NSW Tips
Read these 82 NSW Tips tips to make your life smarter, better, faster and wiser. Each tip is approved by our Editors and created by expert writers so great we call them Gurus. LifeTips is the place to go when you need to know about Australian tips and hundreds of other topics.
BERRY
BERRY
The beautiful township of Berry is nestled between Kangaroo Valley and Seven Mile Beach. Located on Princes Highway, Berry is 15km north of Nowra. It is also easily accessible from Kangaroo Valley via Kangaroo Valley Road.
The rustic and friendly charm of Berry is not to be missed. The historic town (Broughton Creek Village) was settled in 1875 and was part of Alexandra Berry's Coolangatta Estate.
Many of its enchanting buildings have been renovated and now house cafes, antiques, crafts, nursery, hotels, indigenous arts, galleries and a museum. One of the popular attractions is The Berry Stores (Wilson's Stores, 1892).
MERIMBULA
MERIMBULA
This flourishing resort/fishing town is situated on the picturesque Lake Merimbula at the entrance to the Merimbula River. It is a haven for relaxing by the sea or enjoying its many attractions which include excellent surfing , fishing, boating, a fantastic golf course and delicious fresh seafoods.
Sydney history
A history of Sydney
On the foreshores of Sydney Harbour and overlooking Pittwater in Sydney's modern northern suburbs lie sandstone engravings of untold antiquity. They tell tales from the Dreaming of the region's first inhabitants, the Aboriginal people, who lived around the hills and waterways for thousands of years — perhaps 100,000.
Yet, the story of Sydney began 26 January 1788, when British captain Arthur Phillip's First Fleet landed at the harbour's Sydney Cove..... Read on: A history of Sydney
Beaches: Whale Beach to Shelly Beach
South of Palm Beach are Whale, Avalon, Bilgola, Newport, Bungan, Mona Vale, Warriewood, and the long stretch of the Narrabeen-Collaroy Beaches. Then it's down to Long Reef, Curl Curl, Freshwater, North Steyne, Manly and Shelly. Like Palm Beach, which is hemmed in by water on both sides, the beach at Manly faces the Pacific on the east, but you can take a leisurely stroll west along the Corso, to smaller beaches facing Manly Cove on the North Harbour. Around Middle Harbour and Sydney Harbour north of the Harbour Bridge, there are a number of other mainly smaller beaches, such as Clontarf, Chinamans, Balmoral, and Obelisk, with Balmoral the largest of these and tiny Obelisk a favorite of nude sunbathers.
Bathurst
Bathurst
Bathurst is one of Australia's oldest inland cities built at a site personally chosen by Governor Macquarie in 1815. In 1851 it was the scene of Australia's first goldrush and many fine buildings remain, a legacy of the era. The Victorian Renaissance court house with a double story portico and large octagonal central dome is now home to the Bathurst Tourist Centre which has a fine collection of pictures from the gold rush. A wing of Government House, built in 1817 by Macquarie is still standing and the home of Ben Chiffley a former Prime Minister is preserved as a national memorial. The Bathurst Regional Art Gallery has a notable collection of work by Lloyd Rees.
Wallaga National Park
Wallaga National Park
Located 10km north of Bermagui access to the park is by walking from the Princess Hwy or by boat from Regatta point or Beauty point. Middens are still found on the shore, relics of the aboriginals who inhabited the area.
Ben Boyd National Park
Ben Boyd National Park
Named after Ben Boyd who in 1842 established his whaling operations in Twofold Bay, this park abounds with history and the remains of old Davidson Whaling Station can still be visited today. Spectacular coastal scenery is a major feature with rugged cliffs, rock formations, and sea caves, backed by hills covered with banksia forests and flowering heaths.
Camping is permitted at Saltwater Creek or Bittangabee Bay. Bookings essential for Christmas holidays and Easter. (PO Box 186, Eden 2551. Phone (064) 961 434).
The Northern section of the park is located 8km north of Eden and the southern section is 18km south of Eden.
Dorrigo National Park
Dorrigo National Park
2 km east of Dorrigo. World Heritage listed. Rainforest spilling over the Great Dividing Range inland from Coffs Harbour. Excellent walks and Visitor Information Centre.
