New South Wales

NEW SOUTH WALES

Discover the Eastern Seaboard of Australia's Premier State.

Named in 1770 by Captain James Cook, New South Wales is Australia’s premier state. Founded as a penal colony where modern-day Sydney now sits, the state once spanned the continent, extending all the way to the 135th Meridian, now the border of Western Australia. Anchored around Sydney, the gleaming metropolis on Port Jackson (surely the world’s loveliest harbour), New South Wales embodies all that is youthful and vigorous about Australia: from its shimmering beaches and coastal forests to the dry, dusty Outback.

North of Sydney, the surf beaches and resort towns stretch all the way to the Queensland border, through Port Macquarie (with its brutal convict history) and Byron Bay (with its hippies and millionaires). To the south, the rainforests and marine life of Eden and Jervis Bay invite lovers of good food and romantic adventures.

Inland, beyond the Blue Mountains and the Great Dividing Range, New South Wales spreads itself out over some of Australia’s most fertile and productive land. Our here, between the ocean and the Outback you’ll find some of the world’s best wines, fruit in abundance (there’s even at town called Orange), vast sheep and cattle stations, and tiny towns where you are assured of a warm welcome and ample hospitality.

So let’s go for a look around the eastern seaboard of this spectacular Australian state, where the mountains roll down to the sea and the hardy Outback spirit of the Aussies meets the sophistication of the city.

Sydney

Built around the glittering labyrinth of Port Jackson, Sydney is one of the world’s greatest cities. Its millennia-old history spans the length of Australia's human story: from its original Aboriginal inhabitants, down through its years as a brutal convict settlement, to the sophisticated modern city visitors see today.

Famous for its iconic landmarks such as the Sydney Harbour Bridge and its graceful Opera House, Sydney offers its visitors an array of experiences unmatched by any other city in the world. Its iconic beaches, such as Manly and Bondi, epitomise the open, friendly and healthy Aussie lifestyle.

From the 5-star hotels and hipster hangouts of Darlinghurst, to the luxury hotels scattered among the coves and inlets of Sydney Harbour, the city has an outstanding selection of accommodation options. You can relax in an airy apartment high in the sky above Sydney Cove, or disappear into an opulent spa retreat hidden away in a leafy suburb or bush-fringed bay.

Sydney’s frenetic heart beats fast in the nightlife of Kings Cross and Oxford Street. Its daytime charm lies in the cafes and restaurants of The Rocks and Darling Harbour where you can simply sit and admire that beautiful harbour.

Sydney CBD

Sydney’s Central Business District is Australia’s oldest European settlement. Extending inland from Sydney Cove, where the first convict ships arrived in 1788, Sydney’s CBD is ground zero for visitors looking to immerse themselves in the frenetic life of Australia’s biggest city. The glass towers of the CBD house an array of 5-star hotels, perfect for business travellers who need to be right at the heart of the city’s commercial activity. Compact enough to walk around, the CBD is a shopper’s paradise, with a number of pedestrian-friendly shopping precincts such as Pitt Street Mall.

Hotels for all budgets abound in Sydney’s CBD, along with the city’s main entertainment complexes and theatres. Eating out is part of Sydney life and the CBD’s restaurants cater for every taste imaginable. You can sip a cocktail 83 stories above the city in the Sydney Tower, have a long lunch at a waterside restaurant in Darling Harbour, or grab a cold beer in The Rocks. And if the jostle of the city becomes too much, you can wander down to Sydney Cove, framed by the Harbour Bridge and the Opera House, and watch the Manly Ferry cut its way into Circular Quay.

Northern Beaches

Stretched out along the coastline north of Sydney, between Manly and Palm Beach, Sydney's Northern Beaches combine urban sophistication with the laid-back lifestyle of the beach. From the art deco buildings of Manly, with its graceful sweep of Norfolk Pine-framed beach, to the busy surf breaks at Dee Why and Curl Curl, the Northern Beaches offer a perfect contrast to the frenetic life of Central Sydney. But just because you're at the beach doesn't mean you need to go without the finer things in life: superb hotels and excellent eateries can be found all along the Northern Beaches.

Blocks of ritzy apartments, and five-star hotels overlook the cerulean waters of the Tasman Sea and the long sweeps of pure white sand. In the hinterland beyond the beaches, you can find all manner of bush walks in the vast wilderness of Ku-ring-gai Chase, Australia’s second-oldest national park. Fans of the TV show Home and Away can make a pilgrimage to Palm Beach: setting of the fictional town Summer Bay. Walking and cycling trails meander along the coastlines, and you will never be far from a café or bar where you can wet your whistle.

