| 7 mins read
By Jennifer Mullen
Very near the top of most people’s travel bucket list of Australia is taking a ferry round Sydney’s iconic Harbour, watching the sunset over the Harbour Bridge and Opera House. This, and so many more popular attractions within Sydney can easily fill one’s holiday itinerary; but why not go beyond the conventional tourist attractions, hire a car and take a road trip into greater New South Wales?
So given the sheer size of New South Wales, and the innumerable things to do and see, in which direction should your New South Wales tour guide take you? Here’s look at some of the lesser explored, and yet “must do” charming getaways around Sydney.
Blue Mountains
A good place to start will be driving westwards away from the coast. Sydney, like any big city, does have severe congestion around peak hours; therefore plan your trip accordingly. The Great Western Highway will take you past the Sydney Olympic Park, which is worth a stop and a coffee pit stop. The Highway eventually starts to rise after Penrith, as it snakes up into the Blue Mountains. The Blue Mountains are one of the top tourist destinations in NSW and the panorama from one of the lookouts, such as the famous Three Sisters, is incredible. One can even take a cable car to admire the view below. The Blue Mountains have bushwalks to suit all abilities and usually the distances quoted on the signs are fairly conservative. Other highlights include the Jenolan Caves, which are some of the oldest and most spectacular caves in the world. More adventurous visitors can dress up in overalls and spend hours squeezing and climbing through this elaborate network. Why, you can even get married down there! At Katoomba there is a fascinating tourist centre devoted to Aboriginal culture, which dates back tens of thousands of years in that area.
To avoid the mass Sydney day tripper crowds, keep heading west for another couple of hours to the idyllic town of Mudgee. This little town, situated 282 km northwest of Sydney is everything you imagine NSW country should be, in terms of wide leafy streets, great pubs and friendly locals. Mudgee is famous for its wines and no trip would be complete without a tour round some of their prize winning cellar doors for tastings (although do make sure you nominate your designated driver in advance). If you like horses, Gooree Park winery is also a thoroughbred stud farm, so stopping to pat these elegant creatures, accompanied by some fine and very reasonably priced wines is a great experience. And if horsepower is more your interest, the Robert Stein winery has an impressive motorcycle museum, which is free to visit!
Hawkesbury River
Another part of NSW within a couple of hour’s easy reach of Sydney is the Hawkesbury River area. The total catchment area of the Hawkesbury is 21,624 square kilometres and the land surrounding it was home to many indigenous groups for thousands of years. If you are short of time, an absolute gem of a day trip is to Dangar Island, which is a mere ten minutes by ferry from Brooklyn. Dangar is home to 267 residents, many of whom commute to the mainland. There are no cars and when the ferry drops you off, there are handy wheelbarrows to help you carry your belongings! Dangar Island has some pretty and sheltered beaches that are ideal for children, plus there are magnificent views out on to the Hawkesbury River. Take a picnic, and the soundtrack will be the calls of up to 27 species of birds.
Cottage Point
The NSW Beaches
Perhaps the best thing about exploring NSW is the abundance of clean, pristine beaches, where you can simply carry a picnic and relax. It is a good idea to check with a NSW tour guide which beaches are recommended for swimming, as many are not patrolled and have extremely dangerous tides. If you want an area with squeaky white sand, which is much more sheltered for swimming, head several hours south of Sydney, to Jervis Bay. Here the waters are some of the cleanest and safest in NSW. Time your trip well, and you may get to see humpback whales, as they migrate along the coast. Failing that dolphins frolic in the bay all year round, plus there is an abundance of native Australian wildlife, such as kangaroos, wallabies, echidnas, wombats, and birds. Further south, places like Pebbly Beach offer cabins or camping sites, where one can get very close to the kangaroos and birds around.
Camden
To appreciate the size and scale of NSW, why not release your inner Biggles and take to the air? South West of Sydney lies the small country town of Camden, which has still retained a great deal of rural charm. At Camden airport one can take an experience flight in a light aircraft (obviously accompanied by an instructor). From the air you can loop around and take in sights, such as the Warragamba Dam, which is the primary reservoir for water supply to the city of Sydney. This dam was the subject of much concern in 2007, when water levels fell to historic lows, due to a period of extended drought. However in 2012 the dam spilled over for the first time in fourteen years, due to extensive heavy rain. Camden is also home to a thriving horse lovers scene and the equestrian centre offers not only rides, but also polocrosse and the opportunity to round up cattle.
There is so much to see in NSW, and at the end of a long day on the road, there is often nothing else that needs to be done, than finding a relaxing shady spot amongst the gumtrees and just listening to the native birds. Country Australia’s sound track is certainly defined by the distinct crying and squawking of its birds, particularly the seeming mocking laugh of the kookaburra. Just make sure you have one of those red wines handy, which you picked up back in Mudgee.
(Jen Mullen is a seasoned traveler, having lived and worked in the United Kingdom, Germany, Switzerland, Australia and most recently Southern India. In her opinion, the best parts about traveling are meeting the locals, sampling as much new food as possible and making an effort to learn new languages)
Image Details & Licenses: https://flic.kr/p/o6ELux (pbpho2, CC BY-NC-SA 2.0), https://flic.kr/p/nqXMZb (rodtuk, CC BY-SA 2.0), https://flic.kr/p/cKLcV7 (Deborah & Kevin, CC BY-NC-ND 2.0), https://flic.kr/p/923Vzc (Tony Rodd, CC BY-NC-SA 2.0), https://flic.kr/p/4fpPwd (Don Shearman, CC BY-NC-SA 2.0), https://flic.kr/p/eTybe7 (Paul D'Ambra, CC BY-NC-ND 2.0), https://flic.kr/p/5QUATE (joolmp, CC BY-NC 2.0), https://flic.kr/p/cE1Kgy (James Niland, CC BY 2.0)