Tel: (066) 57 2303.
Beaches
When the sun waxes high from spring to autumn (September to May) in Sydney, it is time for a visit to Sydney's many white-sand beaches all along its eastern shores. It's almost always beach season in Sydney once the winter chill has gone, and weekends particularly are when the crowds flock to sand and sea, perhaps for a game of beach volleyball, perhaps for a spot of surfing, or for just lying on the beach to feel the sun enfold them in its warmth.
Hey, this is Australia after all and frequent pilgrimages to the beach are part of the religion!
Boonoo Boonoo National Park
Boonoo Boonoo National Park
Just 22 kms north of Tenterfield, Boonoo Boonoo National Park offers a great variety of scenic, natural and historic attractions for visitors.
The Boonoo Boonoo River is one of the park's most spectacular features winding its way through high granite country, strewn with boulders and covered by open forest....... Read on: Boonoo Boonoo National Park
Lismore
Lismore
Between the rainforest and the sea, the thriving University city of Lismore is the nucleus of a district renown for its beauty, frontier spirit and cultural riches. Local attractions include Nimbin, weekend markets, macadamia nuts plantations, rainforests, nature reserves, waterfalls, historic river cruises, tea houses and craft shops, and villages such as The Channon and Clunes, steeped in history.
Queen Mary Falls National Park
Queen Mary Falls National Park
Queen Mary Falls is a feature of this 78 ha national park on the western slopes of the Great Dividing Range, next to Main Range National Park. Spring Creek flows through the park, plunging over the 40m Queen Mary Falls before continuing its journey west to the Condamine River...... Read on: Queen Mary Falls National Park
KINGSTON
KINGSTON
Population: 1,367
Kingston is in lobster country, as you quickly realise on entering the town when you are met by a giant welcoming lobster.
It was settled in the early 1850s and named after Sir George Strickland Kingston, an early deputy surveyor general and father of premier Charles Cameron Kingston.
The coast around Kingston has plenty of scenic drives, especially on the way to Cape Jaffa and also towards the Granites, a series of rock outcrops north of the town and also at Jip Jip Conservation Park, fifty kilometres north.
There are plenty of safe swimming spots around Kingston, including Wyomi and Pinks beaches and Lacepede Bay.
Wellington
Wellington
Lying on the edge of Bell River, Wellington is renowned for its tourist attractions, setting and lifestyle. The Wellington Caves attract over 40 000 visitors a year. The Cathedral cave contains a 15m stalagmite which is thought to be the largest in the word, and in Bone Cave (only open to scientists) fossils millions of years old have been found.
27km to the south-east of town is Lake Burrendong which has a volume of water 3.5 times that of Sydney Harbour.
Coffs Harbour: Muttonbird Island
When it's time to relax, a superb coastline of beaches is here to be enjoyed, as is the walk along the harbour breakwall to Muttonbird Island, which houses a colony of muttonbirds and provides excellent ocean views.
Muttonbird Island Nature Reserve
Mudgee
Mudgee
The town of Mudgee is famous as a wine-producing region that offers so much more. It sits within a region that's born of goldrush and rural booms, where colonial history still shapes the little towns we see today in the form of heritage buildings, museums, galleries, memorial tributes to brilliant poet and writer Henry Lawson, gold fossicking, and viewing sheep shearing.
As a wine producing region for over 100 years, an opportune time to visit Mudgee is in June when for the Wine and Food Fair or in September for the Huntington Festival which fuses local food and wine with classical music.
Sydney Settlement
The city was founded in 1788 as the first penal settlement of Australia. Its name was taken from a cave named for Captain Cook's patron, Viscount Sydney. In World War II the city was an Allied military base. Sydney has experienced tremendous growth since World War II and there has been extensive urban redevelopment since the 1970s.
Newcastle
Newcastle, city (1991 pop. 262,331), New South Wales, SE Australia, on the Pacific Ocean. It is the center of one of the country's largest coal-mining areas and is a large port. Coal, wool, iron and steel, and wheat are exported. The city has steel mills and shipyards; chemicals, glass, fertilizer, and textiles are also produced. The first permanent settlement on the site was made in 1804. The Univ. of Newcastle is in the city.
