Parramatta RiverCredit: Hamilton Lund; Destination NSW
Parramatta, Australia’s second-oldest city, sits on the banks of the leafy Parramatta River.
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Just 24km northwest of Sydney’s central district, Parramatta is Australia’s second-oldest city, its long history reflected in UNESCO World Heritage-listed convict sites and grand European buildings. Together with the suburbs that surround, including Penrith, Cabramatta and Bankstown, this is Western Sydney, a vibrant multicultural hub where you can eat, shop and party your way around the world. It’s also the gateway to all manner of adventure activities, from whitewater rafting to indoor skydiving and treetop ropes courses.
Where to eat
Your first stop for food in Western Sydney should be Parramatta’s Eat Street, a lively strip of restaurants, cafes and bars along Church Street. Taste the globe, from Cuban tapas at Coco Cubano to Japanese at Sushi Mata and Greek favourites at The SouvLucky Country.
Other tasty options in Parramatta include The Coffee Emporium, a foodie favourite that acts as a café and bakery by day, and a modern Australian restaurant and bar by night — grab a table in the sunny courtyard. Nearby, Alex & Co. also caters to a diverse crowd: it’s open early for coffee and breakfast, then continues serving food through the day and drinks well into the night at its bar and nightclub.
The neighbouring suburb of Harris Park is known as Sydney’s Little India for good reason. This is the heart of Sydney’s Indian community, not to mention dozens of delicious eateries spanning the subcontinent. Head to Station and Wigram streets to take your pick of some of the best (and most reasonably priced) regional Indian restaurants in the city. Try the popular Chatkazz Harris Park, on Station Street East for vegetarian Indian dishes from an extensive menu.
For Vietnamese, make a beeline for Cabramatta, 12km to the south. Stop for a steaming bowl of pho soup, then peruse Asian grocers piled high with specialty products from around the continent. If you want to discover local culinary secrets, join a Taste Cultural Food Tour.
Where to drink
One of the most stylish watering holes in the west sits on the 26th floor of Parramatta’s V by Crown development. Nick & Nora’s is a slick cocktail and champagne bar, channelling the decadent days post-Prohibition in both its menu and lounge style. Come for the creative drinks, and linger for the shimmering views over the city. Much more intimate in scale is Uncle Kurt’s, a graffiti-clad bar hidden down a Parramatta side street. The cocktails are on point, and there’s a New York deli-inspired food menu when you need to refuel.
In Penrith, around 40km further west, you’ll find The Union, a snug tapas bar delivering a short menu of shared plates complemented by Spanish wines and live music on Fridays. If you’re after something more substantial, head upstairs to the restaurant.
Where to find adventure
While it’s easy to spend every minute of every day grazing when you visit Western Sydney, there are plenty of ways to work off your indulgences, too. When the mercury rises, cool down on the giant water rides at Raging Waters Sydney in Prospect, 10km west of Parramatta. Or feel the wind in your hair flying through the forest on the world’s fastest zipline rollercoaster at TreeTops Adventure Park in Abbotsbury, to the south.
In Penrith you can tackle the rapids at Penrith Whitewater Stadium, blast out of the water at Jetpack Adventures or glide through the air at iFly Downunder’s indoor skydiving centre.
Burn off more energy at Parramatta Park, near the centre of the city, or Western Sydney Parklands, Australia’s largest urban park, covering 5,280 hectares and running for 27km from north to south. Explore gardens, feed ducks in lakes, clamber through playgrounds, pedal along bike tracks, meet fellow dog, fire up a barbecue… you won’t get bored here.
Eat Street, Parramatta Credit: Destination NSW
Global dining awaits on Eat Street in Parramatta.
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Eat Street, Parramatta Credit: Destination NSW
Global dining awaits on Eat Street in Parramatta.
Nick and Nora's, Parramatta Credit: Destination NSW
Bartender creating cocktails at Nick and Nora's bar in Parramatta.
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Nick and Nora's, Parramatta Credit: Destination NSW
Bartender creating cocktails at Nick and Nora's bar in Parramatta.
