-date=18 May 2018}}</ref>
*25, 28, 29, 31–33, 35 North Street: [[North Street residences]]<ref name=nswshr-150>{{cite NSW SHR|5045174|House |hr=00150 |fn=S90/05765 & HC 32530 |access-date=18 May 2018}}</ref><ref name=nswshr-108>{{cite NSW SHR|5045190|House |hr=00108 |fn=EF14/4701; S90/5766; HC 32531 |access-date=18 May 2018}}</ref><ref name=nswshr-107>{{cite NSW SHR|5045198|Cottage |hr=00107 |fn=S90/05767 & HC 32532 |access-date=18 May 2018}}</ref><ref name=nswshr-142>{{cite NSW SHR|5045182|House |hr=00142 |fn=S90/05930 & HC 32377 |access-date=18 May 2018}}</ref><ref name=nswshr-109>{{cite NSW SHR|5045201|House |hr=00109 |fn=S90/05768 & HC 32533 |access-date=18 May 2018}}</ref>
*37–39 North Street: [[Court House Hotel, Windsor|Court House Hotel]]<ref name=nswshr-110>{{cite NSW SHR|5045187|Houses |hr=00110 |fn=S90/05769 & HC 32534 |access-date=18 May 2018}}</ref>
*Palmer Street: [[Peninsula House and Tebbutt's Observatory]]<ref name=nswshr-28>{{cite NSW SHR|5045697|Peninsula House, Tebbutt's Observatory |hr=00028 |fn=EF14/4715; S90/6128;HC 32162 |access-date=18 May 2018}}</ref>
*Thompson Square: [[Macquarie Arms Hotel]]<ref name=nswshr-41>{{cite NSW SHR|5045146|Macquarie Arms Hotel |hr=00041 |fn=S90/06175 & HC 32090 |access-date=18 May 2018}}</ref>
*Thompson Square: [[Thompson Square Conservation Area]]<ref name=nswshr-126>{{cite NSW SHR|5045195|Thompson Square Conservation Area |hr=00126 |fn=EF14/4730; S90/7461; HC30043 |access-date=18 May 2018}}</ref>
*5 Thompson Square: [[5 Thompson Square, Windsor|5 Thompson Square]]<ref name=nswshr-5>{{cite NSW SHR|5045184|House & Outbuildings |hr=00005 |fn=S90/06110 & HC 32180 |access-date=18 May 2018}}</ref>
{{col-end}}

== Media ==
The studios of local [[community radio]] station, [[Hawkesbury Radio]], are located in Windsor.

[[Pitt Town]], which is {{cvt|9.3|km|mi}} north west of Windsor, was a filming location for the [[ATN|Channel 7]] television series ''[[A Country Practice]].'' It was the set of the fictional town of Wandin Valley. The opening credits featured the former [[Court House Hotel, Windsor]] at 37–39 North Street as the doctor's clinic. Windsor High School at [[Mulgrave, New South Wales|Mulgrave]] was also used as the fictional Burrigan High School in the series

== Transport ==
[[Urban sprawl]] of [[Sydney|metropolitan Sydney]] has almost reached Windsor. The town is now regarded as an outer suburb which has retained its appeal as a small country town. Growth in the [[City of Hawkesbury|Hawkesbury area]] has created an increased need for public transport and roads. Most people from Windsor traveled to work by car in 2016 (68.9%).<ref name=abs2016pop>{{Census 2016 AUS|id=SSC14325|name=Windsor (State Suburb) |access-date=14 October 2018|quick=on}}</ref> Only 9.0% of people used public transport.<ref name=abs2016pop />

[[Windsor railway station, Sydney|Windsor railway station]] opened 1 December 1864.<ref name="Station_Names">{{cite book |others=Public Transport Commission of New South Wales. Administrative Branch (Archives Section) |title=Station Names. Date of opening, closing and/or change of name |orig-year=1965 |edition=3rd |date=February 1979 |page=37}}</ref> It is on the [[Richmond, New South Wales|Richmond]] branch.

Located in the town centre is the [[Windsor Bridge (New South Wales)|Windsor Bridge]] which was constructed in 1874. It is the oldest existing crossing of the [[Hawkesbury River]].<ref>{{Cite news |url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-12-04/nsw-premier27s-office-accused-of-political-interference-in-win/5133396 |title=NSW Premier's office accused of political interference in Windsor Bridge approval |author=Liz Foschia |access-date=15 January 2015 |date=4 December 2013 |work=[[ABC News (Australia)|ABC News]] |location=Australia |archive-date=31 October 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161031153710/http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-12-04/nsw-premier27s-office-accused-of-political-interference-in-win/5133396 |url-status=live }}</ref> There was a proposal in 2013 by the [[Government of New South Wales]] to demolish the existing bridge and replace it with a safer bridge. It was suggested by the political activist group [http://www.cawb.com.au/ Community Action for Windsor Bridge (CAWB)] that a bypass is a better option to preserve history, ensure safety, and better manage the congestion of [[Windsor Road]].<ref>{{cite web |last1=CAWB |title=An Alternative – CAWB |url=http://www.cawb.com.au/an-alternative.html |website=Community Action for Windsor Bridge |access-date=6 December 2016 |archive-date=20 December 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161220101344/http://www.cawb.com.au/an-alternative.html |url-status=live }}</ref> Nevertheless, the new bridge was constructed despite the protests. On 18 May 2020 the replacement bridge was opened to traffic within Windsor, NSW.<ref>[https://www.rms.nsw.gov.au/projects/windsor-bridge-replacement/index.html Windsor Bridge replacement] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200418045000/https://www.rms.nsw.gov.au/projects/windsor-bridge-replacement/index.html |date=18 April 2020 }} Transport for NSW</ref>