Australian Alps
Australian Alps, chain of mountain ranges, SE Australia, making up the southern part of the Eastern Highlands and forming the watershed between the Murray River system and streams flowing into the Tasman Sea. It is the site of the Snowy Mts. hydroelectric project. Mt. Kosciusko (7,316 ft/2230 m) in the Australian Alps is the highest peak in Australia.
GUNNEDAH
GUNNEDAH
85km north-west of Tamworth on the Namoi River, Gunnedah is one of the largest centres for wheat and stock sales in Australia. Cumbo Gunnerah, the respected leader of the Gunnedarr people, immortalised in Ion Idreiss' book "The Red Chief", was burried here in the late 1700s. In 1984 a bronze sculpture was erected in his memory.
BERMAGUI
BERMAGUI
Bermagui is definitely the major southern Australian game fish port, marlin, tuna of all description, blue shark and so on. It is also a tag and release conscious port and most fish are released, except suspected class records.
Umbara Aboriginal Cultural Centre is a marvelous example of koori culture presented by kooris. It provides cultural tours to significant local sites, bush tucker experiences, educational activities and a guided cruise of Wallaga Lake and Gulaga, a mountain named Mt. Dromaderry by one James Cook. Naturally Bermagui is surrounded by huge tracts of forest, raw coastline and to the west the escarpment of the Monaro plains. A good place. We also have accomodation and eateries of various grades.
TAMWORTH
TAMWORTH
The first rural community in NSW to be lit by electricity (in 1881), Tamworth is regarded as the country music capital of Australia, hosting a annual country music festival in January which attracts thousands of fans to hundreds of different performances and the presentation of the national awards.
The town also has many attractions which include- The Gallery of Stars (waxworks); The Hands of Stone Corner Stone (hand prints); Tamworth Art Gallery which houses a good collection of paintings, Australian silver, and ivory figurines; and the Pyramid Planetarium north of town, where the solar system is reproduced in miniature
Sydney: As a base
Use Sydney as a base
Depending on your length of stay, you can either travel far and wide from a Sydney base or simply explore the nearer areas within a day's drive or so.
You can do a walking tour of "downtown" Sydney -- we don't really use the term "downtown" -- and be able to discover a number of interesting locations in the heart of the city in only a day or two.
If you wanted to dawdle a bit. there's always the Rocks district, the Royal Botanic Gardens, Darling Harbour, or a quiet time at St Mary's Cathedral...
Nungatta National Park
Nungatta National Park
ational ParkLocated 28km south of Bombala in the high country and undisturbed forests at the Victorian Border the park can only be accessed by walking from the Cann River Road.
Seven Mile Beach National Park
Seven Mile Beach National Park
Located 6km south of Gerringong this park is inhabited with many birds on a fragile landscape of pale sand dunes and forest.
Yuraygir National Park
Yuraygir National Park
Situated 50 km east of Grafton just south of Yamba, Yurragir National Park includes two former small parks: Angourie and Red Rock making it the longest stretch of undeveloped coastline in NSW. The park comprises of long sandy beaches, heathlands, paperback swamps and lagoons. There is excellent bushwalking, surfing, fishing as well as canoeing in the lagoons and creeks.
Camping is permitted at Red Cliff/Lake Arragan, Sandon River, Illaroo and Station Creek.
Sydney's ocean beaches
Sydney's ocean beaches
Sydney's coastline is blessed with a glorious stretch of sandy beaches, running from glamorous Palm Beach in the north to Royal National Park's secluded bays in the south; in between are around 50 beaches, each washed (or sometimes pounded) by the Pacific Ocean, each with their own personality. The city's most central ocean beaches, Bondi and Manly, are justly famous and worth a visit. However, the Sydney beach menu is far more diverse than these two specials........Read On: Sydney's ocean beaches
ARMIDALE
ARMIDALE
One of largest towns in the New England Area, Armidale is known as a university city, with the University of New England, several higher education colleges and a number of private schools. Surrounded by exhilarating mountain scenery the town is almost 10% parkland and has a number of impressive public buildings including the majestic Catholic Cathedral of St Mary which towers over Central Park.