Where to discover culture
Australia’s second-oldest settlement after Sydney, Parramatta holds a treasure trove of heritage buildings, many dating back more than 200 years. History buffs will want to stop past Old Government House, the oldest public building in Australia; the Parramatta Female Factory, a former penal facility for women; the Governor’s Bath House; and Government Farm, the site of the colony’s first farm.
Fast-forward to the present day and catch a musical, theatre or comedy show at the multi-venue Riverside Theatres. Then step back in time again at the Skyline Drive In Blacktown, the only one of its kind remaining in Sydney. Pull up the car, grab a burger from retro diner and settle in for a blockbuster or cult classic.
Where to shop
Westfield Parramatta is not for the indecisive — this mega-mall is among the largest of its kind in Australia, packed with more than 500 stores. Come here for everything from high-end fashion and jewellery to electronics, sports gear, toys, books and fresh food.
More fresh food awaits at any number of Western Sydney’s produce markets. On Fridays, the open-air Parramatta Farmers Market is held in Centenary Square, the site of the city’s original food market dating back to 1791. Producers from across the state converge to sell fruit and vegetables, flowers and honey, not to mention just-baked breads and handmade pastas.
Where to stay
It’s hard to beat the location of the Parkroyal Parramatta, its modern rooms sitting pretty on the banks of the Parramatta River in the heart of the city. There’s a bar and restaurant, but you’re also just steps from some of the city’s top dining haunts.
Also well located is Skye Hotel Suites Parramatta, replete with spacious studios plus one- and two-bedroom suites, all self-contained with separate living areas, kitchenettes and laundries. While you’ll feel at home, the property comes with luxe creature comforts including a kitted-out gym and dreamy outdoor pool.
Travel 15km south of Parramatta to check in to the equine-themed The William Inglis Hotel. This boutique lodging sits in the centre of an enormous racing and stables complex, its 144 sleek rooms only outshone by the rooftop pool.
Old Government House, Parramatta Credit: Destination NSW
Site of the heritage-listed Old Government House, Parramatta.
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Old Government House, Parramatta Credit: Destination NSW
Site of the heritage-listed Old Government House, Parramatta.
Skye Suites, Parramatta Credit: Destination NSW
The 25-metre outdoor pool at Skye Suites, Parramatta.
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Skye Suites, Parramatta Credit: Destination NSW
The 25-metre outdoor pool at Skye Suites, Parramatta.
More Inspirational Stories
Corowa Whisky & Chocolate, CorowaCredit: Destination NSW
Couple enjoying a visit to Corowa Whisky & Chocolate, Corowa.
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Feast on the riches of one of Australia’s most important food bowls on a road trip through the Murray, named after the mighty river that flows through this southwest area of New South Wales. Float down the river on a historic paddlesteamer wine cruise, stop by farm gates to sample incredible fresh produce, and dine at chic restaurants and bars in this unique culinary playground.
Take the back roads for gourmet treats
Head off the beaten path along The Backroads Trail, a 250km driving route that passes through the small pastoral towns of Barham, Moama, Mathoura and Deniliquin on the upper reaches of the Murray River. Sink your teeth into fresh olives, avocados, free-range pork, honey and citrus fruit from farm gates along its loops and trails, and taste the region’s wines at vineyards such as Restdown Wines. While you’re at this winery, venture out along the Restdown Wetland Walk to encounter Aboriginal cooking hearths and an old sheep camp.
Cruise along to The Old School Winery & Meadery in Womboota to pick up wine, pottery and honey mead. Or seek out Ivy Joyce in Barham to indulge in a warm space, offering local produce from farms for a truly paddock to plate experience in the heart of Murray River country. For more snacks and meaty fare such as British-style pork pies and sausages, head to Pacdon Park’s factory shop in Moama.
You can work up an appetite as you build your own itinerary on the theme of food, paddocks and produce, and find suggested routes and maps to Murray River farm gates, at the Echuca Moama Visitor Centre.
