New South Wales is not a bit like Old South Wales in the UK. It’s bigger and bolder, and the surf dumps all along one side. It’s a great place to live, but a better place to visit because the locals take so much for granted.

• Sydney - A flashy, flirt of a town
Sydney’s extroverted and sparkling and, although she’s Australia’s oldest city, she almost looks brand new. With a convict larrikinism still lurking underneath, she’s frantic yet casual, busy yet laid back. Sure, the locals are obsessed with real estate, but why not when it’s so good? There are great beaches, a marvellous harbour and a tolerant, multicultural atmosphere. And, since the Olympics, she’s even more accessible and exciting. Yes, there are the homeless, the drug dependent, the unemployed and the lonely - but that’s a city for you - and, as cities of four million people go, she’s still a town with a heart and a need to party. More info...

• NSW North Coast - Sun of a beach
The North Coast has something for everyone… surf, sun and fun. A tip for anyone, like me, stupid or brave enough to head up or down the coast in peak summer season without forward bookings - accommodation in the popular spots can be rare and expensive. Fortunately, it’s only a short drive after a day on the coast inland to cheaper and pretty much guaranteed accommodation in places like Kempsey, Taree, Casino, Grafton and Lismore. More info...

• Blue Mountains - Sisters are doing it for themselves
When the Blue Mountains gained World Heritage listing, the Premier of New South Wales, Mr Bob Carr (himself an avid bushwalker) said, ‘This is very happy news. It makes me think of the sandstone and the eucalypts and the great silent gorges that is the unique heritage of the Blue Mountains’. More info...

• Hunter Valley - Pass the port, Stephens
The Hunter is about a two-hour drive north of Sydney. There are day trips by coach but they are extremely tiring, especially if you plan on sampling a drop or two. It’s far better to stay a night or two to enjoy the countryside, the wine and the restaurants. More info...

• South Coast - Cool, by nature
The South Coast is cooler than the North Coast on land, in the water and in its laid-back atmosphere. It’s a great coast to take your time to meander down towards the border, fishing, exploring or just unwinding. More info...

• Southern Highlands
About an hour’s drive from Sydney, you can choose to leave the highway and take the scenic drive through this beautiful and historic area. More info...

• Inland And Outback - From Adaminaby to Yass
Expressways are great things for getting from A to B, but you don’t get to ‘see’ much at all. They’re fast and efficient, and about as much fun as folding a fitted sheet. Dotted either side of these concrete monuments to life in the fast lane will be struggling but delightful towns that have been bypassed in the name of progress. Why not start your holiday when you head off, rather than when you get there? As an example, you can get from Sydney to Canberra in about three hours depending on the state of your car and attitude to speed traps but, if you really try, you could cover the same distance in nine or ten hours. There are some delightful places to explore on the way. You pass through prime farming and grazing country, and there are some charming small towns to discover throughout New South Wales. More info...

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More Information

More information about New South Wales can be found here:

• Events And Festivals
• Accommodation
• To See And Do
• Stories By Ian Heydon:
• My Sydney
• More than Opera - The Sydney Opera House
• Just Hangin' About The Rocks - Sydney’s Rocks Area
• Tale of Three Sisters - Katoomba, Blue Mountains
• To spit or not to spit - Hunter Valley Wineries

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New South Wales Tours With Tours To Go