The modern New England Regional Art Museum is regarded as the best provincial collection of Australian art. The folk Museum, housed in an old building dating back to 1863 is also worth visiting.
Sydney: Opera House
The dramatic, modernistic Sydney Opera House complex was largely designed by Joern Utzon, the Danish winner of an international competition; it opened in 1974.
Sofala
Sofala
Nestling in the lovely hills of the Turon River valley is Sofala, the oldest gold town in Australia. Settled only 3 weeks after the first official gold strike at Ophir, Sofala swelled to a peak population 40 000. Today it has contracted to a rustic village of around 100 people.
The surrounding district is primarily superfine wool farms. Each farm has many relics and remnants of the goldrush. One such farm, turned tourist property, is Chesleigh Homestead, boasting 7km of the original Cobb & Co coach road to Hill End, O'Reilly's extensive underground mines, Chinamans creek alluvial diggings, water races, old shanty huts & a wealth of unspoiled history to explore.
BATEMANS BAY
BATEMANS BAY
A delightful small holiday/fishing town on the Clyde River it was named by Captain Cook in 1770 for the captain of one of his previous ships. Being the closest coastal town to Canberra it attracts many visitors and is renowned for its crayfish and oysters.
Coffs Harbour: National Parks
Alternatively, some of the State's finest national parks, (including Solitary Islands Marine Park), and rainforests can be found within a short drive from the centre of the city. Bruxner Park, just beyond the Big Banana to the north, offers sweeping views across the city to the ocean and mountains and beyond.
National Parks on the Coffs Coast
Broadwater National Park
Broadwater National Park
Situated 3 km north of Evans Head, Broadwater consists of beautiful beaches, heathlands, undisturbed swamp forest. saltmarsh and 60 000 year old sand-dunes.
There is a barbecue area and lookout off the Broadwater - Evans road.
Coffs Harbour: The City
Aesthetic landscaping and floral street displays have become such features of our city, particularly in the city's 12 roundabouts and along the highway. New subdivisions are also being designed to feature outstanding streetscapes. Council is strongly focused on the needs of our city's younger residents and visitors. The city's 25 public playgrounds have all recently been upgraded to ensure that the equipment is both safe and modern. Several of the playgrounds are covered with shade cloth, and several were provided as a result of community and council working together to obtain funding and construct this facility. Extensive bush regeneration works and a series of pathways, bridges, staircases and improved picnic areas are being developed along the coastal strip to enhance this amenity. The Solitary Island Coastal walkway, linking up all the city's beaches and headlands is underway, and will ultimately become part of the Great Eastland Walk, from border to border, and possibly beyond.
Sydney
Sydney, city (1991 pop. 3,097,956), capital of New South Wales, SE Australia, surrounding Port Jackson inlet on the Pacific Ocean. Sydney is Australia's largest city, chief port, and main cultural and industrial center. The city serves as the center for retail and wholesale trade as well as public administration and finance. Its main exports are wool, wheat, flour, sheepskins, and meat; the chief imports are petroleum, coal, timber, and sugar. Sydney has shipyards, oil refineries, textile mills, brass foundries, and automobile, electronics, and chemical plants.
Beaches: Palm Beach to Currawong Beach
In Sydney, except in the far western suburbs, you're never more than half an hour away from one of its popular beaches.
Between the Hawkesbury River in the north and the Royal National Park in the south, Sydney is dotted with beaches where it faces the Pacific, starting from the ever-popular Palm Beach down to the endless stretch of beaches at Cronulla. Palm Beach is a finger of land ending north at the Barrenjoey Head and you can walk from the beach on the Pacific side to Barrenjoey Beach on the western side facing Pittwater. Across the Pittwater are Great Mackerel Beach and Currawong Beach east of Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park.
Mimosa Rocks National Park
Mimosa Rocks National Park
Situated 22km north-east of Bega this park features jagged coastline with natural rock formations, caves cliffs and headlands and is a favorite for surfers, fishermen, divers and birdwatchers.
