New South Wales

The laid-back outdoor lifestyle and natural beauty make New South Wales a great place to visit. The South coast provides unspoilt beauty and the North Coast provides top surfing locations with top national parks. With a capital city as magnificent as Sydney, there’s nowhere better to experience rejuvenation at its finest.

Including among New South Wales top tourist attractions are the Sydney Harbour Bridge, the Snowy Mountains and Bondi Beach – attractions made famous all around the world. New South Wales is the most populous state of Australia and is located in the south-east of the country. Recent tourism has also stimulated the growth around popular spots Coffs Harbour and Byron Bay.

New South Wales has always contributed competitive sporting teams and players at national and international levels. The state not only hosts the Rugby State of origin, but it houses the headquarters of the Australian and National Rugby League (NRL). Across the country Sydney and New South Wales is classically known for its intense involvement in the development and competition of Rugby.

Australian Rules Football is not without a cause after the Sydney Swans brought home the grand final cup in 2005 and have maintained competitive positions over the following years. Sydney also boasts the most recent Australian host of the Olympic Games in 2000. Sport is a vital part of New South Wales tourism and community and more quietly includes the Bathurst 1000 car race, the Sydney to Hobart yacht race and the New Year cricket test match.

Sydney is also home to many fine Arts teaching institutions and has produced world famous students throughout the years. With 6 University’s and hundreds of courses on offer, New South Wales provides a large range of academic variety and choice. NSW has always been a very important state economically in the country and most of Australia’s financial centres have risen to take their place in the Sydney Central Business District.

Dining and nightlife in New South Wales and Sydney is commonly referred to as Australia’s best, with thousands of restaurants, nightclubs and brassieres. NSW provides every type of flavour and budget to suit anyone and specialise in their wine touring experiences.

New South Wales offers every person something new and different from skiing to wine tours to surfing, with plenty of places to go and things to do. Experience one of its famous beaches, explore the Outback and the Snowy Mountains and even learn the cultural heritage of Australian Aboriginals on daily tours. Throw yourself into New South Wales’s nature, history or just relax and rejuvenate in the inspiring beauty of the state.

South of Queensland is New South Wales, Australia’s first point of early settlement by the British in 1788. The New South Wales capital is Sydney, a harbour city and Mecca for any tourist in Australia. This cosmopolitan jewel is renowned as one of the most visually stunning cities in the world, and it is not hard to see why: with clean beaches, beautiful parkland and striking architecture, Sydney is 360 degrees of colour and vibrancy. As the first point of European settlement, there is a distinct colonial flavour to the downtown areas, particularly in the historical Rocks district where cobblestone laneways and courtyards are home to world-class restaurants and shopping.

Darling Harbour, which is worth a visit for the cityscape views alone, is an eclectic mix of children’s playgrounds, trendy eateries and bars. The Sydney Aquarium, Chinese Botanical Gardens and IMAX cinemas are located here, although free outdoor entertainment can make a visit to Darling Harbour a cheap day out.

For a slightly more artistic edge try Oxford Street, home of Sydney’s annual Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras. This strip of boutique shops and cafes makes a pleasurable stroll, particularly towards Paddington. For budding photographers, why not consider a climb across the Sydney Harbour Bridge, a ferry ride across the harbour or a visit to the top of Centrepoint Tower? For those who enjoy live theatre, the iconic Sydney Opera House has local and touring ballet, opera and dramatic productions throughout the year.

Up and down the East coast of New South Wales are many smaller towns and cities that offer glimpses into the local way of life. Between Sydney and Newcastle is a region known as the Central Coast, with plenty of beaches, fishing areas and accommodation for holiday makers. The South Coast of New South Wales is a somewhat different landscape with a more feel in the climate and landscape. Rugged cliffs, untouched beaches and pristine forests are just some of the beautiful features of this region.

Further inland in NSW there are several areas that grow and produce highly-rated wines, for instance the Hunter Valley near Newcastle and the Canberra district. World-class wines may be tasted and purchased in these regions which are also famous for their broad range of accommodation, from cosy bed and breakfasts to opulent resorts.

Visitors might be surprised that Australia has a ski season from June to August, and the Snowy Mountains just South of Canberra are a popular Winter holiday for snowboarding and ski enthusiasts. The nearby Australian capital of Canberra is the home of the Australian Parliament and is a city brimming with museums, galleries and other cultural exhibitions.

New South Wales and its interesting facts

New South Wales is the most populated state or territory in Australia, with a population of just over 7 million. The population is very dense and concentrated vastly in urban areas
The largest city in New South Wales, as well as in Australia in terms of size and population is Sydney. The city is also the capital of New South Wales and has a population of 4.5 million people
Sydney is also the oldest city in Australia and was the site of the first European settlement in Australia in 1778
Sydney is home to a widely ethnic community, with people from over 100 different countries living within the city
Sydney is world renowned for it's picturesque scenery, and it's two most famous icons are the Sydney Opera House and the Sydney Harbour Bridge
Sydney hosted the 2000 Summer Olympics, an Olympics that was touted as the 'best ever' by then International Olympic Committee President Juan Antonio Samaranch
New South Wales takes up approximately 10% of Australia's total land mass, with a total area of 802,000 square kilometres
Newcastle to the north of Sydney is the states second largest city, and was devastated by an earthquake in 1989 that killed 13 people. It is Australia's worst reported earthquake
New South Wales actually included New Zealand back in 1840 after it was removed from the British colony
As well as enjoying a healthy rivalry with Queensland to the north, New South Wales, and particularly Sydney, enjoy a healthy rivalry with Victoria and Melbourne to the south. The two biggest cities in Australia often compete with each other to the title of 'most liveable city in the world' and often try to out do each other with their various efforts
New South Wales shares a border with 3 states and one territory, with Victoria to the south, Queensland to the north, South Australia to the west and the Australian Capital Territory, which is located within the borders and state of New South Wales

New South Wales and the family fun to be had!