Central Coast

Located just over an hour's drive north of Sydney the Central Coast region offers a quick and easy weekend getaway for Sydneysiders. The region is famous for its beautiful harbours, local villages, and stunning coastal scenery. Some of Australia's premier 5-star hotels and luxury lodges are located on the Central Coast. Many of the area's boutique hotels cater for adults-only escapes and combine excellent food with over-the-top pampering. Wilderness lodges and discreet spas, set amid quiet, leafy valleys, provide a perfect antidote for the stresses of the city.

Along with its large and varied selection of hotels, B&Bs, and eco-friendly resorts, the Central Coast is a paradise for lovers of wildlife. If you like pelicans, the Central Coast is the place to go! As you might expect, seafood sits at the top of virtually every menu on the Central Coast. Local chefs specialise in combining some of Australia's freshest produce with the flavours of traditional bush tucker to produce unique takes on familiar dishes. Water sports fanatics will find plentiful opportunities for water-skiing, sailing, rowing and canoeing, and golfers can play some of Australia's best links courses.

Byron Bay

The original hippy hangout, these days Byron Bay is home to millionaires, 5-star hotels, and all manner of secluded retreats and resorts. Located roughly halfway between Sydney and Brisbane, Byron Bay is a great place to stay if you are looking for surf, sun and something to eat. Byron Bay is a popular hangout for affluent Sydneysiders and the town’s shops but there are boutiques, cafes and restaurants that cater to all budgets and tastes. The town has a vibrant alternative community and there are always festivals and artisan markets to explore in and around Byron Bay.

Cape Byron is the most easterly point on mainland Australia and most of the town's hotels are located close to the beach. Further afield, there are numerous retreats and resorts sequestered away in the rainforests of the hinterland.

Byron Bay is a perfect place to relax, catch a few rays, and maybe learn to surf. And just because you are immersed in the sybaritic luxury of a Byron Bay resort doesn’t mean that you, too, can’t adapt your day to your own version of the “Byron Schedule”: surf, breakfast, surf, coffee, rest, surf...pizza!

Blue Mountains

Stretched out among the ancient, crumpled ranges inland from Sydney, the Blue Mountains once formed a barrier to the westward expansion of the fledgling colony of New South Wales. These days, however, the region is easily reached from Sydney via modern roads and the world’s steepest railway. Towns like Katoomba, built on the edge of precipitous plateaux, overlook echoing gorges and eroded pinnacles. The air is heavy with the scent of aromatics distilled from the endless eucalyptus forests. These volatile compounds are what give the air the slightly blue tinge that gave rise to the area’s name.

Exploring the Blue Mountains is easy. From the comfort of your hotel, you can venture out into the wilderness to explore soaring sandstone bluffs, deep gorges, stupendous waterfalls and thick eucalypt forests of the Blue Mountains. You can have some epic adventures out here but never be too far from a nice coffee, a languid lunch, or a fancy dinner.

Try some of these outings for a start:

Ride the world’s steepest train. With dinosaur exhibits, an aerial cableway, rainforest walkways, and the world’s steepest railway, Scenic World will give you an adrenaline fix, an introduction to the natural history of the Blue Mountains, and an opportunity to revel in the grandeur of this splendid wilderness.

Wander in the wilderness...or ride horses. The Blue Mountains are a hikers paradise, with hundreds of kilometres of easy trails leading to spectacular viewpoints and overlooks. Even if you don’t want to venture too far from your luxury hotel, you’ll still be able to find a short walk or two in the fresh, eucalypt-scented air. For a more romantic escapade, go for a horse ride in the hills and pretend that you and your partner are characters in an Outback western.

Visit the Three Sisters. Arguably the most famous attraction in the Blue Mountains, these three spires of layered sandstone are just a short distance from Katoomba (a town that is an attraction in itself). You can stroll out to Echo Point and take in the staggering vista of the ranges during the day, or venture out there at night to see the Three Sisters lit up by floodlights against the black velvet backdrop of the sky.

Go canyoning. If you’ve ever wanted to abseil into a canyon, climb down a waterfall, or slide into a mossy slot via a chute of white water, the Blue Mountains is the place to do it. A number of companies offer full-on, adrenaline-fuelled excursions into the deepest recesses of the ranges, where you can unleash your inner Indiana Jones.

Nocturnal emissions. After dark, the environs of the Blue Mountains take on a whole new life. You can gaze at the stars from a blanket on the ground, and see glowworms glittering beneath shadowy overhangs and in crepuscular caverns. There are self-guided glowworm walks around Katoomba and Leura, or you can go on a guided eco-tour of the Blue Mountains nightlife.

Explore the world’s oldest caves. Venture into the Jenolan Caves, thought to be the world’s oldest caverns. The ethereal subterranean depths are brought to life with subtle lighting, guided ghost tours, and passages leading to vast, crepuscular halls where you can experience the total absence of light.

