Take a memorable journey through New South Wales to discover its vibrant capital, soul-stirring natural beauty and world-famous coastal drives.

An arch of steel spanning a stretch of indigo water and, close by, a one-of-a-kind building whose roof of curved white shells makes it look like a giant sailboat: it’s the quintessential view of Sydney and instantly recognisable. But there’s more to this confident, forward-looking, breezy city – often mistaken for the national capital – than its iconic Harbour Bridge and Opera House. Walk the narrow streets laid out by the first British settlers, hop on a ferry to famous surfing beaches and explore the inventive multicultural dining scene to discover the soul of this thoroughly engaging urban playground.

Beyond the bright lights of Sydney, the rest of New South Wales is an adventure in its own right. Behind the wheel of a car or campervan, you can follow classic coastal routes through breathtaking landscapes, pausing at gold-rush towns, dolphin-watching hotspots and dazzling beaches. Inland, you might stop to enjoy the romantically hazed rocky scenery of the Blue Mountains, a magnet for writers and artists, or sip your way around the gentler terrain of the Hunter Valley, where they’ve been making wine for 200 years. Spotting some of the distinctive local wildlife along the way is made easier by the existence of more than 890 national parks and reserves covering a staggering range of habitats from deserts to wetlands.

However you choose to discover Sydney & New South Wales, talk to us and we’ll help to create your ideal holiday.

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Blue Mountains Deluxe Day Tour

The Blue Mountains is a real journey into the heart of a unique World Heritage Region. The first stop is Calmsley Hill, a working farm based attraction involved in animal rehabilitation offering fabulous bush surrounds located near the heart of Sydney. Arrive early to get up close to a range of native and farmyard animals including Kangaroos and Koalas while enjoying a light morning tea. Departing from Calmsley Hill, head to the Blue Mountains. Visit one of a range of stunning outlooks of the Jamison Valley with beautiful vistas, where possible away from the crowds. Continue on to Eaglehawk Lookout for views of the famous Three Sisters and to learn of the legends behind this famous rock formation. After lunch, spend the afternoon visiting a selection of scenic lookouts. The view from Govett's Leap is one of the most famous lookouts in Australia. Here the magnificent waterfall drops a whopping 180m to the base of the cliff. The last stop is the delightful Mt Tomah Botanic Gardens to enjoy the sweeping views with a glass of sparkling wine or orange juice.

• Duration: full day
• Start time: 7am
• Daily departures
• Operates year-round
• Group experience

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Bondi Local Tour & Surf Experience

Discover the joys of surfing on famous Bondi Beach. Learn how to safely get out and up onto your first wave, with plenty of hands-on help. Your instructor will provide lots of feedback and specific instruction, helping you to surf at your best possible pace. Once you’ve built up your confidence and technique, hit the surf and have fun! This half-day experience also includes a tour of Bondi with your instructor, with a visit to a surf life-saving club and a casual beachside lunch

• Duration: 4 hours
• Start time: 10am
• Daily departures
• Operates year-round
• Group experience

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The Rocks Walking Tour

Local guides and skilled narrators will tell you all about the past and present of Australia's oldest neighbourhood on this fascinating tour. Hear entertaining accounts of Sydney’s colourful past, discover the narrow alleyways and cobblestone lanes, and view some of Sydney’s oldest dwellings. Visit the gothic Garrison Church, George Street, the Suez Canal and Rocks Square, as well as pubs once frequented by locals, sailors and rogues!

• Duration: 1½ hours
• Start time: 10.30am or 1.30pm
• Daily departures
• Operates year-round
• Group experience

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The Sydney Opera House Tour

You’ll meet at the Welcome Centre on the Lower Concourse of the Opera House to start your one-hour Sydney Opera House Tour. During the tour, you’ll explore the iconic theatre and foyers that bring to life over 1800 performances yearly. Hear inspiring stories of the Opera House artists and performances from a knowledgeable guide who will take you through the building and explain how Jorn Utzon's vision came into existence against impossible odds. You will also get the opportunity to take photos from rare vantage points that are off-limits to the public.

• Duration: 1 hour
• Start time: 9am or 10.30am
• Departs daily
• Operates year-round
• Group experience

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Sydney Dinner Cruise

Take in one of the world’s most famous city skylines from the harbour on this evening dinner cruise. Take in the views of the lights reflecting on the water as you sit down to a three-course meal with regionally source ingredients and wines.

• Duration: 3 hours
• Time: 6pm to 9pm
• Departure days vary
• Operates year-round
• Group experience

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Sydney Harbour Experience

You’ll board a Captain Cook Cruises vessel for a Harbour Experience cruise to catch some incredible views. Over 90 minutes, you’ll hear anecdotes and stories that bring the history and culture of Sydney alive.

• Duration: 1½ hours
• Start time: Midday or 1.30pm
• Wednesday to Sunday departures
• Operates year-round
• Group experience

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Sydney Secrets Seaplane

Soar over Sydney’s famous coastline in a helicopter, heading north to Palm Beach of Home and Away fame. You’ll return over the waterways of Pittwater for a final circuit over Sydney Harbour Bridge and the Opera House before landing at the Seaplane Terminal in Rose Bay.

