New South Wales

People have lived in Australia for tens of thousands of years but many history books only talk about Sydney in 1788. Europeans have only been here a few hundred years and when they first came and settled they did so in Sydney. It’s Australia’s oldest and biggest city. You could take a backpacking holiday in Australia for weeks and never leave Sydney or its surrounds.

Sydney has some natural advantages. It’s set around one of the most beautiful harbours in the world. You can walk for kilometres around the harbour and admire the houses, parks, gardens, boats and the views. Sydney suburbs, that’s right, suburbs, are built on some of the best surf beaches in the world. You could stay in a hostel and stroll to any number of beaches with golden sands and fantastic waves.

Now if you look at a map you’ll see that New South Wales, like every other Aussie state, has a vast coastline which of course means beaches. And while the capital has beaches on its doorstep, you can travel south or north from Sydney and discover vast sandy shores and pristine ocean waves. The south coast has beaches with some of the whitest sand in the world. And the ocean lapping or crashing on these beaches produces some of the finest seafood. If you like oysters, help yourself.

Still on the coast but heading north you’ll come to such places as Coffs Harbour and Byron Bay. While all these spots have fabulous beaches there is so much more to explore and enjoy. Do you fancy kayaking amongst the dolphins? Or why not float above the sea and nearby mountains in a hot-air balloon?

Backpackers seeking accommodation hostel style are spoilt for choice. Sydney has literally hundreds of options. Because Sydney is so popular with backpackers, hostels need to offer good value to fill their beds. Hunt around. Just remember that not all hostels offer the same degree of service options. For instance if you plan a day trip or longer and want to store your belongings while you’re away, not every hostel caters for this need. Ask first. Even whizzing around the dozens of sites in Sydney itself, you don’t want your backpack living on your shoulders.

So far we’ve only discussed the coast of New South Wales but if you look at a map you’ll see there is a vast inland part of this state. You won’t find any surf beaches at the back of Bourke but inland New South Wales has heaps to offer. In Australia we use the term ‘outback’ a lot. It simply means away from the main cities, in the bush, the hinterland or out back. There are towns and cities in the outback but some can be quite small and some are many kilometres from the next town or city. Australia has lots of space.

It’s also pretty hot in parts of Australia and the folk at Lightning Ridge in outback New South Wales have inbuilt air-conditioning. They live underground. Outside it can push 50C but underground it’s always a comfortable 22C. If you enjoy opals or cacti or seriously weird homemade houses, there’s plenty to see. And Lightning Ridge is a bit like Bath in the south of England. It has a hot spring pool for all to enjoy. But in Lightning Ridge it’s free. Tourists used to a weekly bath can kill two birds with the one plunge.

One possible problem with visiting outback New South Wales is the distance. You’ll need to plan well regarding your transport. There are excellent country train services and buses ply between country regions but study your timetables because if you miss the bus, it’ll take you a year or two to walk!

Tamworth is an interesting country town with about 50,000 residents in the area. Whatever else it may offer tourists, it has massive popularity in late January when the country music festival hits town. People come from all over Australia and overseas. There’s music in the streets, concerts under the stars and the awards are highly sought-after. Not a lot for opera buffs but country music fans are in heaven.

But back in the big smoke, Sydney is a great place to stay and see. Climb the famous coat hanger, the Harbour Bridge, explore the iconic Opera House with its sails, take a Harbour cruise, visit the picturesque Toronga Park zoo, explore the famous Rocks Area where Europeans first set up shop, feast at the hundreds of eateries both cheap and not so and simply experience the great Aussie climate and way of life.

You can backpack in Oz by yourself, with a mate or in a group. Many who visit come again and quite a few come back to stay. There’s a wide horizon, enough sunshine to share and a welcome to match.

Sydney to Cairns
This 14 or 16 Day Sydney to Cairns Backpacker Adventure Tour includes surfing in Byron Bay, Sailing in the Whitsundays, 4WD on Fraser and snorkelling on The Great Barrier Reef. This package is the ideal way to see Australia on a budget whilst meeting other like minded travellers. All our transport is on deluxe coaches to ensure a comfortable ride between highlights. In each location you are looked after by local tour guides that know the region you are visiting and all the accommodation is centrally located and chosen for its amenities...This is a great way to see Australia.

Sydney to Darwin
Travel from Sydney to Darwin via Melbourne, Adelaide, Flinders Ranges, Uluru and Kings Canyon, through to Kakadu and Darwin on this tour that takes in the higlights of each area travelled through...

Sydney Weekend Cruiser
Experience Sydney from an extraordinary perspective aboard your own small cruise ship MV Captain Cook's Explorer

Blue Mountains day tour
Check out the amazing Blue Mountains on this full day tour from Sydney. See the Three Sisters rock formation, do a 2-3 hour hike at Wentworth Falls, take in spectacular lookouts, lunch included, view kangaroos in their natural habitat and ride the historic Scenic Railway (included). Multi night stay options also available.