New South Wales

New South Wales has the lion's share of Australia's population and also a large cut of its natural beauty. An almost unbroken line of national parks runs from the Victorian border in the south to the Queensland border in the north with the world famous capital, Sydney, virtually surrounded by Australian forests. Blessed with plenty of sunshine, miles of white sandy beaches and pounding surf, the state is a wonderland for waterbabies. Sydney, the site of the country's first white settlement, is one of the great cities of the world with its incomparable natural harbor, sea cliffs, bush and iconic images like the Harbour Bridge. On Sydney's ...

New South Wales has the lion's share of Australia's population and also a large cut of its natural beauty. An almost unbroken line of national parks runs from the Victorian border in the south to the Queensland border in the north with the world famous capital, Sydney, virtually surrounded by Australian forests. Blessed with plenty of sunshine, miles of white sandy beaches and pounding surf, the state is a wonderland for waterbabies. Sydney, the site of the country's first white settlement, is one of the great cities of the world with its incomparable natural harbor, sea cliffs, bush and iconic images like the Harbour Bridge. On Sydney's doorstep, the cool-climate Blue Mountains are a playground for the adventurous with bushwalking, rockclimbing and jaw-dropping scenery. Stunning Mt. Kosciuszko is Australia's highest mountain facilitating ski bunnies and those scrambling to see how life is on top of the country. And don't miss Broken Hill - worth the trip into the outback alone, it's an eclectic town drenched in artistic endeavor sitting incongruously in a harsh desert environment.

About the Expert

Alan Murphy is coauthor of Lonely Planet's Britain, Scotland, India and North India. He has been writing and updating travel guidebooks for the past eight years.