Wonderful storytellers, musicians and singers will take you on an odyssey along the Hawkesbury River to secret locations and forgotten sites with place-based performances.
Acoustic Life of the River celebrates the embedded stories reflected along the waterways of the Lower Hawkesbury River. Step aboard for a river journey winded through sandstone cliffs and untold histories. Departing from Spencer.
Our wonderful story tellers, musicians and singers will take you on an odyssey along the river to secret locations and forgotten sites.
Delve into the histories evoked by place and expressed in a range of mediums – from the voice, to stringed and wind instruments, and spoken performance. Enjoy floating storytellers and haiku happenings; fabulous fiddlers; shanty singers; Irish harp and singing.
Family friendly pop-up performances. Invitation to dress for the river and enter into the spirit of the sound filled world of our waterways.
Join us for an unforgettable journey—select either the first or second voyage, each featuring a unique program of performers. Or, for the full experience, purchase a combined ticket and enjoy a discount for both voyages.
When: Sunday 16 November 2025
Where: Hawkesbury River
Tickets: Single voyage: $85 adult; $35 child; All voyages $150 adult; $60 child
First Voyage - Irish Harp Music + Sea Shanties + Boatshed tales Step aboard for a river journey winding through sandstone cliffs and untold histories. At the first forest site, listen to the melodious strains of the Irish harp and stories of Irish women. On the opposite shore, join in the rollicking verses from the River Dogs Shanty Singers from up and down the river. Backed by the rhythmic plunge and pull of oars on an outgoing tide, the dogs sing tales of love and loss amongst the prawn heads and crab traps on the river's muddy shores.
Second Voyage - Fiddler-Singing Folkies + Haiku Happenings + Rogue Storyteller Crossing over the Hawkesbury River, step ashore for fiddler-singing folkies where Awen takes you on an acoustic journey through time with fiddles, guitar and fabulous vocals. A lone flute calls you onward, its notes guiding a quiet journey of reflection. Here, write your own haiku —words shaped by wind, water, and impressions of country. Further on, your rogue storyteller awaits on the shoreline with tales both tall and true: murder, mayhem, and deliciously dark stories that lie beneath the surface. Bring your best self—the river remembers.
The Lakes Festival is back for its tenth year! This popular annual event will be making a splash across the entire Central Coast between 7-16 November 2025.
This huge 10-day celebration of our waterways brings locals and visitors together to enjoy exciting family-friendly activities, cultural and educational programs hosted by local organisations and businesses.
The Lakes Festival is a great opportunity for everyone to get out and about, rediscover some places right on your doorstep and celebrate our diverse lakes and waterways with your family and friends.
Click here for the full program.
