New South Wales is the most populous state of Australia, with Sydney as its vibrant capital. Even though Sydney is definitely the place to visit when in Australia, the whole NSW has a lot to offer. The coast is mesmerizing, lined with countless beaches and cute towns, excellent national parks with many hiking trails, staggeringly good food and rich wine scene and many hidden gems along the way. WHAT TO SEE CLOSE TO SYDNEY
Blue Mountains
Blue Mountains is the most visited national park in New South Wales. Vast region west of Sydney offers its visitors a great network of walking and hiking tracks, seasonal festivals in little towns, for example Winter Magic in Katoomba or Gardens Festival in Leura, adrenaline seekers can try abseiling and canyoning in one the many waterfalls, or if you are staying over-night you can participate on a mysterious ghost-tour. Blue Mountains have something for everyone. You can read more about Blue Mountains in my previous article here.
Zig Zag Railway in Blue Mountains
Recently we visited a hidden gem of Blue Mountains – Zig Zag Railway. It’s a scenic railway that was built in 1860 and was operating until 2013 when it was partially destroyed by bush fires. Because of selfless work of many volunteers who come here and repair it every day, now in 2022 it is open and running again! The railway goes through arch bridges with views over beautiful Blue Mountains, there are cute picnic areas and the trains are very stylish and old-school.
How to get to Zig Zag Railway…? You have to catch the Lithgow train on Central Station that leaves daily from Grand Concourse. This trains goes also through Zig Zag, but you have to let the guard know in advance that you want to get off, otherwise it won’t stop there. The journey takes about 3 hours so think in advance how you’ll entertain yourself. The platform in Zig Zag is the shortest platform in NSW so you can exit only through the very last door on the train.
When we got off the train in 2018, we found ourselves in the middle of the forest, only with an iron workshop nearby which was used by volunteers, who were repairing the area. The old railway tracks are located above the Sydney line – you’ll soon find the old station and old steam trains.
Today, in 2022, the railway is up and running again, so there will be signage to navigate you around the area.
It is not possible to walk on the train tracks anymore! It is a safety hazard, as the trains are operating every day!
During our visit in 2018, trains were not operating and we met some locals, who were also walking on the tracks. You can enjoy the wonderful sights of Blue Moutains from the lovely vintage steam trains. I wish I was able to experience them!
For all the neccessary information about Zig Zag Railway, visit their website here.
The train back to Sydney used to go every two hours, but now it might be more frequent as the place is becoming more and more popular. Nevertheless, check your schedule in advance, otherwise you will have to hike all the way to Lithgow which takes approximately one hour.
Royal National Park
Royal National Park is located only about 40 km from Sydney CBD, and it’s easily accessible by car or public transport. In less than an hour you will find yourself in lush green rain forest overlooking the mesmerizing blue ocean. Royal NP lines the coast so there are many beaches, coastal walks, bush hikes and whale-watching spots to discover. I dedicated the whole article about the 2 most famous spots in Royal NP on my blog which you can find here.
Hunter Valley
Hunter Valley is one of the Australia’s most famous wine regions. It is only about two hour drive north-west from Sydney, so it’s possible to do it as a day trip. It’s a home to numerous wineries, from world-renowned brands to family owned boutique operations.
I have been to Hunter Valley twice so far. I come from a wine region in Slovakia and the never-ending vineyards remind me of home a little bit. Wine tasting in most of the wineries is for free and there are so many that you can try new ones every time you visit. I found my favorite winery during our first visit. It’s located little bit further from Hunter Valley, in smaller town called Cessnock and we found it “by accident” when we got lost. The place is called The Greenway Wines, it’s a family owned business located in big, red, super stylish barn, which is calling for some ‘Insta’ shots. The owner Anne used to be an architect and you can see her perfect sense for detail everywhere you look. She also saved us from a bad hangover feeding us crackers and cheese while pouring more wine!
Hunter Valley is great for a weekend getaway too as there are many other things to do, not only tasting wine. You can try hot air balloon flight, take a biking tour, explore Botanic Gardens or learn more about honey or chocolate production in this area.
Port Stephens
A perfect weekend getaway! Only about 3 hour drive north of Sydney, Port Stephens has everything to make your stay memorable – easy bush walks or challenging hikes in Tomaree National Park, beautiful long beaches that are perfect for snorkeling or surfing, wide range of outdoor activities including swimming with wild dolphins, few amazing wildlife sanctuaries etc.
My favorite, however, are sand dunes in Anna Bay. This place will transform you somewhere to Middle-East with the never-ending golden sand around you. You can even try to explore this area from a camel’s back! If the idea of camels doesn’t excite you, horse-back riding tours are also available. Honestly I am not a big fan of horse-back riding and tried to ride a camel once in Egypt and I can tell you, that animal is pretty uncomfortable.
So to enjoy the sand dunes, we chose quad bikes or sand boarding. Quad bikes are super fun experience, one of the best I’ve ever done in Australia. For about an hour, you ride across the dunes with a group of about 10 – 15 people. They divide the group according to speed, so if your style is more “fast and furious” you will be given a chance to go crazy, and if you are more of the “enjoying the scenery” driver like me, no one is going to push you to go faster.
Sand boarding is much cheaper and doesn’t require booking in advance. For only $15 special mini bus will take you from the parking lot to one of the bigger dunes, you’ll get your “mean of transport” a.k.a. sand board and then you stay how long you want (or well, until the last bus leaves). It’s super fun, but be aware, you’ll have sand on places you didn’t know you have on your body!
