With intrastate travel opening up for New South Wales, intrepid travellers keen to explore their own backyard are starting to look further afield when it comes to road trips and staycations. With the state having so much to offer, a new platform has been put together by Destination NSW highlighting 213 ways to explore this part of Australia in-depth.
As part of the NSW Government’s latest tourism campaign, the list of 231 NSW travel adventures takes in both expected and unexpected ways to satiate the pent-up need for travel that has been building up during the lockdown.
“The end of travel restrictions in NSW signals the start of an important new chapter for us to get out there and love NSW once again, to visit as many of the incredible towns, sights and experiences that the state offers,” said Destination NSW CEO Steve Cox. “Whether it is sailing on Sydney Harbour, hiking through the Blue Mountains, surfing in Byron Bay, diving with marine life on the South Coast, or drinking an award-winning drop from one of our 14 wine regions, people come to NSW from all over the world in search of the awe-inspiring adventures that are available to us right now in NSW.”
The online platform lists 102 NSW destinations, 131 operators, 37 accommodation options, 28 national parks, 19 animal encounters and more. It all makes for one giant checklist of quintessential experiences, including obvious ones like hiring a yacht and sailing on the Sydney Harbour, to not-so-obvious ones like stargazing in Warrumbungles, Australia’s first Dark Sky Park.
Everywhere from Port Macquarie’s famous Koala Hospital to “Humpbuck Highway” near Jervis Bay should give animal lovers plenty to do, while those who are also keen on getting amongst the great outdoors can check out the list of 100 of the state’s iconic coastal ocean pools, and the country’s longest ski run up at Thredbo.
Art lovers are also challenged to work their way through the state’s diverse scene, from Broken Hill’s outdoor Living Desert Sculptures, right to Sydney’s now-open Art Gallery of NSW.
Those missing NSW’s adventurous food and wine scene will find plenty of activities listed, from dining on Peter Gilmore’s creations under the sails of the Sydney Opera House at Bennelong, to rediscovering the magic of the country’s oldest wine region, the Hunter Valley.
And then there’s of course the chance to learn more about First Nation cultures, with a multitude of eye-opening and immersive cultural experiences. This includes Mungo National Park, where visitors can see the Walls of China and 36,000-year-old relics of ancient Aboriginal culture, and a comprehensive tour on the South Coast with Ngaran Ngaran Cultural Awareness at Narooma, where guests learn about the Yuin people and dreamtime stories of Mount Gulaga.
The full list of itineraries that make up “213 Ways to Reboot NSW in 2020” can be found at visitnsw.com
Feature image: The sun sets over sculptures in The Living Desert and Sculptures attraction, Broken Hill / supplied by Destination NSW.
