New South Wales is a state of great extremes. The north-western parts of the state experience extremely hot and dry conditions and in certain places, for example, White Cliffs, some residents have chosen to live underground where it is a relatively cooler 27 deg.C.  This small town as well as the more famous, Lightning Ridge (further east) sustains a profitable livelihood from opal mining.

Another very lucrative industry is wine growing and some of the most famous vineyards can be found north of Sydney in the beautiful Hunter Valley.  The rich alluvial plains and red earth produce some of the best wines in the world at the over 130 wineries all around this vast valley. Nearby Scone is renowned for its horse-breeding studs that attract breeders from all over the world. Also in the area is the World Heritage listed Barrington Tops National Park situated on one of the highest points of the Great Dividing Range (1 600 metres).
 

Spectacular New South Wales Wilderness

  Swimming, surfing and whale watching can be enjoyed all along the coast, but Hyams Beach in the Jervis Bay National Park (south of Sydney), has reputably the whitest sand in the world.
 

Further south, the country’s highest mountains and best snowfields are a magnet for thousands of ‘snow bunnies’ during the winter months. Mt. Kosciuszko National Park also contains the country’s only glacial lakes and some of its rarest native animals.  However, trekking and climbing the scenic Snowy Mountains can best be enjoyed during the spring and autumn seasons.

The well documented history of NSW as a penal colony is greatly preceded by the discovery in 1974 of Mungo Man – the remains of a man over 2 metres tall and proving a civilization existed here dating back 62 000 years.  However, our beginnings as a convict settlement are still very much evident in a number of Sydney’s early heritage buildings in the famous ‘Rocks’, nearby Macquarie Street and Parramatta (ones of the city’s western suburbs).

The city is home to two of the country’s most famous landmarks – the Sydney Opera House and the Sydney Harbour Bridge which one can walk across or over the top span on specially organised tours.  The world famous Taronga Zoo, housing over  2000 animals, is a must for all visitors and is easily accessible by road or ferry, being located on the north-east shore of Sydney Harbour.
 

Also of great interest in this city of about 4 million inhabitants is Government House, the Royal Botanic Gardens, the Art Gallery of NSW, Sydney Aquarium, Sydney Fish Market, Queen Victoria Building, Darling Harbour and the nearby Powerhouse Museum just to name a few.

Sydney, host to the immensely successful 2000 Olympic Games is a uniquely beautiful, cosmopolitan yet historic Mecca for thousands of visitors each year. Its shops, restaurants, hotels, infrastructure and sporting facilities are second to none.