South Coast
South Coast
NEW SOUTH WALES
Along the south coast's untouched coastline there are surfing beaches and sheltered coves. In the Jervis Bay region much of the coastline is scalloped by white beaches, and Hyams Beach has been acclaimed as the whitest sand on earth. At Huskisson, dolphin watch cruises head out into the bay.
The resort town of Bateman's Bay is close to a string of untouched beaches. Cruise the sparkling waters, explore the hinterland, fish from the beach, estuary or rocks, or just relax on the beach. Daily cruises sail upriver past historic Nelligen, with its old steamer wharf. At Pretty Beach, Depot Beach and Pebbly Beach in Murramarang National Park, north of Batemans Bay, don't be surprised to be sharing the beach with some tame eastern grey kangaroos.
Further south is Narooma, the place for watersports, and Montague Island which offers a close up view of all kinds of wildlife including Australian fur seals, fairy penguins, whales and seabirds. Nearby, the National Trust classified village of Central Tilba appears today as it did in 1904. In the beautiful green valleys of the hinterland is Bega, a town famous for its cheese. More seaside towns offering the magic of surf, golden sand, fishing and boating include Merimbula, Eden, Tuross Head, Broulee, Bermagui and Tathra.
Byron Bay
Byron Bay
This laid-back beach village has a marvellous mixture of cultures and lifestyles. The main pub, The Beach Hotel, is as hip as they come, having been recently rebuilt in earth-toned stucco brick and wood. For surfers, Byron's breaks are world class; and snorkelers and divers can explore a fascinating underwater world. There's a choice of restaurants that traverse the culinary globe; you can indulge in a shiatsu massage, a tarot reading or take time out in a Tai Chi class. Byron is also the place to watch whales and dolphins cruising up the coast, and seen from Cape Byron the most easterly point on the Australian mainland.
Coffs Harbour
Coffs Harbour,a fishing village that became a booming city yet still retains its original charm. Sub-tropical rainforests and the Solitary Islands Marine Reserve attract tourists, while other pleasures include the North Coast Regional Botanic Gardens, museums, galleries and sports from whitewater rafting to para-sailing.
Accommodation ranges from cabins on Sawtell Beach to first class resorts in coastal towns like Boambee Bay, farm stays in the Orara Valley to motels and caravan parks at Woolgoolga.
The Blue Mountains: Lennox Bridge
At Blaxland, take a detour to Lennox Bridge. It may not look like much, but this bridge begun in 1832 by convicts and completed the following year, is Australia's oldest mainland bridge, and has certainly withstood the test the time. Designed and supervised by Scottish stonemason and Superintendent of Bridges David Lennox, the bridge was started in 1832 and completed the next year with the work of 20 selected convicts including "tolerable stone cutters", The bridge is located at Mitchells Pass about 1 kilometre off the Great Western Highway at Blaxland in the Blue Mountains.
Coffs Harbour: Sports Stadium
The international sports stadium, on Hogbin Drive, Coffs Harbour is one of regional Australia's most prestigious sporting venues. A frequent host to national and international events, in 1998 the stadium hosted the inaugural NSW Masters Games, and, starting from 2000, there are plans for the Games to be held there on alternate years until 2008.
South Coast NSW Attractions
See the full list of South Coast NSW Attractions: South Coast NSW Attractions
You'll find:
Magic Mountain
Family Recreation Park
Joy flights daily! Let the Diamond Python take you away. The first roller-coaster on the South East Coast of Australia will show you the world. High-rolling from waterslide to Grand Prix circuit. Tobogganing past Triassic Park and on.....and more
Bald Rock National Park
New England National Parks
Bald Rock National Park
Bald Rock National Park is located in the Northern Tablelands adjacent to the Queensland Border. The entrance is 29 km north east of Tenterfield along the Mt Lindesay Road.Bald Rock is the main feature of the Park. This magnificent dome is 750m long and 500m wide, rising 200m above the surrounding forest and is the largest exposed granite type rock in Australia..... Read on: Bald Rock National Park
Sydney Museums
Among its museums are the National Gallery of Art and the Australian Museum (natural history). The Powerhouse Museum is a change of pace with many hands on exhibits and interactive learning. This is a must see for children and adults alike!
