Bonza Bike Tours, The Royal Botanic Garden SydneyCredit: Destination NSW
Cycling through Sydney’s Royal Botanic Garden, backdropped by the Sydney Harbour Bridge and Sydney Opera House, with Bonza Bike Tours.
#ilovesydney
Scale mountain tops, weave through ancient forest, zip past vineyards and take in ocean views — the options for exploring New South Wales on two wheels are as diverse as they are dramatic. From the Snowy Mountains to Sydney, the state’s dedicated cycleways and cross-country mountain-bike trails range from short, easy rides suitable for the whole family, to full-day adventures across challenging terrain. Whichever you choose, bring your pedal power.
Sydney
Cycling is the ideal way to explore Sydney, which is blessed with expansive parks and gardens, blissful beaches linked by clifftop trails, and vast tracts of protected national parkland. For a day of flat-trail fun with the family, bike the 3.5km loop around Centennial Parklands in the city’s inner-east. For something more challenging, tackle the 60km Three Gorges loop in the north of Sydney, with views of the Hawkesbury River and Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park en route.
Snowy Mountains
There are plenty of reasons to visit the Snowy Mountains in winter. But once the weather warms, Australia’s highest mountain range — 600km south of Sydney — becomes a mecca for cyclists, offering a textbook mountain-bike experience across dirt tracks and sealed roads. For a solid workout, test the Thredbo Valley Track, with routes of between 12km and 35km traversing alpine terrain through Kosciuszko National Park and along the Thredbo River.
Another highlight is the Tumbarumba to Rosewood Rail Trail — 21km of sealed and safe tracks following the region’s onetime rail line. Historic sites, rolling fields and eucalypt forest are just some of the scenic attractions.
Blue Mountains
Nothing beats the adrenalin rush of zipping along clifftops, through deep canyons and around untouched bushland in the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Blue Mountains on two wheels. Test your stamina on the hilly 58km between Glenbrook and Wentworth Falls along the Oak and Anderson fire trails.
Or enjoy never-ending vistas of Lake Burragorang on the McMahon’s Point trail, a challenging 36km return from the Blue Mountains town of Wentworth Falls, a 1.5-hour drive west from Sydney.
Centennial Park Cycles, Centennial Park Credit: Destination NSW
Family enjoying a day out at Centennial Park in a hired 4-seat pedal car from Centennial Park Cycles.
#ilovesydney
Centennial Park Cycles, Centennial Park Credit: Destination NSW
Family enjoying a day out at Centennial Park in a hired 4-seat pedal car from Centennial Park Cycles.
Mountain Biking, Blue Mountains Credit: Destination NSW
Family enjoying a day of mountain biking in the Blue Mountains National Park.
#lovensw #newsouthwales
Mountain Biking, Blue Mountains Credit: Destination NSW
Family enjoying a day of mountain biking in the Blue Mountains National Park.
South Coast
Pedal the scenic 90km from Sydney to Wollongong via the Royal National Park — the oldest national park in Australia — across the breathtaking 665m Sea Cliff Bridge and along the Grand Pacific Drive. From clifftop lookouts to deserted beaches, it’s a route you won’t forget in a hurry.
Other heart-starting cycle routes take you through Mogo State Forest, south of Batemans Bay (280km from Sydney); the Narooma trails, through Bodalla State Forest (350km from Sydney); the Bundanoon trail through Morton National Park (140km from Sydney); and the cross-country trails around Murramarang National Park (270km from Sydney).
Hunter Valley
Explore the rolling vine-laced countryside of the Hunter Valley, 250km north of Sydney, at your own pace, using pedal power to visit cellar doors, sample local produce or drop in on art galleries. Not for the faint of heart, the 22km Big Yango loop trail traverses through the Yengo and Wollemi wilderness areas in Yengo National Park, with steep climbs, challenging descents and tight switchbacks. Admire the rugged landscape and keep an eye out for wombats, wallabies and goannas as you navigate this tricky trail.
