To the north of Sydney lies Pittwater and the Hawkesbury River. This is a boating paradise! Deserted anchorages, quiet beaches, fishing or just relaxing. A quick Google search will turn up numerous options to hire a boat and spend a week exploring. And when you need sustenance pull into one of the waterfront restaurants.
Just beyond Sydney it’s an easy day trip to the Blue Mountains, spectacular scenery and quaint villages including Leura. One of Australia’s premier grape growing regions the Hunter Valley, is approximately 2.5hr drive north of Sydney and is a chance to learn more about what makes these wines so special, and to sample the talents of talented chefs. Or take a wander through the Hunter Valley Gardens. Go on to Newcastle where you’ll find some fabulous beaches, and an interesting industrial history as the city transforms from a coal mining and shipping hub and reinvents itself as a family friendly regional city.
‘Perfect awaits’ for you in the Whitsundays. Located approximately a 2.5 hour flight from Sydney, Hamilton Island or Airlie Beach (airport is Proserpine), the Whitsundays are one of our favourite destinations in Australia. Landing in Hamilton Island means you have arrived. Your luggage will be transported to your accommodation (and there’s a great range from the very exclusive, to family friendly apartments and private homes) and all you need do is decide on the beach, golf, a cruise to the stunning Whitehaven Beach, or launch out to the UN World Heritage listed Great Barrier Reef.
Travelling to the Whitsundays is a concentrated way to sample much of tropical north Queensland, with options to suit most budgets and travel parties. Check the seasons before you go – cyclones do happen, and at times of the year box jellyfish may be present. Tour operators will advise. Even in the rainy season, the Whitsundays are a glorious playground.
European settlement in Hobart started with a convict colony, like Sydney. Seemingly innocent people, convicted of trivial offences (like stealing a loaf of bread) were disproportionately sentenced to transportation from England to Australia – along with genuinely violent criminals. Sample Australia’s convict past at Port Arthur, where many original convicts first landed and were housed.
From these inauspicious beginnings, Hobart has maintained its history while flourishing as one of the most southerly cities in the world. Its maritime history includes whaling, fishing and importantly for Australia it’s importance as a launch port of Antarctic expeditions. Hobart is the finish line for the famous Sydney to Hobart yacht race, which leaves Sydney on Boxing Day (26 December) every year.
For nature lovers, Tasmania offers numerous iconic walks including ‘Australia’s Premier alpine trek’ the Overland Trek and the Three Capes Track. Enjoy wild, untouched scenery, pristine beaches and cold, clear mountain streams.
We are going to make an exception here, to our commitment to only include destinations on travelsampler.world, that we have travelled to. Of the many reasons to visit Tasmania, there’s two we are yet to experience. MONA, the Museum of New and Old Art in Hobart stages provocative and challenging exhibitions that attract visitors to contemplate the art on show. And we’ve always wanted to experience the Australian Wooden Boat Festival.
Yes, Australia does have some mountains – although much smaller than those found in Europe, Asia, and the Americas. The highest peak is Kosciuszko, at 2228 metres and surrounded by national park. Much of the flora and fauna found in Australia’s mountains is unique, with Gondwana temperate rainforests now UN World Heritage listed.
The high country offers walks from day trips to much longer and more remote opportunities to explore. As always, go prepared for changes in the weather, tell someone where you are going and when you are expected back. And in winter, yes you can ski in Australia.
Australian poet Banjo Paterson wrote this epic tale, ‘The Man from Snowy River’. Its story captures the spirit and folklore of the mountains.
We’ve said Australia is vast – and it is. The Great Dividing Range (which is not as tall and forbidding as ‘Great’ might imply) runs down the east coast of Australia. Get beyond the mountains, and you’ll find yourself not quite in the ‘Outback’, but on your way there. The land is flat. From east to west, there’s barely a bump for 4000 kilometres. Driving gives you some sense of distance, climate, and sparseness of regional and rural Australia. Farms here can cover the tens of thousands of hectares. In the true outback, properties are so enormous they are measured in thousands of square kilometres. The fact that the Indian Pacific train from Sydney to Perth takes 3-4 days gives you some idea of distance.
Sample history, local produce, wine, artisan crafts, sport, and a more considered pace of life west of the mountains.
