Where to Visit In New South Wales? Here’s Ten Great Places.
Not too long from now you just might get to travel outside again. When that happens why not consider the oldest state in Australia.
Named by Captain James Cook himself in 1770 the state contains some of the best flora, fauna and fun the country has to offer. We’ll skip over the obvious ones, such as Byron Bay, Snowy Mountains and the Hunter Valley. So, here are ten of the best places we can recommend you plant a foot or a tent once lockdown ends.
1. Mungo National Park
Mungo National Park is a world heritage listed wonder located in the middle of NSW just north of the also fabulous Mildura. Its rich in Aboriginal history and is perfect for a walk, picnic or a little bit of camping. It also happens to be the home of the Mungo Lady and Mungo Man. If you’re into Indigenous history the park is home to some of the oldest human remains ever found in the country.
2. Kangaroo Valley
300kms south of Sydney and filled with kangaroos, if you place yourself in the right place and right time, kangaroo valley is has all there is to do. Kayaking, camping, music and food is just the beginning. There are some b&b’s and camping spots are on hand to make your adventure as comfortable as you care to make it. Bendeela is a popular spot for camping on the green banks of the Kangaroo River where even a little bit of fishing is on offer to help you pass the time while the odd bare nose wombat passes by.
3. Warrumbungle National Park
Have you ever heard of a Dark Sky Park? You have now. Warrumbungle National Park. Is Australia’s only Dark Sky Park – that means it’s a park located far enough away from a cities lights to be dark enough that more stars that can be seen from most other packs. It was designated in 2016 by the international Dark Sky Association and is now famously the best place to see the Milky Way.
4. Morton National Park
With 11 plus walking trails, cycling, waterfalls and Grand Canyon style lookouts Morton National Park is a one stop shop for any type of outdoor enthusiast. It has something for the young and old with gentle walking trails and scenic waterfalls or even mountain biking for those who are happy to go with the larger bumps. There’s tonnes of camping nearby so no need to fork out for a hotel if you’d like to stay in the great outdoors. It does cost a whopping $4 per car per day, which means someone in the car will have to forgo their midmorning coffee or hot chocolate, but I we’re sure you’ll find it worth it.
5. Lord Howe Island
Although currently closed Lord Howe Island is a paradise in waiting for when lockdown ends. Consisting of over 2000kms of coastline and countless kangaroo’s the island has the feel of a resort in the surrounding of national park. There’s swimming, surfing, snorkelling, scuba diving and for the vitamin-d deficient, sunbathing. Camping is not permitted unless you’re a resident of the island as a way to help maintain its pristine surrounding as a way to maintain its World Heritage listing, but there are plenty of fantastic places to stay that’ll make it hard for you to leave.
6. Outback NSW
Yes, Outback is a place. To get your taste of the Australian outback you simply need to go to Outback, the very large region of the state in the upper left quadrant of the state. Full of indigenous history you can trek into the region through its rugged 4x4 trails. Home to not one but three national parks you’ll see big red kangaroos and emus racing across the rich and rugged landscape. The skies are mostly crystal clear making it perfect for camping out under the stars. The best gateway to get there is through Dubbo, east of Sydney.
7. Bouddi National Park
A little-known gem located near Gosford and south of Sydney, is Bouddi National Park; it’s 1,532 hectare park with a temperate rainforest (also known as a moss forest), the ocean tucked below steep cliffs, walking trail, fishing, and whale watching. It’s perfect for camping on a weekend or weekend getaway. The icing on the cake? Its only 90mins from Sydney!
8. Birubi Beach
Just north of Newcastle is Birubi Beach – a great place to holiday, especially with kids. Home to some massive expansive sand dunes that will keep them occupied for days. Teenagers can sandboard. Adults can ride camels. Those who prefer the smell of petrol, there’s 4WD Safaris or even quad bikes. The ocean is only a few footprints in the sand away so learning to surf is option for the those looking to push their heart rate through the roof. The road there can lead you a million directions but regardless you’ll always end up in the right place.
9. Booderee National Park
From beaches to birdwatching this gold nugget of s destination hidden in the Jervis Bay region of NSW has everything you’re probably looking for with a host of outdoor activities. Like most campgrounds in coastal Australia there’s fishing, swimming, snorkelling, but at Booderee there’s boating. On the surface you’d think boating and camping went almost hand in hand, but in reality, finding a great place to camp with a better place to float your boat is much harder than expected. Its recently invested $750,000 to redesign and update the wharf making it not only vastly better than what is currently there, but most importantly, safer.
10. Kanangra-Boyd National Park
Just 180 km from Sydney is one of NSW greatest national parks. There’s no shortage of luscious greenery and gorgeous, not to mention cute, Australian animals. Part of the Greater Blue Mountains World Heritage Area the scenery is nothing short of spectacular. Massive sandstone cliffs line the horizon above the trails that wind in-between the forests below. The fire trails can be accessed by walkers, but cyclists will get the most out of them with a mountain bikes. It’s got same great fishing for those who love trout and if you are there in the summer months canyoning is both possible and popular.
We hope that our list gives you some food for thought! The easing of restrictions could present the perfect opportunity to pack up the car, camper or RV and hit road, ticking off as many spots as you like on the way. With social distancing and heightened hygiene being the new normal, having your accommodation and wheels all in one definitely has its appeal, and to make that journey a little easier, why not pack a Scrubba wash bag for self-sufficient laundry on-the-go! Browse the Scrubba wash bag range to pick up the ultimate gear for your next NSW adventure.