Sydney
Construction of this imposing, turreted specimen of Gothic Australiana, set amid 10 hectares of lush gardens, commenced in 1805, but the house was…
Must-see attractions in New South Wales
Sydney
Bondi without the glitz and the poseurs, Coogee (locals pronounce the 'oo' as in the word ‘took’) has a deep sweep of sand, historic ocean baths and…
Blue Mountains
From Leura, it’s only 2km to Katoomba, the region’s main town, whose often misty steep streets are lined with art-deco buildings. The population here is…
Newcastle
Transformed from a dump and abandoned sporting fields into a magnificent conservation sanctuary, this swampy centre is home to over 200 species of bird,…
Newcastle
Ignore the brutalist exterior, as inside this remarkable regional gallery are some wonderful works. There's no permanent exhibition; displays rotate the…
Sydney
A sinister chip-toothed clown face (50 times life-sized) forms the entrance to this old-fashioned amusement park overlooking Sydney Harbour. It's one of…
Newcastle
Dominating the city skyline, Newcastle's Anglican cathedral is filled with treasures like a gold chalice and a remembrance book made from jewellery…
Sydney
The former Stadium Australia was custom-built for the 2000 Olympics. It could originally accommodate 110,000 people, but following the games its capacity…
Sydney
It might seem odd, but this concrete-edged ocean channel is a great place to swim, sunbathe and snorkel. It’s safe for the kids, and despite the swell…
Newcastle
This attractive museum in the restored Honeysuckle rail workshops tells a tale of the city from its Indigenous Awabakal origins to its rough-and-tumble…
Sydney
A winning family-oriented beach hemmed in by sandstone cliffs and a grassy park, Bronte lays claims to having the oldest surf-lifesaving club in the world…
Sydney
The Kalkari Discovery Centre, halfway between the Mt Colah entrance to the Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park and Bobbin Head itself, has displays and videos…
Sydney
A manicured vision from the peak of the British Empire (built 1841 to 1848), these Georgian army barracks have been called the finest of their kind in the…
Sydney
You will have to take the ferry at Palm Beach to reach this sheltered, carless beach suburb on the shores of the Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park. There…
Newtown & the Inner West
Full of dog walkers, kite flyers and stragglers from last night’s party, 40-hectare Sydney Park is a great place to chill out. From the bald hilltop you…
Sydney
Opened to much architectural acclaim in 2008, this impressive park makes use of Paddington's long-abandoned 1866 water reservoir, incorporating the brick…
Sydney
One of several wildlife parks on Sydney’s fringes, Featherdale offers opportunities to get better acquainted with koalas, kookaburras, kangaroos and other…
Sydney
The last major beach before you hit Botany Bay, ‘the Bra’ is Bondi’s match in the waves department, but its suburban location provides immunity from Bondi…
Sydney
Arguably the most beautiful beach in Kamay Botany Bay National Park, serene Congwong faces the bay rather than the open ocean, making it great for…
Sydney
This brightly coloured circular walkway is supported by what look like metal chopsticks, lifting it 18m above the water filling an abandoned brickworks…
Byron Bay
This 1901 lighthouse is Australia’s most easterly and also its most powerful shipping beacon. Inside there are maritime and nature displays. Take one of…
Sydney
Immediately north of Watsons Bay, this small swimming beach is popular with both families and topless sunbathers. When Governor Phillip realised Botany…
Sydney
Australia’s oldest villa (1824), this restored Georgian mansion was built by Robert Cooper with profits from his gin business (he named it after the…
Cape Byron State Conservation Park
Byron Bay
The Cape Byron State Conservation Park is home to the Cape Byron lighthouse, plenty of stunning lookouts (including from the most eastern point of the…
Sydney
About 50m offshore at La Perouse is the strange Bare Island, a decaying, grass-tussocked concrete fort built in 1885 to discourage a feared Russian…
Sydney
Housed inside the old cable station (1882), this museum has numerous relics from French explorer La Pérouse’s many expeditions, an interesting Aboriginal…
Byron Bay
Northwest of the town centre, wild Belongil Beach has high dunes and avoids the worst of the crowds. It's clothing-optional in parts. At its eastern end…
Sydney
This suburban park is a little unkempt but allows you to get to know some native animals. Petting and feeding kangaroos and wallabies is a highlight, as…
Byron Bay
An eastern, and often unexpectedly serene, extension of busy Main Beach. Byron's most popular surf break is at the Pass, where Clarkes Beach meets the…
Byron Bay
Secluded Little Watego’s (inaccessible by car) is a lovely patch of sand directly under rocky Cape Byron. Head here at sunset for an impressive and…
Sydney
A short walk (or swim) from Congwong Beach will land you at Little Congwong, a secluded, unofficially clothing-optional beach.
Byron Bay
Immediately in front of town, lifesaver-patrolled Main Beach is busy from sunrise to sunset with yoga classes, sunbakers, buskers and occasionally fire…
Byron Bay
South of Suffolk Park, this popular clothing-optional, gay-friendly beach is just off Seven Mile Beach Rd past the Broken Head Holiday Park.
Byron Bay
East of Main Beach, the small crescent of Watego's fringes Byron's most affluent enclave. Dolphin sightings are common here.
Newtown & the Inner West
Occupying the site of an old brewery, this major residential and shopping development is a striking sight. Most impressive is Jean Nouvel's award-winning,…
Sydney
In colonial times this small fortified harbour island was a sorry site of suffering, used to isolate recalcitrant convicts and nicknamed ‘Pinchgut’ for…
Sydney
Once a tough, working-class neighbourhood, Balmain now rivals Paddington in Victorian-era desirability – with the added advantage of being surrounded by…
Sydney
Something of a hidden gem, this gorgeous harbourside park with a sandy beach was once part of the then 206-hectare Vaucluse House estate. Secluded beneath…
New South Wales
Coonabarabran's skies are so clear, the Australian National University chose to set up this research facility some 27km west of the town, on the edge of…
Blue Mountains Botanic Garden Mount Tomah
Blue Mountains
Saved from the brink of destruction after devastating bushfires roared through in December 2019, this botanic gardens between Bilpin and Bell is the cool…
