Discover Mulgoa: History, Trails and Views

Mulgoa invites you to discover history at specific places and take in views of the Nepean River. Fernhill House tells the story of a building dating from the 1840s; walking trails, a lookout and the Mount Schoenstatt shrine offer several other, very different reasons to visit. When planning, it’s worth distinguishing between a self-guided loop walk, a guided visit and a stop with set opening hours.

Fernhill: History on Foot and Inside the House

Fernhill House was built in the 1840s by Edward Cox, William’s son. There is a free, self-guided walking trail on the Fernhill Estate. The Fernhill Walking Trail is a 2.6-kilometre loop around the estate. Sunday opening hours and advance booking are specified for the trail; check the estate’s official visitor information before setting out.

A guided tour has a different focus from the outdoor trail: visitors see some of the historic rooms with a guide and learn more about the house’s past. Monthly guided tours of Fernhill House are planned for 2026. Check with the tour provider for current dates and booking details. You can then plan according to whether you’d prefer to explore a loop walk on your own or see the interiors as part of a guided tour.

Sandstone and Views of the Nepean River

St Thomas Anglican Church also tells a specific story about building materials and estates: the sandstone used to build it came from Edward Cox’s nearby estate, “Fernhill”, and Henry Cox’s estate, “Glenmore”. For anyone interested in the history of buildings, it offers another point of connection in Mulgoa alongside the construction date of Fernhill House.

At The Rock Lookout, by contrast, the view takes centre stage. A short walk of a few hundred metres leads from Fairlight Road to the lookout, where there are expansive views of the Nepean River. Access is available only during daylight hours. Visitors have been posing for photos at the distinctive rock for more than 200 years. This combines a particular view across the river with a place that has a long tradition of photography.

A Shrine with Set Visiting and Mass Times

Mount Schoenstatt in Mulgoa is home to a shrine visited by Catholics and people of other faiths. The shrine is open seven days a week from 7 am to 8 pm; check these time-sensitive details directly before your visit. Mass is held on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 7 am in the Joseph Kentenich House Chapel. On Thursdays and Sundays, it begins at 11 am in the Family Hall. If you’d like to attend Mass during your visit, you can plan around the days and times accordingly.

Beyond Mulgoa: the Penrith Heritage Drive

For another historical and cultural perspective on the surrounding region, a brochure dated 2015 describes the Penrith Heritage Drive as a route of about 50 kilometres. It passes historic sites in St Marys, Penrith, Castlereagh, Emu Plains and Mulgoa. The brochure lists 27 places to visit, including Victoria Bridge and Mamre House; this figure may no longer reflect the current situation. It describes both a drive from start to finish and a route put together individually. This longer drive differs from a single visit to Mulgoa: you can take the whole route or create your own itinerary.

If you’re travelling with children, you can arrange the experiences according to your family’s interests without turning them into a must-do list: Fernhill offers house history and a walking trail, The Rock Lookout offers river views, and Mount Schoenstatt is a religious site with specific visiting hours. This lets you plan around the visits you want while keeping the different times and conditions in mind.

Discover more destinations

Discover more destinations: Deniliquin, Holbrook, Narrabri, Milparinka, Tyndale, Mandurama, Smiths Lake and Gunning.

Go to the main travel overview: New South Wales.