Murramarang National Park
Murramarang National Park
One of the main features of this park are the kangaroos at Pebbly Beach. With wonderful beaches, stunning headlands, cliffs and rock platforms the park is popular for swimming and fishing.
Located 10km north of Batemans Bay. Camping areas are available at Pebbly Beach, South Durras and Merry Beach. Bookings:-(044) 239 800.
NSW Phisical
CAPITAL: Sydney (4,000,000)
POPULATION: 5,000,000
New South Wales was the site of the first settlement in Australia and Sydney Cove in 1788. In the little over 200 years since this tiny beginning it has grown into one of the world's greatest agricultural producing areas with most of the eastern hinterland growing a variety of crops and the more remote western areas farming cattle and sheep.
The Great Dividing Range runs the length of the state parallel to the sea and divides the rich coastal farming flats from the more arid inland regions.
During early settlement these ranges proved an obstacle to land hungry settlers and it was not until 1814 that Blaxland, Wentworth and Lawson found a way over them using a route which is now roughly followed by the Great Western Highway through Katoomba abd the Blue Mountains.
The Australian Capital Territory lies in the south-eastern quarter of the state some 300km. south of Sydney.
Bournda National Park
Bournda National Park
This park has outstanding conversation value, containing beaches, fresh and saltwater lakes, lagoon and creeks and a variety of birds and wildlife. Activities to be enjoyed include swimming, fishing canoeing or watching the wildlife.
Located 20km south-east of Bega. Camping area is located at Hobart Beach. (Bookings:-PO Box 186, Eden 2551, Phone: (064) 961 434).
Blue Mountains
Blue Mountains, region of New South Wales, SE Australia. Located W of Sydney, this elevation is actually a plateau forming part of the Great Dividing Range.
Sydney Universities
In the city are the Univ. of Sydney (1850), Macquarie Univ. (1964), and the Univ. of New South Wales (1949).
Sydney's Bridges
Two notable bridges cross Port Jackson inlet: the Sydney Harbour Bridge (1932) and the Gladesville Bridge (1964).
Mount Imlay National Park
Mount Imlay National Park
A rough and steep 3km track from the end of Burrawang Forest Road provide access to this park which offers spectacular views of the coast and forest from Mt Imlay.
Located 20km south of Eden.
PAMBULA
PAMBULA
The township of Pambula is located 1km from Pambula Beach with a rich history dating back the 1850s . Gold was once discovered on the Pambula Goldfields where precious gems may still be found today. Dolphins may be seen chasing food up the Pambula River and middens over 2000 years old left by aborigines are still to be found.
Orange
Orange
Orange, a town of leafy parks and trees is the centre of a huge apple and pear growing industry. The soils in the area are very fertile as result of lava flows, from the extinct volcano of Mount Canobolas, which have broken down over the millenniums.
Nearby at Ophir was the first goldfield to be exploited with a sizable strike in 1851 , now a flora and fauna reserve whilst on the outskirts of town is one of the finest private mineral collections in the country at the Gallery of Minerals.
BEGA
BEGA
A town famous for its cheese which has been made here as far back as the late 19th century. The town was first established on the banks of the river back in the 1830s but moved to higher ground after being washed out by flood waters.
The Bega Co-Operative Creamery Company was officially formed in 1899 by the farmers of the Bega Valley who wanted to control their own industry and the original butter factory began production in early 1900, in 1944 it changed its name to become The Bega Co-Operative Society Limited and over the years expanded into milk receival, town milk deliveries and milk powder production.
The Blue Mountains: Hand stencils
The first town you hit on the highway is Glenbrook. It has a visitor centre and tourist office and is a wonderful first stop if you haven't yet planned your trip fully. It adjoins a small park where you can stretch your legs, partake of refreshments, or simply rest for a while. There's an entry point at Glenbrook to the Blue Mountains National Park and if you'd like to picnic here and explore the bush, this is as good a place as any to spend the day. Don't forget the 7km return walk southwest of the National Parks and Wildlife Service visitor centre and explore the Red Hand Cave, an old Aboriginal shelter with hand stencils on its walls. The Blue Mountains National Park covers a large area north and south of the Great Western Highway. A landmark feature is the Three Sisters farther west at Katoomba.