Sample the local beer. If you and your partner in crime are fans of the amber nectar, there is beer aplenty just waiting to be drunk in the Blue Mountains. From country pubs where you can get to know the locals, to brewery cafes such as the Zig Zag Brewery, you’ll be spoiled for choice if you want a cold one after a day’s exploring.

Coffee culture. Ahhhh...coffee! What could be better than sipping a latte at a Katoomba café, or downing a decaf in a garden overlooking a panorama of rolling hills and blue-tinted air? Throughout the Blue Mountains, you’ll find exquisite coffee in all manner of out-of-the-way places. All you need is a sense of adventure and a desire to follow the back roads and byways to suss out the best shots in the hills.

Take High Tea at the Hydro. The Hydro Majestic Hotel at Medlow Bath has been welcoming guests to its Art Deco halls for more than a century. Newly refurbished to its original splendour, you and your love can look suave as you sip a genteel cup of tea and enjoy bijoux cakes and sandwiches in the Wintergarden Room, overlooking the Megalong Valley. You could even upgrade your High Tea to include a glass of sparkling Australian wine...and settle in for the evening.

E-bike the trails. There are some stunning mountain bike trails in the Blue Mountains. But if the big uphill grinds and pell-mell descents aren’t quite your style, you can hire eBikes from various outlets across the region, and take a more sedate ride along tree-lined back roads and secluded forest trails. After all, you’re on holiday. There’s no need to get too strenuous!

Echo Point Lookout is a popular tourist destination in Katoomba, Australia. It offers panoramic views of the Jamison Valley and the Three Sisters, a group of three sandstone rock formations. The Three Sisters are a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the most iconic landmarks in Australia. The image shows a view of Echo Point Lookout from the Jamison Valley. The Three Sisters are visible in the distance, rising up from the valley floor. The lookout is located on the edge of a cliff, and the views from the lookout are breathtaking. On a clear day, you can see for miles in every direction.

Hunter Valley

Imagine a valley with endless rows of grape vines stitched neatly into the landscape. Add a few sunrises which stretch long shadows across the mist-draped hollows. Hang some colourful hot air balloons in the sky and dot the towns and backroads with boutique wineries. Mix in some 5-star hotels, some 3-star restaurants and a million stars in the night sky. You have just imagined the Hunter Valley. Located a two-hour drive north of Sydney, this is one of Australia’s premier grape-growing areas and boasts a stellar selection of fresh produce paired with exquisite wine and dining options.

The hotels of the Hunter Valley spread themselves across a wide variety of locations. You can find boutique retreats attached to tiny, bespoke vineyards, and luxury day spas in little towns full of angle-parked 4WDs and Akubra-hatted locals.

You can embark on endless wine-tasting adventures, fill yourself to the gunwales with epicurean delights, or simply sit and watch the world go by over the rim of a coffee cup or a crystal glass of wine. Foodies will find an incredible array of artisan foods and farm-fresh produce in the Hunter Valley’s markets, restaurants and cafes.

There are also some diverse tourist attractions and activities available in the Hunter Valley, and wherever you're hotel might be located, you will be able to venture out and experience the best things that the Hunter Valley can provide, all with an easy reach.

Hot Air Ballooning. The best way to appreciate the bucolic landscapes of the Hunter Valley is to soar over them in a hot air balloon. Sunrise is generally the most favourable time to go ballooning. As you drift silently above the patchwork fields, long rows of grapevines, intricately worked paddocks, and sensual hills, you will see the valley come to life in the light of the new day. When you land you'll be treated to the traditional champagne breakfast that balloonists have enjoyed from the earliest days of the sport. This is a great way to celebrate a romantic anniversary or special occasion with your loved one.

Ride the wild horses. There’s nothing better than plodding along on a horse on a sunny day. There are a number of horse trekking operators in the Hunter Valley. You can choose a ride up into the hills through the sunlit forests, plod lazily along through the vineyards and river valleys, or take a carriage ride through the streets of Pokolbin.

Take a cooking class. The Hunter Valley is ground zero for foodies, and if you would like to learn the optimum way to cook some of the best produce in the world, the Hunter Valley has a number of different options where you can learn to cook - and then devour - farm-fresh food in all manner of amazing settings. Your chosen luxury hotel may even have a cooking class option at their restaurant.

Hike the Barrington Tops. The ordered and bucolic landscapes of Hunter Valley are overlooked by rugged ranges which preserve some of the largest temperate rainforests in Australia. The Barrington Tops National Park is located in the upper part of the Hunter Valley and is part of the Gondwana Rainforests of Australia World Heritage area. There are some wonderful walks in these ranges, such as the Antarctic Beech Forest walking track, which takes you through sub-alpine forests, and the 1500m climb to the summit of Aeroplane Hill, which takes you through wetlands and woodlands to the stunning views from Careys Peak Lookout.

