Much of New South Wales is open and ready to welcome tourists. Travellers staying and spending in the region is the best way to help bushfire and drought-affected communities get back on their feet. Here are  five getaways that will allow you to experience the best of New South Wales.

#1 START IN SYDNEY

Travellers can kick off their Sydney adventure with a walk across its most famous landmark, the Sydney Harbour Bridge. There’s a fenced pedestrian path running beside the road with incredible views over Sydney Harbour. There’s a Morning Sydney Tour around the city that ends with a Magistic Harbour Lunch Cruise. This half day tour is a great way for you to see Sydney from land and water. 

Animal lovers can stay overnight inside the Taronga Zoo at the new Wildlife Retreat, with 58 rooms and four suites. Guests can step out into a lush sanctuary with koalas, echidnas and platypus. 

Two of the most famous beaches in Australia are now linked by an 80km track. The Bondi to Manly Walk along Sydney’s coastline takes nature lovers on a journey past famous beaches, iconic structures, ocean pools and secluded harbour picnic spots. If you are a beach lover, you can even take up a surf lesson at Bondi beach for a fun new water sport experience. 

#2 SHOALHAVEN

There are parts of bushland not affected by the bushfires in the Shoalhaven, and visiting the unique beauty of these areas will give a much needed boost to community spirit. From Shoalhaven Heads to Bawley Point, and inland to Berry and the Kangaroo Valley, there are historic villages to explore, endless beaches to roam and delicious local produce to taste.

Travellers can explore the beaches along the 170km of pristine coastline in the Shoalhaven region, including highlights such as Callala Beach, Green Patch Beach or Scottish Rocks for a swim and beach picnic. Jervis Bay is one of the best spots to see dolphins, as well as whales and seals. Dolphin Watch Cruises offer popular dolphin-spotting tours; while Jervis Bay Wild offers boom netting, a whale-spotting cruise and a journey through the Jervis Bay passage.

On the coast, Bangalay one- or two-bedroom villas have chic styling and views over the Shoalhaven Heads golf course to the mountain range. For a hinterland escape, Kangaroo Valley Getaways are specialists at matching guests with their ideal holiday home. Those who book and stay through them before the end of February can enjoy 10 percent off.

#3 BLUE MOUNTAINS

Known as Sydney’s backyard wilderness, the Blue Mountains is just 90 minutes’ drive from the city. It’s home to some of the most dramatic landscapes in the country and the famous sandstone formation, Three Sisters. Discover the region’s gourmet delights, stay in a heritage hotel, relax with an indulgent spa treatment or tee off at a scenic golf course. There’s a Blue Mountain Explorer Bus that allows you to hop on and off wherever you like or you could also sign up for a Grand Blue Mountain Tour that departs from Sydney. 

For an outdoor adventure, Scenic World is unaffected by the fires and offers a range of exciting experiences: the world’s steepest incline passenger railway in the world; the highest skyway in Australia; the largest cable car in the country and longest boardwalk in the Southern Hemisphere.

Travellers can immerse themselves in the bushland with a hike or rock climb. High & Wild Australian Adventures are currently running their Spectacular Half Day Abseil and Empress Canyon trips in areas unaffected by the fires. Freeland Hiking offers all-inclusive hiking tours in the Blue Mountains and Snowy Mountains, with all equipment provided.

#4 MID-NORTH COAST

The Mid North Coast of NSW stretches from the Great Lakes to Coffs Harbour and includes destinations such as Forster, Seal Rocks and Port Macquarie. The natural beauty of the area’s beaches, lakes and intricate waterways are ideal for adventurers, and The Legendary Pacific Coast, one of Australia’s great driving routes, passes through the Mid North Coast.

#5 ORANGE, CENTRAL NSW

For a taste of the good life, Orange in the Central West of NSW is a rural wonderland of wineries, designer hotels and just-picked produce. The wine tasting journey begins at Ferment – the wine centre and store gives a thorough introduction to the region’s wine varieties. For a family-friendly winery, Heifer Station Wines has a unique cellar door inside a restored 100-year-old shearing shed, plenty of open space and a petting zoo with chooks, goats and a miniature horse named Tilly.

Joining the #LoveNSW movement is easy:

1. Take a #RecoveryWeekend in NSW
2. Capture a photo in an iconic and inspiring NSW location, framed by your
   hands in a heart shape
3. Share the photo on social media with the hashtag #LoveNSW

For more details and destination inspirations, check these amazing NSW itineraries out! 

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