The new bridge has a centreline height of 17.8 metres Australian Height Datum (AHD) (ie significantly higher than the typical water level – peak flood levels at Windsor bridge are 11.1 metres AHD and 17.2 metres AHD for the five year and 100 year ARI events respectively.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://roads-waterways.transport.nsw.gov.au/projects/01documents/windsor-bridge-replacement/windsor-bridge-EIS-chapter-7-7.pdf |title=Windsor Bridge EIS - Chapter 7.7 - Hydrology |date=November 2012 |website=Roads-waterwasys.transport.nsw.gov.au |access-date=1 February 2022 |archive-date=8 March 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220308151628/https://roads-waterways.transport.nsw.gov.au/projects/01documents/windsor-bridge-replacement/windsor-bridge-EIS-chapter-7-7.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref>).
In 2021 the bridge was closed due to flooding in March 2021,<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.facebook.com/7NEWSsydney/videos/476520666875799/ |title=The New Windsor Bridge has re-opened after flooding forced its closure |access-date=1 February 2022 |website=Facebook.com |archive-date=1 February 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220201145318/https://www.facebook.com/7NEWSsydney/videos/476520666875799/ |url-status=live }}</ref> and further work on the new bridge was completed<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://roads-waterways.transport.nsw.gov.au/projects/windsor-bridge-replacement/index.html |title=Windsor Bridge replacement |website=Roads-waterways.transport.nsw.gov.au |date=30 January 2023 |access-date=24 November 2021 |archive-date=24 November 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211124043921/https://roads-waterways.transport.nsw.gov.au/projects/windsor-bridge-replacement/index.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

Windsor is also connected to [[Parramatta]] via the {{convert|31|km|mi|adj=mid|-long}} [[Windsor Road cycleway]], with much of its route via the [[North-West T-way]].<ref name="googlemapswindsor">{{cite map |url=https://www.google.com.au/maps/dir/-33.87051,+151.1415/-33.8591287,151.162517/@-33.8771603,151.1121167,14.16z/data=!4m7!4m6!1m3!2m2!1d151.1415!2d-33.87051!1m0!3e1 |title=83 Macquarie St, Parramatta NSW 2150 to 98 Macquarie St, Windsor NSW 2756 |publisher=[[Google Maps]] |access-date=18 December 2016}}</ref>

== Commercial area ==
The Windsor Mall Sunday Market are held weekly on Sunday between 9.00am to 3.00pm. The markets contain stalls selling jewellery, books, arts and crafts, paintings, fashion items, fresh locally grown produce, locally produced jams and many food and drink stands.

== Gallery ==
<gallery>
File:Windsor0001.jpg|Historic Home in Windsor
File:Windsor0003.jpg|St Matthew's Anglican Church, designed by [[Francis Greenway]]
File:Windsor0004.jpg|Interior of St Matthew's Church
File:Windsor0002.jpg|Hawkesbury River at Windsor
File:14 - Sydney Road Windsor (6433405125).jpg|Poster Contest ([[Royal Australian Historical Society]])
</gallery>

== Bibliography ==

* Bowd, D. G.  ''Macquarie Country: A History of the Hawkesbury.'' Library of Australian History, 1994.
* CAWB. ‘Windsor Bridge.’ <nowiki>http://www.cawb.com.au/the-place.html</nowiki>
* Fitzpatrick, J.C.L. ''When We Were Boys Together'': ''reminiscences of the Hawkesbury district.'' C. McHardy, c2004.
* Jack, Ian, and Jan Barkley-Jack. ''St Matthews Windsor - An Anglican Landmark celebrating 200 years.'' Rosenberg Publishing, 2016.
* Proudfoot, Helen''. The Hawkesbury: A Thematic History.'' Hawkesbury City Council, 2017. <nowiki>https://www.hawkesbury.nsw.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0004/119911/The-Hawkesbury-A-Thematic-History-2017-February.pdf</nowiki>
* Smith, Heather. ''Leaving The Barracks - Windsor Police Station, 1862 – 2010.'' H. Smith, 2011.
* Steele, James.  ''Early Days of Windsor.'' <nowiki>https://gutenberg.net.au/ebooks13/1302241h.html</nowiki>

== See also ==
*[[Dillwynia Women's Correctional Centre]]
*[[John Morony Correctional Centre]]
*[[Windsor Wolves]]
*[[Richmond, New South Wales]]

== References ==
{{reflist}}

== External links ==
{{Commons category|Windsor, New South Wales}}
*[https://www.sydney.com/destinations/sydney/sydney-north/windsor/ Windsor – Sydney.com]

{{Hawkesbury suburbs}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Windsor, New South Wales| ]]
[[Category:Suburbs of Sydney]]
[[Category:Towns in New South Wales]]
[[Category:City of Hawkesbury]]
[[Category:1810 establishments in Australia]]
[[Category:Hawkesbury River]]
[[Category:Populated places established in 1810]]