Kayak Ganguddy. Also known as Dunns Swamp, Ganguddy is a World Heritage-listed wilderness landscape of mist-draped swamplands, cliffs, gushing rivers, waterfalls and canyons, enclosed by beehive-shaped rock formations. There are guided kayak tours available that will take you into this beautiful area to experience some of its rich and unique Aboriginal heritage.

Hunter Valley Zoo. Most of Australia's unique fauna is represented in the Hunter Valley Zoo, so if you've ever wanted to pet a koala, hand-feed a kangaroo, or wander through an aviary full of screeching, squawking, feathered Australian beauties, the Hunter Valley Zoo is the place to come. Along with the Australian critters, you can also meet white lions, ring-tailed lemurs and cheetahs, and you can hang out with lemurs, meerkats, marmosets, emperor tamarins and squirrel monkeys.

Day Spas. Everyone likes a good pampering and in the Hunter Valley, you will find all manner of spas and retreats which will provide the perfect tonic for your strained city nerves. Many of the local spas offer treatments inspired by local products, and you can book a double treatment room for you and your friend.

Coffee Galore. If you love coffee, then the Hunter Valley is a great place to potter around hanging out in cafes. Virtually every town and locality will have at least one joint where you can sample your favourite extraction, and if you do nothing else in the Hunter Valley other than drifting from cafe to café, then your time here won’t be wasted. Sampling cafes is a great way for you and your partner to explore the valley and watch the world go by over the rim of your coffee cups.

Wander Wollombi. Surrounded by mountains at the southern end of the Hunter Valley, Wollombi is a charming village of 19th-century sandstone houses, mixed with cafes and an eclectic selection of shops. There is a one-kilometre, self-guided stroll which will take you through the fascinating history of Wollombi, from its Aboriginal heritage to its early days as a convict settlement. The nearby World Heritage Wilderness of Yengo National Park will take you beyond the European history of the area and back into the deepest days of Aboriginal occupation in the area.

Tee Off. If golf is your thing, then you can tee off in all manner of tranquil country golf courses in the Hunter Valley. Many of the courses also offer restaurants so you can combine thwacking tiny white balls around with sampling some of the Hunter Valley’s best cuisine. The Vintage Golf Club in Rothbury, is a Greg Norman-designed championship course, while the course at the Hunter Valley Golf and Country Club is regarded as one of Australia’s best. Many of the clubs offer golf lessons, so if you are an absolute beginner you can get yourself started on your golf and career in the Hunter Valley.

The South Coast

Two yellow kayaks in a rocky cove at Batemans Bay, South Coast, New South Wales This image shows two yellow kayaks in a rocky cove at Batemans Bay, a popular tourist destination on the South Coast of New South Wales, Australia. The kayaks are resting on the shore of the cove, which is backdropped by a rocky island with lush vegetation. The water in the cove is calm and clear, and the sky is blue.

South of Sydney, beyond Botany Bay and the industrial hinterland of Wollongong, the South Coast of New South Wales is a rugged paradise of big bays, spectacular geology, and long, empty beaches. Dark rivers of tannin-stained water curl down from the inland forests where the big trees are still kings.

The rich waters of Jervis Bay and the Tasman Sea are crammed with oceanic wildlife, and all along the South Coast you can go whale watching, swim with dolphins, and commune with seals and pelagic birds. But there’s more to this part of Australia than just wilderness.

Many of the region's best accommodation options are to be found in the South Coast’s main towns, such as Bateman’s Bay and Merimbula. But travellers in this wild region will also discover small hotels, eco-retreats and glamorous day spas in the most unlikely of places: hidden away in quiet forests, beside reflective lagoons, or on breath-taking headlands. Mixed in with these superb places to stay are some of Australia's finest epicurean experiences. Local seafood and the freshest of local produce grace the menus of the South Coast’s world-class restaurants. You might even chance upon a Rick Stein eatery!

Discover the Eastern Seaboard of New South Wales

The eastern seaboard of New South Wales is a beautiful and diverse region with something to offer everyone. From the towering cliffs of the Blue Mountains to the pristine beaches of the South Coast, there is no shortage of natural beauty to explore.

The region is also home to a rich history and culture, with many historical sites and museums to visit. Whether you are interested in hiking, surfing, fishing, or simply relaxing on the beach, the eastern seaboard of New South Wales is the perfect destination for your next vacation.

If you are a Gen-X traveler planning a trip to New South Wales, I would be happy to help you plan your itinerary. I have extensive experience traveling in the region and can help you create a trip that is tailored to your interests and budget.

Contact me today to learn more about New South Wales and to start planning your dream vacation.