St Albans

About St Albans

St Albans is a small and historic village nestled in the Macdonald Valley, approximately 94 kilometres north-west of Sydney, within the Hawkesbury local government area of New South Wales. Situated on the banks of the Macdonald River, the locality covers around 107 square kilometres of steep, forested hills and fertile river flats, earning the valley the affectionate local nickname 'The Forgotten Valley.' The area was originally surveyed as the 'Village of Macdonald' in 1837 and officially renamed St Albans in 1841, with a population of approximately 161 at the 2021 Census spread across the broader valley.

The village is famed for the Settlers Arms Inn, a beautifully preserved two-storey sandstone hotel dating to the 1840s that remains one of the most intact historic buildings in rural NSW, accessible by car via Wisemans Ferry Road or by boat along the Macdonald River. The remote and picturesque setting draws visitors seeking bushwalking, canoeing, and heritage tourism, while the small resident community values the valley's deep quiet and rural character. Getting to St Albans requires crossing the Hawkesbury River at Wisemans Ferry, adding to its sense of timeless isolation.

St Albans falls under postcode 2775 and is governed by the local council Council (LGA). For state elections, residents vote in the Hornsby electorate.

Nearby Suburbs

• Central Macdonald, NSW 2775
• Fernances, NSW 2775
• Gunderman, NSW 2775
• Higher Macdonald, NSW 2775
• Laughtondale, NSW 2775
• Lower Macdonald, NSW 2775