• Duration: 30 minutes
• Start time: 10.15am
• Wednesday to Sunday departures
• Operates year-round
• Group experience

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Bridge Climb Summit - Day Climb

The Summit BridgeClimb is an iconic Sydney experience for those with a head for heights and a penchant for great views. You’ll get geared up and listen to a briefing from your expert Climb Leader before following the Opera House side of the upper arch to the bridge’s 134-metre-high apex. Then it’s time to soak in those 360-degree harbour and city skyline vistas before heading back down the west side of the arch and returning to Climb Base.

• Duration: 3 hours
• Timings vary
• Daily departures
• Operates year-round
• Group experience

Good to know
All climbers must be at least 1.2 metres tall and 8 years old.

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Get to know Sydney & New South Wales and those important practicalities when planning your perfect holiday.

Capital
TIME DIFFERENCE

GMT +9 hours

CURRENCY

Australian Dollar

FLYING TIME TO DESTINATION

Approx. 21 hours (not including stopover time)

RELIGION

Majority Christian

LANGUAGE

Australia has no official language but the majority of people speak English as their first language. Approximately 250 indigenous Australia languages are spoken.

Where is Sydney & New South Wales?
New South Wales is in Australia’s south east, wedged between Queensland, South Australia and Victoria. Its coastline stretches for around 1,300 miles between Byron Bay in the north and Nadgee nature reserve in the south, with pretty towns, superb beaches and national parks along much of its length. Its main hub is Sydney, which has capital-city vibes (even though it isn’t) and an impressive setting in a vast natural harbour. Its international airport is Australia’s busiest, with connections across the globe as well as internally; flights to Brisbane, for instance, take 90 minutes.

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Sydney icons
While Sydney’s irresistible appeal is down to much more than its architecture, there are iconic structures that are definitely on the not-to-be-missed list. The colossal Harbour Bridge, nicknamed ‘the Coathangar’, has been a much-loved feature since the 1930s; a guided climb of its steel arch is one for the bucket list if you’re not afraid of heights. Nearby is another icon, the modernist Sydney Opera House, designed by a Danish architect and completed in 1973. With its curved white concrete roofs, it looks like a ship in full sail – the perfect complement to its waterside location. Capture the perfect sunset view of the Opera House with the bridge behind it from Mrs Macquarie’s Chair in the botanical gardens.

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City beaches
Another Sydney icon is Bondi, an impressive crescent of pale sand that’s the closest beach to the centre. There are surfing breaks at either end and plenty of space in between to swim, watch the patrolling lifeguards and soak up a bit of sun. If you want to stretch your legs, a coastal track leads south from here to Tamarama, Bronte and Coogee, where the sand is generally less crowded and there are saltwater pools where you can swim and admire people surfing. Nearly as well known as Bondi, Manly Beach is flanked by Shelly Beach and Freshwater Beach on the city’s north side. Almost two miles long, it’s where the first-ever surfing contest took place in the 1960s.

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Blue Mountains
Less than two hours inland from Sydney, the Blue Mountains region is known for its dramatic rock formations, hiking trails and the eucalyptus forests that create the distinctive haze that gives the area its name. Dotted around hilltops and valleys, you’ll find attractive towns such as Katoomba, loved for its art deco houses, its alternative arts scene and the Three Sisters – a much-photographed trio of sandstone pillars on the southern outskirts. From the main viewpoint, you can make your way down a staircase into the Jamison Valley to follow its nature trails. If you’d rather be whisked above the landscape, the Scenic World complex has a cable car and an impressively steep funicular railway.

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Pacific Coast route
Take in the stunning beauty of the New South Wales coast at your own pace on a self-drive adventure from Sydney to Brisbane. If the dazzling coastal scenery of the Pacific Highway wasn’t enough to keep anyone happy, there are famous national parks, vineyards and charming towns you won’t want to leave. In Port Stevens, for instance, you can spot koalas, head out to see the resident bottlenose dolphins or make a side trip to the Hunter Valley wineries. Byron Bay has a laidback, arty vibe and a great surfing and windsurfing scene, while Coffs Harbour has lots of watersports, fine beaches and the sub-tropical rainforests and marine life of a brace of national parks.

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Sydney to Melbourne
Hugging the coast for much of the way, the classic route between Australia’s two largest cities is one of the country’s most spectacular self-drive experiences. Along its 640 miles, it provides a wealth of scenic distractions, so take your time to enjoy both the sights along it and those further inland. Pause in Jervis Bay to see if the beach really is the whitest in the world and explore a wildlife-rich national park. Detour into the mountains to an old gold-mining town or linger in a former whaling station for a glimpse of migrating humpbacks (from September to November). Canberra’s art galleries and museums are within easy reach, or you may prefer the Victorian architecture of Bendigo, a legacy of the gold rush.

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Getting around
Sydney has a pleasantly walkable city centre, and when you want to rest your feet or head a little further out to one of the beaches, for instance, there are buses, trams, a (largely) underground railway and – most fun of all – a full complement of ferries and water taxis. From Circular Quay, between the Opera House and the historic Rocks area, you can breeze to Manly Beach, head upriver to Parramatta or just enjoy the views and cool air on a cruise to and from a leafy suburb. Beyond the city limits, driving is the best option. Opt for a car to hop from hotel to hotel or bring your bed for the night with you by hiring a well-appointed campervan.

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Sydney & New South Wales Weather

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