A convict hewn sandstone icon

Built from convict hewn local sandstone the Settlers Arms Inn at St Albans is the only remaining hostelry out of six built in the Macdonald Valley during the early nineteenth century. They were established primarily as stopovers for stage coaches travelling along the Old Northern Road between Sydney, Parramatta and Newcastle.

The Good Food Guide voted it the Best Beer Garden: ‘Under the shade of a massive tree, the garden in bloom, green grass underfoot, horses walking to one side of the beer garden … ridiculously perfect. You feel like you’ve discovered a secret valley, the kind of place you take a detour to when you’re on the road and it grabs your heart and won’t let it go. A seriously beautiful place to sit and drink the house beer.’

Today the Settlers Arms is delighted to be a sponsor of the St Albans Writers Festival.