New South Wales

The vibrance of Sydney but so much more too ....

For many travellers Sydney, the capital of New South Wales, is the starting point of their Australian experience.  Sydney is a vibrant multi-cultural city that hugs the shores of a very beautiful harbour, making sightseeing by private yacht, launch or even on a ferry a particular pleasure.

New South Wales’ fertile and well-populated (by Australian standards) coastal fringe is backed by the mountains of the Great Dividing Range which cover a varied and spectacular wilderness.   There are lush sub-tropical rainforests, sheer angular gorges and snow-capped peaks.  The first settler explorers to cross the Blue Mountains’ maze of escarpments and gorges laid eyes upon miles of undulating bush land.  Today these Central Tablelands are rich pastoral lands beyond which lies the vast space of the outback.

A week long safari out of Sydney provides the traveller with an extraordinary breadth of bush and rural experience.  Begin with a short flight into the gorges and escarpments of the Blue Mountains, inaccessible to all but the keenest of bush walkers and locals who know their way on the unmarked dirt tracks.  This area is rich in wildlife, including Grey Kangaroos, wombats, platypus, goannas, possums and the occasional emu.

When combined with a stay on the South Coast, where the fauna rich seas attract Humpback Whales, Fur-seals, dolphins and penguins, a safari out of Sydney is a genuine experience of Australia’s wilderness and wildlife. 

Just north of Sydney, The Hunter Valley wine region, known for its semillons, boasts stylish lodges and a variety of wine styles, produced by both some of the country’s biggest and most boutique wine makers.   The Tablelands are best enjoyed on a private sheep or cattle station. The Central Coast is the place for wild beaches, magnificent coastal walks and temperate rainforest.  In the far north Byron Bay’s surf beaches are a fashionable summer retreat while providing excellent diving and access to the beautiful rainforests of the northern ranges.

Access

• Sydney is the best starting point for travel in NSW, though the far north of the state is better accessed from Brisbane

 Seasons

• Summer days are warm and nights balmy – perfect holiday weather
• A predominantly temperate climate – winter nights in the high country and inland can be cold, though days are generally mild
• Coastal water temperatures are most comfortable from November to April

Travel Tips

• Helicopter into the Blue Mountains to spend a day with our local wildlife guide searching for wombats, kangaroos and platypus
• Spend a day on Sydney harbour, hosted by a local skipper on his private yacht
• Specialist guides can tailor a Sydney tour to suit your interests - from architecture to zoology
• Luxury homestead accommodation provides a taste of the Outback
• With great restaurants, a pleasant climate and a relaxed atmosphere - Byron Bay is a great place to spend a few days holidaying with the locals
• Enjoy a private gallery viewing of contemporary Australian art
• Take in Sydney's beach culture with a surf lesson on Bondi Beach
• Sleep out under the stars in a 'swag', the bedding of choice for generations of bushmen
• Dine out at sunset near Sydney's Botanical Gardens and watch the procession as tens of thousands of flying foxes head out to feed around the city
• Discover behind-the-scenes or take in a performance at the Opera House,  one of Sydney's most famous venues
• Chill out in a private beach house on the New South Wales coast
• After dinner on a luxury cattle station share stories, around the campfire, with a bush poet
• Enjoy the treatments of a masseur and the delights of your chef at your own luxury coastal retreat on the northern coast