Best things to do in Hornsby
Hornsby is where Sydney’s Upper North Shore comes alive.
Hornsby is the Upper North Shore’s gateway to adventure, blending lively markets, shopping and culture with lush bushland, scenic walks and the great outdoors. There’s so many things to do in Sydney’s Hornsby area and the surrounding suburbs.
Hornsby Park
See the former Hornsby Quarry transformed into a beautiful and scenic outdoor attraction.
A great thing to do while in Hornsby, is take in the beautiful view of the bush and the old quarry from Southern Lookout, a massive 42-metre-long viewing deck.
Hang out at the Crusher Plant Precinct, the first fully completed section of the park, with its open lawns, picnic areas, paths and views.
Or the Hornsby Heritage Steps, built during the Great Depression as part of an unemployment-relief program and now restored as a public walking route.
Also worth checking out are the nearby Hornsby Park Gardens with its lush, family-oriented atmosphere, and the Hornsby Aquatic & Leisure Centre with its heated pools, play facilities, gym and café, among other features.
Hornsby Park is still being developed and has several projects being built such as a looping walking and cycling track, a massive oval and sports facility, more scenic lookouts and a bike ‘jumps and pump’ track.
Berowra Valley National Park
One of the most essential nature experiences around Hornsby.
Its strength lies in its surprising variety.
From short, long or serious bushwalking, bird watching, lookouts, picnic areas and BBQ’s to kayaking on Berowra Creek, fishing, Aboriginal culture and history, and its seasonal wildflowers, Berowra Valley National Park has something for everyone!
Crosslands Reserve is the best casual starting point to the National Park with its picturesque recreation area beside Berowra Creek.
There are several great walks within, such as the 1.2 km Place of Winds Interpretive Trail, Blue Gum Walk and a substantial section of the iconic Great North Walk (which traverses 27 km, but can be tackled in shorter sections).
Wallarobba Arts & Cultural Centre
A beautifully restored heritage homestead dating from 1903, set within Willow Park in Central Hornsby.
Several gallery spaces can be found within with a variety of different art from varying and unique sources
Wallarobba Arts & Cultural Centre has a series of unique and changing exhibitions that are held there.
As of writing this, the current exhibition is Hornsby Art Society’s “No White Walls” (running until 20th of September, 2026).
Upcoming is the exhibition displaying the art and works of the finalists of the Hornsby Art Prize 2026 competition (running from the 16th of October to the 1st of November, 2026).
Westfield Hornsby
With its broad mix of stores and central location, Westfield Hornsby serves as a practical base for exploring the city of Hornsby and is one of our favourite things to do in Sydney’s Hornsby area.
Variety and convenience-galore!
Worth mentioning, is the Hornsby Water Clock, a unique kinetic sculpture (its artist given name is ‘Man, Time and the Environment’) set right outside the Westfield that’s worth checking out while you’re there.
Given the name ‘Man, Time and the Environment’ by its creator Victor Cusack, the Hornsby Water Clock has an intricate and interesting design, acts as a water fountain, and combines several different historical approaches to telling time while incorporating native Australian animals and plants into it.
Markets
Hornsby Twilight Markets
Held every second Saturday of each month from 5pm-9pm at Hornsby Mall, the Twilight Markets feature a scintillating combination of international food stalls, artisan vendors, live music and evening entertainment.
Welcome Hornsby Markets
Held on the first Saturday of each month (except January) from 8:30am-4pm at Hornsby Mall, the Welcome Hornsby Markets are themed more around creative and handmade products such as fashion, jewellery, decor, etc.
Held every Thursday between 8am and 2:30pm at Hornsby Mall, the Organic Food Market is, as titled, the most food-focused of the three markets covered here, featuring fresh fruit and vegetables, organic produce, artisan foods, bread, and much more!
All held at Hornsby Mall (just outside of Westfield Hornsby):
Honourable Mentions
Here are some notable attractions or activities to do that are either just outside of Hornsby, or have not been mentioned above:
Rose Seidler House: Located just outside of Hornsby in Wahroonga, the Rose Seidler House is a modernist house museum built between 1948 and 1950 located in lush bushland. Great for architecture, design and history enthusiasts.
The Hawkesbury River: Near to this beautiful river, it is worth checking out the neighbouring locations of Brooklyn, Dangar Island and the Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park.
Parks: A variety of parks for every occasion. Includes, Willow Park, Storey Park, Holman Park, Lessing Park and Reddy Park.
Mountain Biking: with its abundant bushland and plentiful dirt tracks throughout, Hornsby (especially its broad and beautiful bushland) is a great destination for mountain biking and mountain biking enthusiasts.