Lord Howe Island
It’s just a two-hour flight from Sydney to Lord Howe, but you’ll feel like you’ve stepped back in time when you touch down. Explore the 12km-long island’s wild, Jurassic-like landscapes on two wheels, cooling off at beaches, pausing to wander through rainforest and popping your stand down when you find a café that takes your fancy. The island’s roads have a 25km/h speed limit, making cycling the favoured mode of transport for residents and visitors.
Events and competitions
For competitive cyclists, NSW offers the chance to partake in a number of events, not in the least the L’Étape Australia by Le Tour de France. This annual festival of Lycra — held amid the rolling hills of Kiama, Shoalhaven and the Southern Highlands on the South Coast — covers two distances: 80km and 136km.
Not just for cyclists, Gears + Beers unites bikes with beer, cider, great food and entertainment. There are multiple courses pencilled out around Wagga Wagga, 450km southwest of Sydney, catering to riders of all ages and fitness levels.
Cycling, Lord Howe Island Credit: Destination NSW
Couple enjoying a relaxing and scenic bike ride on Lord Howe Island.
#lovensw #newsouthwales
Cycling, Lord Howe Island Credit: Destination NSW
Couple enjoying a relaxing and scenic bike ride on Lord Howe Island.
L'Étape Australia 2016, Snowy Mountains Credit: L'Étape Australia
Cyclist competing in the L'Étape Australia in the scenic Snowy Mountains.
#lovensw #newsouthwales
L'Étape Australia 2016, Snowy Mountains Credit: L'Étape Australia
Cyclist competing in the L'Étape Australia in the scenic Snowy Mountains.
More Inspirational Stories
Look At Me Now Headland, Emerald BeachCredit: Destination NSW
See wildlife in a whole new way in New South Wales.
#lovensw #newsouthwales
NSW’s animals are as welcoming as its locals. From kangaroos to snoozing koalas — and everything furry or finned in between — Australia’s wild animals are as unforgettable as the land they call home. Here’s where to find these incredible creatures in their natural habitat across New South Wales.
See kangaroos by the sea
Thrill to the sight of kangaroos, one of Australia’s most iconic native animals, in the wild all across Country NSW. Keep an eye out for eastern grey kangaroos at beautiful Diamond Head Beach in Crowdy Bay National Park on the Barrington Coast, a 3.5-hour drive north of Sydney. Let the unforgettable sight of a mob of ’roos backdropped by the deep blue of the Pacific Ocean put a spring in your step as you stroll along the 1.6km loop trail at the Look At Me Now Headland in the Moonee Beach Nature Reserve, at Coffs Harbour on the Mid North Coast. And refresh with a dip in the ocean as curious eastern greys look on from grassy clearings at Depot Beach and Pebbly Beach in Murramarang National Park, a four-hour drive from Sydney on the spectacular NSW South Coast.
Gaze up at koalas
Discover the eucalypt forests around eastern NSW and you may well spot a koala snoozing among the gum-trees. Marvel at these tree-dwelling marsupials from viewing platforms in the stunning bushland at Port Stephens Koala Sanctuary, less than an hour’s drive from Newcastle, or three hours north of Sydney. Then settle into your four-star glamping tent, studio room or deluxe suite at the sanctuary for a night among these iconic creatures. Head to Guula Ngurra National Park, an easy two-hour drive south of Sydney in the Southern Highlands, to hike through some of the 3,358 hectares of protected koala habitat in the recently created park (Guula Ngurra means “Koala Country” in the local Gundungurra Aboriginal language). Or hone your spotting skills at Narrandera Koala Reserve, around an hour’s drive from the regional town of Griffith in the Riverina region in the state’s southwest, where more than 200 koalas live among river red gums.
Dive in with wild dolphins
Come fin to fin with wild dolphins with Dolphin Swim Australia in Port Stephens, just an hour’s drive north of Newcastle or three hours from Sydney. Feel a surge of adrenaline as a catamaran tows you through the ocean among these playful creatures. Prefer to stay dry? See Port Stephens’s resident pod of bottlenose dolphins, many of them so friendly that the locals know them by name, on an outing with Imagine Cruises. Or head south for close encounters with dolphins in sheltered Jervis Bay, on the NSW South Coast, with Dolphin Watch Cruises Jervis Bay and Jervis Bay Wild.