Believe it or not, there is much more to New South Wales to be seen than just Sydney! The entire state is filled with so many family friendly places that will tickle yours and your kid's appetites for a long time! As you will no doubt start in Sydney however, you can spend a bit of time there exploring all the kid friendly places.

One of the best places to visit is Taronga Zoo, where you can see some of the widest variety of animal's right across Australia! At the same time, take a ferry ride across Sydney Harbour to experience the picturesque city first hand and up close. If you have the time, take a walk up the Sydney Harbour Bridge for some even more amazing views of the city.

And top this off with a tour of the World famous Sydney Opera House while you are there! If you are still after a great view from high up, head up the top of Australia Tower, one of the tallest structures in all of Australia! And you can even experience some of the most amazing fish in the sea at the Sydney Aquarium. Just outside of Sydney you can take your kids to some beautiful beaches at Manly and Bondi, and when you decide to leave the city for some more spectacular sites, head to some of the more amazing beaches up the coast such as Byron Bay and Coffs Harbour!

Inland you can visit some amazing mines at Broken Hill and show your kids how gold was found, or head to Dubbo to see the amazing Western Plains Zoo! This open plain zoo will get you as close as you can to some of the more exotic animals without ever having to leave Australia! There are many more places in New South Wales to see, and if you are a skiing fan then why not head to Thredbo for a bit of skiing, or travel to the highest mountain in Australia at Mount Kosciusko. There are so many options to choose from in New South Wales that your kids won't ever want to leave!

New South Wales (NSW)

The capital of NSW is Sydney, a famous international city. It is home to iconic landmarks such as Centre Point Tower, Darling Harbour, and the Opera House.
The pleasant weather in Sydney is one of many reasons why this city is such a popular destination. The summers are warm and the winters are cool. Sydney is also famed for its beaches, the most famous being Bondi Beach.  During the peak beach season professional lifeguards patrol the beach as there are dangerous rips that can pull unsuspecting swimmers out to sea. Always stay between the red and yellow flags.

Located in Milson’s Point is Sydney’s only theme park, Luna Park. It has free entry to enjoy its spectacular views, once inside there is the option of paying for the 14 different rides available.
Sydney is also a cultural city, there is always things happening such as the Sydney Festival. It is held at the beginning of the year and more than 1 million participating in the fun.

One of the biggest zoos in the world is Taronga Zoo, located is Sydney Harbour. There are over 300 different species of animals. It is so big that there is a cable car that can take you from one end of the zoo to the other.
The best places in NSW are not all limited to Sydney. Out west is where the Blue Mountains region is located. Within this region are the World Heritage Listed Greater Blue Mountains, the oldest caves in the world and the famous ‘Three Sisters’ sandstones.

Manly

Manly is on a narrow peninsula that ends at the cliffs of North Head. It has an harbour and beautiful ocean beaches, a ferry wharf, all the trappings of a full-scale holiday resort and a great sense of community. You can view divers feeding sharks in the "Ocean world", which has also an underwater Perspex tunnel with a dramatic close encounters with the fish. The "Manly Beach Hut Backpackers" offer a night in a dorm for A$ 25.

Bondi Beach

The most popular city beach is the Bondi Beach, despite not being the best one for a swim, surf or a place to park. This suburb has a unique atmosphere with mixed communities and the seriously good-looking. There is Aboriginal rock art on the golf course in North Bondi. "Tamarama", a lovely cove with strong rips, is south of Bondi. You can sleep in the "Bondi Beachhouse" for A$ 26 per night and dorm and in the "Indy's" for A$ 30 per night and dorm.

Kings Cross

There is a mix of strip joints, prostitution, crime and drugs shaken and stirred in Kings Cross, but there are also a few good restaurants and nice cafés. Kings Cross attracts with an odd mix of highlife, lowlife, sailors, tourists and suburbanites looking for a big night out. There are seven Backpackers to stay overnight. Particular recommended are "Original Backpackers", "Eva's Backpackers" and "Jolly Swagman Backpackers". The cost per night and dorm are between A$ 22-24.

Botany Bay

Botany Bay is 10 km to 15 km south of Sydney on the city's fringe. It is major an industrial centre. Despite this, the bay has pretty stretches and holds a special place in Australian history. This place was Captain Cook's first landing point in Australia. The name comes from the many botanical specimens you can find here. Worth seeing is the "Botany Bay National Park" with bushland and coastal walking tracks, picnic areas and a 8 km cycle track.

Hawkesbury River

At Broken Bay 30 km north of Sydney the mighty Hawkesbury River enters the sea. It is one of Australia's most attractive rivers because of the coves, beaches and picnic spots. The river expands into bays and inlets before reaching the ocean. Very popular are tours on the river with the "Riverboat Postman". There is also a good fleet of comfortable houseboats offer by "Ripples", with admirable reductions during quit times and midweek. The "Yengo National Park" stretches from Wiseman's Ferry to the Hunter Valley. It is a rugged sandstone area covering the foothills of the Blue Mountains. Windsor, Richmond, Wilberforce, Castlereagh and Pitt Town are the five "Macquarie Towns" established on rich agricultural land on the upper Hawkesbury River.

Bathurst is Australia's oldest inland settlement and laid out on a grand scale. It's called to be one of the atmospherics towns in NSW with its broad streets, gas lamps, formidable Victorian buildings and leafy manicured parks.

There is the “National Motor Racing Museum” and “Mt Panorama” has been Australia's street car racing centre since 1917.