Nalbaugh National Park
Nalbaugh National Park
Located 40km west of Eden this park has no established walking tracks but the wild area offers many unposted walks. Since it remains mainly undisturbed rare creatures such as the powerful owl and the tiger quoll are left in peace.
GLEN INNES
GLEN INNES
Situated high in the tablelands at 1070m Glen Innes is at the centre of farming area known as the "Land of the Beardies", named after two pioneers. This region is well known for producing the best sapphires in NSW and other gemstones which are extracted commercially as well as being found by the amateur fossicker. The town also has some beautiful parks, some of which line the willow bordered Rocky Ponds Creek and some well-cared for 19th century buildings, one of which contains the Land of the Beardies Folk Museum.
ULLADULLA
ULLADULLA
A small fishing/resort town it has some of the best surfing beaches on the south coast. The town is a holiday centre during the summer months with great fishing spots and a stunning golf course overlooking the ocean. The many caravan parks, motels and fresh seafood make it a perfect spot for a vacation.
Border Ranges National Park
Border Ranges National Park
38 km west of Murwillumbah. off the Summerland Way or Murwillumbah-Kyogle Road. World Heritage listed. Rainforest park nestled against the Queensland border on the rim of the Tweed Volcano.
Tel: (066) 28 1177.
Coffs Harbour: About
Located on the east coast of Australia, almost half way between Sydney and Brisbane, Coffs Harbour covers an area of 945 square kilometres. Home to more than 62,000 people, this favoured spot has developed into one of the biggest growth areas in regional NSW, as people move here in search of a better life-style for themselves and their families.With its mild, pleasant climate and affordable housing, the city is within easy reach of both Sydney and Brisbane by air, road and rail, and sea. Visiting yachts, both from international and Australian waters are welcome guests to our harbour, as they take advantage of the extremely safe, all weather, entrance and the 183 berth marina. This regional North Coast centre has many outstanding natural advantages and boasts of excellent facilities, particularly in education, health and sport, thereby adding to its enticement as a business centre.In addition to the six government and independent high schools, the city enjoys one of the most progressive education facilities in the State, combining Southern Cross University, a senior high school and what is perhaps the most modern TAFE college in NSW.
Mount Warning National Park
Mount Warning National Park
12 km south-west of Murwillumbah off Murwillumbah-Kyogle Road, Lismore. Heart of one of the earth's great ancient volcanoes, Mount Warning offers a fantastic walk. There is rainforest at the bottom, a steep climb and dazzling views at the top.
Tel: (066) 281 177
The Blue Mountains: Norman Lindsay Gallery
It is on the way to Katoomba in the Blue Mountains that one finds, at Faulconbridge, the Norman Lindsay Gallery and Museum which is operated by the National Trust. It is here that artist/writer Lindsay (1879-1969) lived most of his life and his studio has been left pretty much as it was. The main building houses a number of his paintings, watercolors, etchings, and other memorabilia, and it is always a pleasure to revisit his work. The gallery is located in grounds that are as much a sylvan retreat as an evocation of Lindsay's life and times.
Botany Bay
Botany Bay
Botany Bay, inlet, New South Wales, SE Australia, just S of Sydney. It was visited in 1770 by James Cook, who proclaimed British sovereignty over the east coast of Australia. The site of the landing is marked by a monument on Inscription Point. The bay was named by Cook and Sir Joseph Banks because of the interesting flora on its shores. Although Australia's first penal colony was often called Botany Bay, its actual site was at Sydney on Port Jackson. The bay is now an important cargo port with chemical facilities and an oil refinery.
Coffs Harbour: Accommodation and food
As a tourist and convention centre, Coffs Harbour is difficult to surpass. There is an excellent range of accommodation, from international five-star resort standard, to backpackers' accommodation and camping sites. The range of restaurants and cuisine, particularly along the beachfront, is from fish ‘n' chips to the exotic.
