Every place has a story. It's these stories that transform sites from a mere location to gaining a sense of place.

The NSW Heritage Festival, held annually, offers a range of history-focused events. This year, the Australian Heritage Festival will be held between 18 April and 20 May 2018.

Knowing our readers have a passion for cemetery walking tours, heritage walks and history walks, we've collated this year's National Trust events to showcase the Sydney events. You can also view the full NSW programme of the Australian Heritage Festival 2018. We will update this page every year to bring you the latest events.

Here's our pick of NSW Heritage Week walking tours.

Sydney Highlights of the Australian Heritage Festival 2018

Max’s Modernism: A Walking Tour in Sydney’s CBD

• Sydney’s best modernist architecture as depicted through the eyes and pictures of famed photographer Max Dupain.
• Location: Sydney CBD
• Hosted by: Emma McGirr, GML Heritage Consultant
• Date: Saturday 5 May 2018
• Cost: Free. Bookings essential.

Walk the Path to a Cultural Understanding

• Cultural walk from Bradleys Head to Middle Head. At Middle Head enjoy a cultural festival, bush tucker and an exhibition of contemporary Aboriginal Art.
• Location: Bradleys Head, Mosman
• Hosted by: Tribal Warrior Aboriginal Corporation in partnership with NPWS
• Date: Saturday 5 May 2018
• Cost: Adults $50, children $20, family $100. Bookings essential.

Chowder Bay Historical Walking Tour

• From Borogegal fishing grounds to American whaling stations, and blasting brass bands to secretive submarine miners, discover the history of Chowder Bay.
• Location: Chowder Bay, Mosman
• Hosted by: Ripples and Journey Walks
• Date:  Sunday 22 April 2018
• Cost: $89. Bookings essential.

Walking Tour of Era Shack Community, Royal National Park

• A walking tour to Era Beach, one of four shack communities in Royal National Park. See how these remote location cabins were built and maintained. Hear how the shacks survived to be listed on the State Heritage Register. (We've taken part in this walk previously. See our pics from inside the Era cabins.)
• Location: Royal National Park
• Hosted by: RNP Coastal Cabins Protection League
• Date: Sunday 29 April 2018
• Cost: Free. National Park entry fees apply. Bookings essential.

Historical Walking Tour, Sydney

• Discover the rich history of Sydney's oldest church, St James, and its 200 year old surroundings.
• Location: Sydney CBD
• Hosted by: Jardin St James and Journey Walks
• Date:  Friday 4 May 2018
• Cost: $49. Bookings essential.

Local History Walk: Watsons Bay Cultures & Stories

• Explore Watsons Bay’s cultural, natural, and historic heritage on foot. Stops will explore the maritime past, military activity, and 19th century construction still visible today. (Also see our info on the Watsons Bay Walk, available year-round.)
• Location: Watsons Bay
• Hosted by: Woollahra Municipal Council
• Date: Wednesday 2 May and Saturday 5 May 2018
• Cost: Free. Bookings essential.

One Country, Two Cultures, First Contact

• Retrace Governor Arthur Phillip's footsteps along the banks of the Parramatta River on 24 April 1788. Hear journal accounts of first contact with local Aborigines. Walk past colonial heritage sites.
• Location: Parramatta
• Hosted by: Parramatta Branch National Trust
• Date: Tuesday 24 April 2018
• Cost: Adults and concession $10, family $20.00. Bookings essential.

Poihākena tours: stories of Māori in Sydney

• Discover the history of Māori in Sydney since 1793. Hear waiata (Māori songs), walk down Māori Lane, visit an archeological dig site where Māori objects were found.
• Location: The Rocks, Sydney
• Hosted by: Kotahi Tourism
• Date:  Saturday 28 April and 19 May 2018
• Cost: Adults $40, children $25.00, family $110. Bookings essential.

More Sydney Heritage Week 2018 Events

Callan Park Walking Tour

• Learn about the history of Callan Park as a psychiatric institution and its current uses, and the community’s vision for the site in the future. Includes the foundations (sometimes referred to as tunnels) in Kirkbride.
• Location: Lilyfield
• Hosted by: Friends of Callan Park
• Date: Saturday 5 May 2018
• Cost: $20. Bookings essential.

Gladesville Heritage Walking Trail – Launch Event

• Launch of the Gladesville Heritage Walking Trail booklet, a 50-page guide exploring local history, with an optional guided tour. Access the booklet year-round here.
• Location: Gladesville
• Hosted by: City of Ryde Council
• Date: Wednesday 18 April 2018
• Cost: Free. Bookings essential.

Gladesville Hospital Walking Tour of Grounds

• Walk through the grounds of Gladesville Hospital to see the gardens planted to calm troubled minds and elegant buildings designed to reflect the 19th century style of mental health treatment.
• Location: Gladesville
• Hosted by: Boronia Tours
• Date: Saturday 21 April 2018
• Cost: $15. Bookings essential.

Abbotsford Point Walking Tour

• Learn about local indigenous history and the convict construction of the Great North Road. Explore remnants of grand Victorian estates and the visit the remaining buildings of the Animal Quarantine Station.
• Location: Abbortsford
• Hosted by: City of Canada Bay Libraries
• Date: Saturday 12 May 2018
• Cost: Free. Bookings essential.

More Heritage Walks

Check the full Australian Heritage Festival program for more 2018 walking events, including:

• Strickland House Day, Vaucluse
• Heritage Walking Tour Thompson Square and Environs, Windsor
• St David’s Church Sesquicentenary Celebrations Walk, Haberfield
• Open Day at Woronora Memorial Park, Sutherland
• The Streets of Leichhardt: Personal Tales of the Great Depression
• Different Cultures – Stories from Mays Hill Cemetery
• Alex Colley and his Forest Vision, Turramurra
• Butterflies, Camellias and Blue Gums, Killara
• Gordon Station Railway Gardens: Camellias and Tree Lovers
• Self-guided Walking Tour of St Thomas’ Cemetery, Enfield
• Masonic School Walk, Baulkham Hills
• Appian Way Burwood Walking Tour

Other Walking Events

Our range of self-guided walks in Sydney emphasise the area's natural and cultural heritage. Find another Sydney walk you can enjoy at your leisure, year-round.

If you prefer the camaraderie of an event and walking with like-minded people, then you may like to pick from our calendar of Sydney walking events, with diary highlights including Coastrek, Oxfam Trailwalker, Bloody Long Walk and more.

If you're a history buff, then try these Sydney cemetery walking tours, available year-round either guided or self-guided.