Wine and dine along the river
Embark on a wine tour by water in Moama, where the first steamboats made their way up the Murray in 1853. Take a Murray River Paddlesteamers Wharf to Winery Cruise from the town to Morrisons Riverview Winery for a leisurely lunch. Or drive along the river, stopping in at Three Black Sheep for risotto and woodfired pizzas, and tasting crisp dry whites and full-flavoured reds at St Anne’s Vineyards, where you can nibble on a cheese platter overlooking a scenic lake.
Head east along the riverside roads to rest and recharge in the town of Tocumwal, known for its riverside beaches, golf courses, glider flying and iconic Big Murray Cod statue. Start the following day with a solid foundation of breakfast pizza (topped with bacon, eggs and a hash brown) at The Old Bank and indulge in a scoop of ice-cream or sorbet from Tocumwal Ice Creamery – flavours include rocky road, green apple or macadamia. If you’re in town on a Saturday, pick up honey, fruit, vegetables, olive oil, dressings and other condiments made by local producers at the Tocumwal Foreshore Markets.
Continue your odyssey along the river to Corowa, the birthplace of Australian Federation. Immerse in the town’s rich turn-of-the-20th-century colonial heritage as you make your way to the former 1920s flour mill housing Corowa Distilling Co. Here you can book a whisky tasting and behind-the-scenes tour and buy locally made chocolates and sweets from sister shop Junee Licorice and Chocolate Factory. Work off an indulgent afternoon with a walk along the river before settling into the stylish Circa 1936 hotel, which is housed in an Art Deco former bank on the main street of Corowa.
Celebrate regional ingredients in Albury
From Corowa, follow the Riverina Highway eastward to the city of Albury, a food, wine and culture hub. Taste how seasonality and locality are expressed at The Proprietor, a former butcher shop turned cafe offering brunch treats such as fruit toast with Beechworth honey and whipped ricotta, and banana waffles with Gundowring vanilla ice-cream. Or try the all-day breakfast offering at Mr Benedict, from cheesy bacon waffle with popcorn chicken to one of its signature eggs benedicts, including one with cider-braised ham hock.
At The River Deck restaurant, local ingredients are celebrated alongside stunning river views, and dishes may include chicken Caesar salad with Milawa eggs or beef brisket braised in coffee by Albury roaster The Brothers Cup. At tiny and elegant Bistro Selle, complement warm Gooramadda olives with a buttery Australian chardonnay and fresh market fish. Yardbird offers a bold-flavoured menu featuring dishes like scorched Albacore tuna, along with meats grilled in a Spanish woodfired oven.
In between meals, stroll along the Yindyamarra Sculpture Walk and take in the contemporary artworks by Aboriginal artists that line the Wagirra Trail. Meander through the Murray Art Museum Albury’s contemporary photographic collection, Aboriginal art and works by renowned Australian artist Sir Russell Drysdale. Afterwards, order lunch or dinner at the museum’s excellent Canvas Eatery – try the saltbush lamb rump or one of their Neapolitan-style pizzas.
The Old School Winery & Meadery, Womboota Credit: Destination NSW
Couple taste tasting mead at The Old School Winery & Meadery, Womboota
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The Old School Winery & Meadery, Womboota Credit: Destination NSW
Couple taste tasting mead at The Old School Winery & Meadery, Womboota
Morrison's Riverview Winery and Restaurant, Moama Credit: Destination NSW
Food and wine available from Morrison's Riverview Winery and Restaurant, Moama.
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Morrison's Riverview Winery and Restaurant, Moama Credit: Destination NSW
Food and wine available from Morrison's Riverview Winery and Restaurant, Moama.
Corowa Whisky & Chocolate, Corowa Credit: Destination NSW
Corowa Whisky & Chocolate located in a 1920âs old flour mill in Corowa.
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Corowa Whisky & Chocolate, Corowa Credit: Destination NSW
Corowa Whisky & Chocolate located in a 1920âs old flour mill in Corowa.
Canvas Eatery, Albury Credit: Destination NSW
Food and wine available at Canvas Eatery in Albury.
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Canvas Eatery, Albury Credit: Destination NSW
Food and wine available at Canvas Eatery in Albury.