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New South Wales Tours And Attractions

Capital City: Sydney (See Google Map)

Recommended New South Wales Highlights

Sydney
Ride a ferry, visit the Opera House and climb the "coat hanger"

Jenolan Caves [Blue Mountains]
Magnificent limestone caves in the Blue Mountains

Katoomba Scenic Skyway & Railway [Blue Mountains]
A hair-raising ride down the cliff face into Jamieson Valley

Berrima [Southern Highlands]
Historic town in the beautiful Southern Highlands

Fossickers Way [New England]
Scenic drive from Nundle through the New England region

Hill End [Central West]
Once a thriving boom town, now a fascinating ghost town

Hunter Valley [Hunter/Central Coast]
Beautiful countryside, great wines and thoroughbred stud farms

Riverboat Postman [Central Coast]
A unique way to cruise the spectacular Hawkesbury River

Skitube [Tablelands]
An exciting train ride through the Snowy Mountains

Warrumbungle National Park [Central West]
Spectacular scenery with gorges, rocky outcrops and springs

Western Plains Zoo - Dubbo [Central West]
Natural habitats for animals and walking trails for visitors

From the majestic heads that frame the incomparable Sydney Harbour, to the natural beauty of the Blue Mountains, New South Wales is a holiday makers dream.

The playgrounds of the alpine highlands, the string of golden beaches and peaceful coastal inlets, the vineyards of the Hunter Valley, the star filled nights of the Australian outback..... NSW has it all.

Like most of the Australian states, the major holiday destinations in New South Wales lie along the coastal fringe. Australian's love their beaches and the region south from the Queensland border is just one lovely beach town after another, all with ocean front development under way to cater to the ever increasing demand for beach holidays.

The coastal region south of Sydney has some of the most beautiful ocean frontages in Australia. Inland from Sydney the Blue Mountains hold their appeal for each new generation and the southern highlands see an influx of ski enthusiasts during the winter snow falls. For anyone who appreciates world class wines, a Hunter Valley tour is a must.

Things To Do In New South Wales

In addition to the highlights detailed above, here are just a few ideas on getting the maximum enjoyment from a New South Wales holiday.

Sydney harbour cruises

Sydney nightlife

climb the Sydney Harbour Bridge

surfing at many coastal towns

diving at many locations

sailing on Sydney harbour & elsewhere

snorkelling in most locations

rainforests on the northern tablelands

eco tours of the rainforests

bushwalking the forests

hiking the inland trails

sport fishing offshore

jet boating

Australian campervan hire for self drive tours

whale watching off the south coast

hot air ballooning over the Hunter Valley

white water rafting in the New England region

canoeing on the rivers and inland lakes

cruises on the Hawkesbury River

4WD outback safaris from Broken Hill

farm holidays in the central west

gem fossicking in the New England region

theme/fun parks throughout the state

golf in all areas

all sports

For a comprehensive list of tours and activities, use the ExperienceOZ banner on this page

Places To Stay In New South Wales

The coastline of New South Wales is dotted with popular beaches that attract hordes of holiday makers during the season. Holiday resorts and self contained holiday apartments (condominiums) are the most common form of accommodation at beach locations.

This type of accommodation usually consists of 1 to 4 bedrooms with fully equipped kitchens for self catering and all linen included. Guests only need to consider personal effects and foodstuffs. There is usually a minimum stay requirements of 2 or 3 nights with longer stay in holiday seasons.

For single night stays, hotels are recommended. Cities like Sydney and the other major towns offer traditional and boutique hotels, serviced apartments, motels and motor inns. The number of hotels declines in the country regions where motels and motor inns are more prevalent. There is no shortage of Sydney hotels but rooms can become scarce when major events are taking place and New Years Eve accommodation needs to be booked well in advance.

The Blue Mountains and Southern Highlands have several famous guest houses which are very popular with Sydney residents seeking the relaxation of a week-end break. New South Wales has an excellent range of bed and breakfast establishments covering most of the state, but especially in the Blue Mountains, Southern Highlands and South Coast regions.

Guests should always consider their airport transfer needs as distances to some of the accommodation properties can involve a lengthy trip and incur significant costs. Ask about this when making a booking.

Transport In New South Wales

NSW has a very comprehensive train network that connects all major coastal and inland towns. CityRail provides timetables and transit details for all the transport services covering the Sydney metropolitan and surrounding areas.

Air services operate daily to all major towns throughout New South Wales. The New England Highway is an inland route between Brisbane and Sydney and the the Pacific Highway is a coastal route that links the same two cities and all intermediate coastal towns.

NSW is well served by a comprehensive network of major highways and arterial link roads. The Princes Highway is the coastal route from Sydney south to Melbourne and the more direct inland route through the southern part of NSW is the Hume Highway. The central and north-western regions of New South Wales are served by the Mitchell Highway. The Sturt Highway is the major route through the south west.

Sydney car rentals are available from all the major suppliers from both the airport and city offices. Several bus transport companies travel throughout the state. Some remote areas in the far west and outback will need 4 wheel drive vehicles, especially if travelling in the wet season.

Visitors planning a self drive holiday will find an extensive range of motor homes and camper rentals is available. Pick-up and return is usually at capital cities or major towns and advance bookings are recommended. Driver information and maps are available from the NRMA which has offices throughout the state. Road travel within New South Wales involves long distances and we recommend a distance calculator so that the time required can be estimated.

When Is The Best Time In New South Wales

The seasons seldom have a significant effect on Australian holidays. Periods of prolonged inclement weather are uncommon. Activities such as snow ski-ing must obviously coincide with the late winter snowfalls, but for everything else New South Wales is essentially a year-round destination.

Due allowance needs to be made for travel in the far west and outback regions. The heat levels during summer are extreme and winter is the best time to visit those areas. At the other end of the scale, the high alpine country in the south can be covered in winter snow for long periods.

The June - August winter period may suit travellers who place a lot of importance on personal comfort. Australian summers, especially in the inland regions, can be oppressive to those who have not experienced it before.

New South Wales has many very popular holiday destinations and there is always an increased demand for bookings during the the school holiday seasons . It is strongly recommended that bookings for tours, travel and accommodation be booked far in advance when travel dates coincide with school holidays.

Summer: December to February	Autumn: March to May
Winter: June to August	Spring: September to November

Also see Australian Bureau of Meteorology - official Australian weather web site

Compare Sydney Apartment & Hotel Prices - #1 hotel price comparison search engine for lowest prices

Cheap Australian Travel Insurance - buy your insurance online and get the best available rates

CSU Index Of NSW Visitor Resources - Charles Sturt University index of NSW information sites

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