ITINERARY seven DAYS IN New South Wales Sydney – Blue Mountains – Hunter Valley – Jervis Bay There>is>so>much>to>do>in>New>South>Wales.>You>could>easily>spend>seven>days>in>Sydney> alone,>but>you>can>squeeze>many>of>the>city’s>highlights>into>a>two-day-stay,>leaving>time> to>explore>the>regions>surrounding>the>city.> AT A GLANCE DAY ONE After breakfast head down to Circular then want to pop into the Art Gallery of Quay to see the iconic Sydney Harbour New South Wales. Bridge and Sydney Opera House. Join a tour of Sydney Opera House, or simply Finish your day taking in 360 degree walk around the outside. views from Sydney Tower, the tallest building in Sydney. Next, stroll across to The Rocks area, the site of European settlement. Here you Sydney Highlights will find cobbled stone streets home to heritage architecture, historic pubs, wine >> Join a tour of the iconic Sydney bars, restaurants and shops. Opera House >> Explore the historic Rocks area From The Rocks it is a short walk to >> 3 nights Sydney Sydney Harbour Bridge. For unforgettable >> Climb to the summit of the Sydney views, climb the bridge with BridgeClimb. >> Day trip to Blue Mountains Harbour Bridge >> Sydney to Hunter Valley (2 hours) Afterwards, head back to Circular Quay >> Enjoy a cruise on Sydney Harbour for a cruise on Sydney’s harbour. There >> Stroll through the tranquil Royal >> Hunter Valley to Port Stephens are lots of options from afternoon tea (1 hour) Botanic Gardens (free guided tours, cruises to sailing on a yacht, whale 10:30am daily, March-November) >> Port Stephens to Sydney (2.5 hours) watching or jet boats! >> Take in 360 degree views of Sydney and >> Sydney to Jervis Bay (2.5 hours) Following your cruise take a walk in the beyond from Sydney Tower Eye nearby Royal Botanic Gardens. You might ITINERARY DAY THREE Today it’s time to head to the hills. The World Heritage-listed Blue Mountains are less than two hours from Sydney. You can get there by train and join a tour, take a tour from Sydney, or self-drive. On the way, you could stop off to see the kangaroos and other animals at Featherdale Wildlife Park. In the Blue Mountains you can ride DAY TWO the world’s steepest incline railway and enjoy spectacular rainforest views from a cable car at Scenic World. Spend the morning in Darling Harbour, The most famous is Bondi Beach, but There are lots of incredible bushwalks, Sydney’s main entertainment precinct. Manly Beach – reached by ferry – should majestic waterfalls, and the sandstone There are plenty of bars and restaurants be high on a must-do list too. You can escarpments and canyons are awesome. and lots of major attractions. learn to surf at both beaches. Stay the night if you wish to extend Among these is SEA Sydney Aquarium. Sydney Highlights your trip, and immerse yourself in the Highlights include the stunning Great amazing wilderness again the next day. Barrier Reef exhibit, its new dugong >> Explore Sydney’s entertainment habitat, and an underwater walkway precinct Darling Harbour Blue Mountains Highlights through an enormous tank full of sharks >> Discover the largest collection of and rays. You can even feed the sharks Australian marine life at SEA Sydney >> Join a day tour from Sydney, take from a glass bottom boat. Aquarium the train or self-drive to the World Heritage-listed Blue Mountains Next door to the Aquarium you can see >> Enjoy alfresco dining along Kings Australian animals at WILD LIFE Sydney Street Wharf, Darling Harbour >> See Australian native animals at Zoo, get up close to your favourite Featherdale Wildlife Park >> See Australian native animals up close celebrity at Madame Tussauds or at WILD LIFE Sydney Zoo >> Enjoy views of the famous clamber over real ships and a submarine Three Sisters rock formation, at the nearby Australian National >> Take Captain Cook Cruises, Taronga Katoomba falls and Jamison Valley Express from Darling Harbour to Maritime Museum. at Scenic World Taronga Zoo (package tickets including In the afternoon you could check out the zoo entry available) >> Follow the marked bushwalks and animals at Taronga Zoo or make your way discover native Australian flora and >> Learn to surf at Bondi or Manly beach to one of Sydney’s many golden beaches. fauna and spectacular scenery ITINERARY DAY FIVE From the Hunter Valley make your way If you want to see koalas in the wild then to Port Stephens. The pristine waters Port Stephen’s Tilligerry Habitat State of the harbour here are home to over Reserve offers a good opportunity. 