Sydney & New South Wales

Sydney is located on a huge harbor, one of the most beautiful in the world. Each day sees a mix of ferries, cruise ships, yachts of every size and fishing boats making their way to and fro. The magnificent homes of the 'rich and famous' overlook these activities and the ever present Sydney Harbour Bridge and Opera House provide a stunning backdrop. There are also many fascinating experiences within a short driving distance of Sydney to be enjoyed including the Blue Mountains and Hunter Valley Wine Region.

Leaving the excitement of Sydney and driving north provides opportunities to see another side of this beautiful country, the inland farmlands, the forests, the rivers and the beaches of the state of New South Wales. This option finishes on the border with Queensland. From there you can either continue north into the state of Queensland (see The State of Queensland) or any other state that interests you. For those with time constraints, you could end your vacation here and return directly to the USA from Brisbane International Airport while others might travel on to New Zeland from Brisbane. Allow 4 days to complete this route.

In our opinion the coastal route south from Sydney to Melbourne is one of the finest drives in Australia. It's off the beaten track enough to allow you to experience a unique part of Australia that many visitors miss out on. Attractive coastal villages, abundant wildlife, stunning white sand beaches, friendly locals and spectacular scenery are some of the features to be enjoyed. This is not a region for sophisticated night life but for those interested in a warm welcome, excellent food and the world of nature, this will appeal. The Australian summer, from November to March are the best times to enjoy this region, allow around 5 days.

The people of Australia have a reverence and a respect for the vast Australian Outback, an area that accounts for 80% of the Australian land mass. In fact in many ways this is the part of Australia that defines their character. The journey into the Australian heartland is for the slightly more adventurous, a drive of over 600 miles from Sydney to Broken Hill that takes you to the very edge of the great Australian Outback. It's a long straight road over mostly good quality sealed roads and scenery that changes slowly along the way. Those that make this fascinating journey will continue on to South Australia and the attractive capital city of Adelaide.