Windsor (pop. 1,915) is one of the oldest towns in Australia. It lies on the Hawkesbury River about 35 miles (56 kilometers) northwest of Sydney in the state of New South Wales.
Windsor has many buildings from Australia’s colonial period. These include St. Matthew’s Church, which was completed in 1821, and Windsor Court House, which dates from 1822. Both buildings were designed by Francis Greenway, a convict and architect from England. Windsor also has an observatory, which was built by the Australian astronomer John Tebbutt in the 1870’s.
Windsor is the center of a fertile farming area. The main agricultural activities in the region include dairying, turf growing, and the cultivation of mushrooms and fruits and vegetables. Windsor is also known for its manufacturing industry.
The Windsor area’s traditional inhabitants are the Darug Aboriginal peoples. Europeans first settled in the area in 1794 and called their community Green Hills. Governor Lachlan Macquarie of New South Wales later moved the settlement to higher ground because of severe flooding. He also renamed the town Windsor in 1810. The mid-1800’s saw the establishment of many businesses in Windsor, including hotels, public houses (pubs), and tanneries. But the town’s economic importance declined in the late 1800’s, as some neighboring communities surpassed it in growth.
Because it is near the Hawkesbury River, Windsor has been prone to flooding throughout its history. The region’s worst flood on record occurred in June 1867 and killed at least 12 people. Extremely high floodwaters were also recorded in Windsor in 1961, 1964, and 1978. Following a long period without severe flooding, the early 2020’s saw an increase in serious floods.