Dubbo
Dubbo
At the Junction of the Newell and Mitchell highways, is the thriving centre of the Western Plains area. First settled in the 1840's when a store was opened on the banks of the Maquarie River by Jean Emile de Bouillon Serisier it became a stopping point for settlers heading out in search of a "better land" and for cattle mobs being herded south to the Victorian markets of the day. Many fine old buildings remain in the town including the National Trust's Dundullimal Homestead, an 1880's classical court house with massive columns and the 1876 bank which now houses a good local museum.
One of the main attractions of Dubbo is the world renowned Western Plains Zoo which presents over 800 exotic and native animals in large open exhibits, landscaped to recreate their natural habitat
Broken Hill
Broken Hill, city (1991 pop. 23,263), New South Wales, SE Australia, near the South Australia border. Since 1883 it has been a principal center of zinc and silver mining in Australia.
The Blue Mountains
It is one of the most popular daytrips out of Sydney, particularly in the hot, sweltering summer. And it's only an hour or so away. It is the Blue Mountains -- with its spectacular rock formations, cliffs and ravines, and a wilderness you can get hopelessly lost in. From the Sydney central business district, provided you can get to the M4 freeway right away, you could be in the Blue Mountains foothills, just after Penrith, in less than an hour.
Bundjalung National Park
Bundjalung National Park
Situated 50 km south of Ballina, Bundjalung stretches from near Evans Head south to Iluka. This park covers large areas of swamp and heathland, mangrove mudflats, cypress swamps, and one of the last wild coastal rivers, the Esk.
Attractions include rare rainforests at Woody Head, canoeing on the rivers and lagoons and excellent surfing and fishing.
Camping is permitted at Woody Head (booking ph: 066 466 134) and Black Rocks.
EDEN
EDEN
Eden situated on the magnificent harbour of Twofold Bay is steeped in the traditions of the sea and started its life a whaling town. Today Eden is the main port on the south coast and a major fishing town. Although whaling is no longer practised the coastline is a whale watching wonderland playing host to these magnificent creatures on their annual migration south during the months of September to November. Many species of whale (Humpbacks, Southern Rights, Minke, Blue) are sighted just offshore during this period, some venturing all the way into the bay.
Charter boats offer deep sea fishing and diving expeditions all year round.
Eden Killer Whale Museum has many fascinating exhibits of Eden's past and houses the skeleton of "Old Tom" a legend Killer whale in his day.
KIAMA
KIAMA
Named from an Aboriginal word meaning 'where the sea makes noise', Kiama is the home to the famous Blowhole, located approximately 90 minutes drive south of Sydney at the centre of the beautiful Illawarra.
Explorer George Bass first anchored his first boat in the small bay which is now the towns harbour and noted hearing "most tremendous noise" from the nearby blowhole. The bay was used by cedar-getters from 1815; by 1831 most of the hinterland was surveyed and the town was planned in 1937. The dairying industry prospered in this area and by the 1890s fresh milk was being sent to Sydney on the new rail service.
The Kiama region boasts many natural features including the Blowhole(a spectacular spurt of water from underground sea caves which can reach up to 60m), Blackbeach, Cathedral Rocks and numerous waterfalls and rainforest.
NOWRA
NOWRA
This busy and expanding agricultural and business centre, located just upstream from the mouth of the Shoalhaven River, is an extremely popular tourist resort because of its stunning beaches extending north and south of the town. Wreck Bay to the south is extremely popular spot for surfing (Australia's Pipeline) and diving, while Jervis Bay is a favorite for the fishermen
North Coast Botanical Gardens
A visit to the North Coast Regional Botanic Garden, or a stroll along the Coffs Creek Walk, are rewarding. Both are tucked away in a peaceful setting, and both have been constructed largely through volunteer labour by the local community.
North Coast Regional Botanical Gardens
Beaches: Manly Ferry
It's at Manly Cove that the Manly ferry from Circular Quay docks. Manly Beach, thus easily accessible by ferry, is as well a bustling visitors' mecca with restaurants and a variety of shops along the Corso, an aquarium and amusement pier at Manly Cove.
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| George Sayour |
