Day 18 New South Wales - Sydney and more...

Did you know:
NSW was originally populated about 45,000 years ago, when the Aboriginal peoples are believed to have settled there. Aboriginal rock engravings still exist – around 2000 of them – and many of Sydney’s suburbs have Aboriginal names. Their cave paintings are also incredibly beautiful, and give just a tiny glimpse of the rich life of the Aborigine long before civilisation  as we know it was created.

This rock engraving of an echidna  is from the site known as 'Echidna and Fish' at West Head in the Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park, less than 25 km from Sydney,

 and  the painting  is just one of Eleanor Wilks archive.


James Cook sailed into Botany Bay in 1770 on his HMS Endeavour, and claimed the area for Great Britain, calling it New South Wales.

In 1788 the First Fleet arrived, and Arthur Phillip established the settlement now known as Sydney. NSW now boasts the greatest population of all the Australian States, with 7.3 million people calling this cultural and economic hub home.  Sydney’s public transport is efficient, the parks beautiful and the harbour nearly as nice as Wellington!  Beaches are stunning. Transport to other states via train, plane, bus is easy to access and economic. A huge variety of great shops abound, too.<br>

In the late 1960’s I lived in Sydney, and loved it. The diverse collection of migrants from many countries created a cosmopolitan city, and all the different ethnicities brought a vibrancy to the city – as well as introducing a great variety of fabulous food.

Something I tried for the first time back then and have loved since is kangaroo tail soup! It’s like oxtail, but better.


Sydney’s Taronga Park Zoo is one of my favourites.  Just 12 minutes from the city by ferry, with breathtaking views of Sydney Harbour  you can see free shows and hear keeper talks throughout the day.

Open everyday, even Christmas Day, it hosts bird festivals in September-October, closely followed by a dinosaur spectacular from the end of October to the beginning of February, perfect for taking the kids or grandkids.

And this is fun – a sneak peek at your own dinosaur: Download ‘DinosaurCo AR’ in your app store, go to Dinosaur Footprint scan  and download a footprint to scan, then watch your own dinosaur come to life in the palm of your hand. The zoo is also in the middle of creating a new treetop challenge course, Wild Ropes, coming over the 2014-15 summer if you like aerial walking.

The stunning Sydney Opera House, the Harbour Bridge, Museum of Contemporary Art, Luna Park Adventure Sydney, the Sea Life Sydney Aquarium, and so much more, must make Sydney a city not to be missed. I haven’t room to list the state’s many  great tourist destinations, but  check out  Visit NSW for a comprehensive list.  Allow at least a week in the city when you are planning your next Down Under adventure.

Not far from Sydney are the Blue Mountains,with the Three Sisters rock formation near Katoomba,

and past that, the city of Bathurst, boasting a super little university, and OK, a world-renowned car race track. Being at the Bathurst 500 back when I was there was a spectacular, just as it still is. Hot sunny days, boozy nights, noisy track almost deafening one… all part of that great sport of motor racing.<br>
After the motor racing, wine is always a good idea. NSW vineyards produce some of the best wines in the world (after New Zealand of course). I guess I should mention that Kiwis and Aussies always put each other down, but in a rugby final, if only one of us reached it, the other country ALWAYS cheers them on. A big case of sibling rivalry, really!

But getting back to wines, New South Wales has a broad range of exciting and diverse wine regions, including its most established, the Hunter Valley, the home of Australia’s oldest grape plantings. It’s not too far to visit the cool-climate Canberra District (if you didn’t already after reading my Canberra story earlier in the month) and the charming historic regions of Orange and Mudgee which also feature a strong food culture. Hunter Valley vineyards developed  many of the country’s most outstanding wines, the most recognized of these being semillon, a product of techniques and processes that have developed over 150 years of winemaking.

There are many more  wine growing regions in NSW. Check out NSW Wine Regions which will provide you with heaps more information to help you choose your favourites. A wine tour of NSW is highly recommended.

If you have always wanted to be a miner, try an outback tour to the Opal mines at Lightning Ridge to hunt for a rare black stone to take home. Or, you could just treat yourself to something similar to the one above as a memento of your holiday.
Aboriginal tours are also readily available, giving you a unique perspective of this amazing place.
More information:
NSW average temperature is between 12°C and 21°C, and annual average rainfall of 1,138mm. Lots more than Uluru, if you have been reading my earlier stories.
Flights to Sydney come from everywhere, daily.
Accommodation is plentiful, ranging from backpackers to five star luxury, and rental cars always available. Visit your travel agent, or book online at your virtual travel agency.