Shoal Bay, Port Stephens Credit: Destination NSW
Dolphins swimming in Shoal Bay, Port Stephens.
#lovensw #newsouthwales
Shoal Bay, Port Stephens Credit: Destination NSW
Dolphins swimming in Shoal Bay, Port Stephens.
Whale watching, Sydney Credit: Destination NSW
A whale breaches out of the water off Sydney waters.
#ilovesydney
Whale watching, Sydney Credit: Destination NSW
A whale breaches out of the water off Sydney waters.
Let whales stir your spirit
Marvel at the majesty of humpback whales as they travel along the New South Wales coastline from May to November each year. Embrace the sublime as you witness some of the 40,000 humpback and southern right whales that make their way along on the ‘Humpback Highway’ from Antarctica to the warm waters of their breeding grounds in the north. Clamber aboard a boat for an unforgettable day of whale watching in Sydney, join a cruise from seaside towns or find the perfect vantage point on land to see these magnificent creatures leap from the water all along the NSW coastline.
Meet a Tasmanian devil
Get up close with free-roaming Tasmanian devils without leaving mainland Australia at Aussie Ark’s wildlife sanctuary in the rugged Barrington Tops, a five-hour drive northeast of Sydney. Feel yourself moved by the stories you’ll hear on Aussie Ark’s 2.5-hour guided Devils in the Wild tour — the team behind this conservation initiative is breeding a wild population of the endangered carnivores to ensure their survival. And be astonished as you see Tasmanian devils thriving in the wild and, if you visit in breeding season, dote on super-cute devil joeys exploring their surroundings.
Play with seals
Come alive with a sense of joy at Montague Island Nature Reserve, a revered wildlife destination that’s home to little penguins, a huge colony of Australian fur seals and 90 types of birds just 9km off the town of Narooma, in the South Coast’s Eurobodalla region. Be delighted by their playfulness as you discover why friendly fur seals are called the puppies of the sea on a seal snorkel with Narooma Charters. Or delight to the sight of penguins waddling back to their nests after a day of fishing on a sunset tour with Montague Island Discovery Tours.
Montague Island Highlight Selects Credit: Destination NSW
Be immersed in wildlife experiences off Montague Island.
#lovensw #newsouthwales
Montague Island Highlight Selects Credit: Destination NSW
Be immersed in wildlife experiences off Montague Island.
Be captivated by a platypus
Be rewarded for your patience when you spot a platypus in the wild: while platypus inhabit a number of regions in NSW, these shy little icons can be very tricky to find. Increase your chances by visiting Bombala, about an hour’s drive from Cooma in the Snowy Mountains — it’s known as ‘Platypus Country’ because a large number of these mysterious monotremes (egg-laying mammals) live there. Practise mindfulness at the Bombala Platypus Reserve, 4.5km outside of town, where a viewing platform over the river makes spotting them easier. Or try a guided Platypus Walk with Vision Walks Eco-Tours near Byron Bay, on the far North Coast.
Bliss out with turtles
Discover the underwater wonderlands of the North Coast at Cook Island, less than 1km offshore from Fingal Head, just south of Tweed Heads on the far North Coast of New South Wales, to encounter astonishing numbers of green, hawksbill and loggerhead turtles. Deepen your respect for the incredible beauty of the underwater world on a memorable snorkelling tour with local operators such as Watersports Guru or Cooly Eco Adventures.
Take off to an island of seabirds
Look at the skies with awe as hundreds of thousands of seabirds wheel above you on Lord Howe Island, 700km northeast of Sydney in the Pacific Ocean. Fill your diary with sightings of the 130-odd permanent and migratory bird species found on the country’s premier bird-watching destination. Come in winter to see providence petrels circle in spectacular courtship rituals during their breeding season, while shearwaters return in awe-inspiring flocks at dusk each day from spring to late autumn (September to May).