140 bottlenose dolphins. You are almost DAY FOUR guaranteed to see them on a dolphin- Return to Sydney to overnight. watch cruise. This is also a perfect place Depart Sydney and head north to the to spot whales during their annual Port Stephens Highlights migration too. Hunter Valley wine country, Australia’s >> Take a dolphin watching cruises and oldest wine growing region. Join a Try sandboarding at the Worimi meet the friendly locals wine tasting master class; or sample Conservation Lands, Stockton Sand a broad selection of wines at one or >> Sandboard, quadbike or join a 4WD Dunes the largest moving dunes in the tour of the Stockton Bight Sanddunes more of the 150 cellar doors. There are Southern Hemisphere or explore the plenty of great restaurants, romantic many waterways in the area. With 26 >> Surf, Swim, kayak or fish, Port Stephens retreats, golf courses, breweries, golden beaches, a bay twice the size many waterways galleries, and producers selling of Sydney Harbour, two rivers and two handmade cheese and olive oil. >> Spot Koalas in the wild in the Tilligerry lake systems there are a wide variety of Habitat State Reserve water sports available including diving, Visit the internationally-acclaimed >> Walk to the top of Tomaree Headland Wyndham Estate, one of Australia’s kayaking, Stand Up Paddleboarding, Parasailing and surfing. lookout for views of Port Stephens and oldest vineyards, which hosts Opera offshore islands in the Vineyards each year or see original wine making equipment on display at the historic 1866 Audrey Wilkinson winery. DAY SIX You can roam around the beautiful Drive south from Sydney via the Royal Camp among the kangaroos overnight, countryside on hired bicycles, in National Park on the Grand Pacific Drive. or stay in a local hotel. a horse and carriage, or even in a A focal point of the trip is the dramatic hot air balloon. 665-metre (2,181-foot) Sea Cliff Bridge. South Coast Highlights Hunter Valley Highlights From here, the unspoilt natural beauty >> Admire sub-tropical rainforest, of the southern coastline of New dramatic coastal cliffs and unspoilt > > Sample wines at over 150 cellar doors South Wales unfolds in a series of bays, ocean beaches as you journey through >> Check out what’s on during your visit, harbours, beaches and small townships. Royal Natioanl Park many of the vineyards host outdoor Arrive Jervis Bay and visit Aboriginal- >> Journey across Sea Cliff Bridge as it concerts in summer featuring hugs the coast international acts, jazz and opera managed Booderee National Park. The park is known for its kangaroos and other >> Visit Hyams beach officially one of the > > If travelling from the Blue Mountains wildlife, fascinating bushwalks, sparkling whitest sand beaches in the world to the Hunter Valley follow the scenic water, and pristine beaches. Be sure to Putty Road (3-4 hours) visit nearby Hyams Beach, which has >> See native animals including echidna’s, wallabies and kookaburras in Booderee > some of the world’s whitest sand. > Sample boutique beers at Matilda National Park Bay Brewhouse You can go on a dolphin spotting cruise >> Join a dolphin or whale watching (in > > A number of tour operators offer from Huskisson, or take an adventurous season) cruise from Huskisson day tours from Sydney to the dive among underwater arches, caves Hunter Valley and rock stacks. ITINERARY DAY SEVEN You might want to keep heading south along the coastal route all the way to Melbourne or beyond – or you can slowly head back to Sydney. This time head inland, and call into the Southern Highlands. This gorgeous rural area offers quaint towns, historic pubs and hotels, orchards and wineries, antiques, Devonshire teas, and a gentrified way of existence. Cricket fans be sure to stop in at USEFUL LINKS International Cricket Hall of Fame in Bowral where you will also find the Sir New South Wales Madame Tussauds Sydney Donald Bradman Museum. www.visitnsw.com.au> www.madametussauds.com/Sydney> If continuing along the South Coast to Sydney Australian National Maritime Museum Melbourne allow 3-4 days as there are www.sydney.com> www.anmm.gov.au> many sights to see along the way. Sydney Opera House Taronga Zoo www.sydneyoperahouse.com> www.taronga.org.au> Southern Highlands & The Rocks Walking Tours Featherdale Wildlife Park South Coast Highlights www.rockswalkingtours.com.au> www.featherdale.com.au> >> Enjoy a bushwalk through Morton BridgeClimb Scenic World National Park to Fitzroy Falls in the www.bridgeclimb.com> www.scenicworld.com.au> Southern Highlands Royal Botanic Gardens Hunter Valley >> Discover the history of cricket at the www.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au> www.winecountry.com.au> International Cricket Hall of Fame Art Gallery of NSW Grand Pacific Drive >> Visit historic pubs, wineries www.artgallery.nsw.gov.au> www.grandpacificdrive.com.au> and quaint towns in the Southern Highlands Sydney Tower Booderee National Park www.sydneytower.com.au> www.environment.gov.au/parks/booderee> >> Continue your journey along the coast and explore pretty seaside towns, SEA Sydney Aquarium Sydney Melbourne Touring quiet beaches and bays, national www.sydneyaquarium.com.au> www.sydneymelbournetouring.com.au>> parks and more.