Post Stephens, Nelson Bay and Anna Bay are all full of cute cafes with awesome brunches, nice bars and many accommodation options – from camp grounds to luxury hotels. Great place to spend a weekend (or longer)!
Ku-Ring-Gai Chase National Park
Ku-Ring-Gai Chase National Park is protected area north of Sydney that encircles coastline, bush lands, rain forest and partially Hawkesbury River. It is a vast area with many tracks but it can be also done as a great one day trip to escape the busy city and that’s what we did. We took a bus from Wynyard to Palm Beach and from there a private ferry (your opal card won’t be accepted, you need to buy a ticket) to The Basin campground. The Basin campground is really nice, I wish we would camp there. We were immediately greeted by friendly wallabies and cockatoos, there are normal toilets and amazing views over the bay.
From The Basin we took a trail to Mackerel Trail Lookout and West Head Lookout. I will not lie, we got lost and ended up somewhere in rain forest and had to cross some private properties so I am not going to give you advice how to get from the point A to B. I don’t know how it happened, but the tracks have signage so if you follow them, you’ll be just fine. Even though we got lost, we found our way and the hike was awesome with beautiful views and I even saw some wild dolphins!
West Head Lookout gives you views over Palm Beach and Barrenjoy Lighthouse. When we got there, all tired from spending most of the day lost in the forests, we found out that there’s actually a car park right next to it. Well I bet our journey was more fun!
As I said Ku-Ring-Gai Chase NP is really big with many walks and it also contains lots of Aboriginal sites with engravings in the rocks. If you are looking for one day adventure not too far from Sydney, where you can easily get by public transport, this is your place to go!
Palm Beach
Palm Beach would be my favorite beach in Sydney, if only it wasn’t so far away from the city! This fact, though, still hasn’t stopped me from visiting this place every time I get a chance. Palm Beach is actually a suburb located on a peninsula north of Sydney lined with beaches on both sides – one facing the ocean, with bright orange sand and insane waves, the other is turned towards the bay so it’s perfect for hiring a SUP.
Beach itself is not what I love coming there for. It is the hike up to Barrenjoy Lighthouse with great views at the West Head, Ku-Ring-Gai Chase NP and Palm Beach, and then having a lunch in The Boathouse while watching sea planes taking off.
If you are expecting that Palm Beach must be lined with palm trees, I have to disappoint you here. Yes, there are some, but the name comes from the shape of the peninsula, that reminds of a palm tree. I figured this out quite late to be honest.
Central Coast
If you are in need for some rest from busy Sydney and in search for new beaches, Central Coast is the right place for you. This charming area only about an hour and a half drive north from Sydney is famous for its world class beaches, gorgeous national parks, cute little towns and chilled vibe. When we decide we need to go camping last minute, Central Coast is our “go to” destination.
Campgrounds in this area are always close to the beach, or right on the beach. There’s nothing better than opening your tent in the morning and first thing to see (and smell) is the ocean. Yes, you will be finding sand everywhere one week after returning home, but it is so worth it.
Apart from amazing natural sceneries and great eateries (rhyme not intended), Central Coast offers great opportunities to learn about wildlife. There are few sanctuaries and wildlife parks. The most famous one is probably Reptile Park where you can observe and learn about the Australian cutest, as well as the most dangerous animals. For example my fear of spiders is not as big anymore after I learned little bit more about them (still not happy when I find one in my home though).
Jervis Bay
I feel like all the places I just mentioned where “north of Sydney”… Well it’s time to go south now! Jervis Bay is another perfect seaside escape. North coastline of NSW has more of an orange hued sand that can literally stick to your body, but south coast is quite the opposite. White sand soft as flour that will make funny noises under your feet – that’s what you’ll find on beaches in Jervis Bay. The most famous one is definitely Hyams Beach, which has the whitest sand in the world and pristine clear water. It’s not your typical tropical paradise that you’ll see in the postcards from Pacific Islands. The vibe is a little bit different, but not less amazing. Plus if you’re lucky, you can hang out with kangaroos here.
Jervis Bay also offers many camping options, amazing wildlife, countless bush walks in national parks, great choice of water sports etc. It was the first place in Australia where we went camping and where I fell in love with it. I will never forget my initial shock that there’s no reception at all and we were greeted by big information board with description of two kinds of pythons that we can meet in this area and what to do when we see them. Luckily, we didn’t meet any snakes, only some curious kangaroos and wallabies and we had the best time. So yes, visit Jervis Bay!
Wollongong and Kiama
Wollongong and Kiama are coastal towns south of Sydney. Wollongong is actually 3rd biggest city in NSW and 10th in whole Australia. It is also home to the biggest Buddhist Temple on the Southern Hemisphere – Nan Tien Temple. The name “Wollongong” in the local Aboriginal language Tharawal is believed to mean “song of the seas” or “sound of waves”, which I think is quite poetic.
Kiama is smaller town about 30 minute drive south of Wollongong and it’s famous for its Blowhole, surfing beaches, picturesque coastline and cute eateries. Unfortunately we didn’t spend much time in these two towns, we just stopped here on our way to Jervis Bay, but I hope I will get to explore them a little bit more in the future, because I am sure they have a lot to offer.
Snowy Mountains and Mt. Kosciuszko
Mount Kosciuszko is the highest peak of Australia and the pride of the mountain range Snowy Mountains, the only place where you can enjoy snow holidays in Australia. Conquering this mountain and visiting the Snowy Mountains area was on my list for quite some time and when we finally managed to go there, it didn’t disappoint. You can find the whole article about our experience here!
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