As spring turns to summer, NSW turns on holiday mode. Book a relaxing escape at a restorative retreat, get close to nature on birdwatching tours and wildflower walks, dive deeper into Indigenous culture through food and art, and see a NSW-first accessible hot air-balloon take flight.

ACCOMMODATION

Country Zen

A new place to switch off, let go and totally relax, Zensi Retreat opens this month just outside of Mudgee. Located on 33 acres of farmland, the luxurious accommodation includes a nature-inspired house for up to 10 people, a romantic villa for couples, teepees for glampers and a wellness space with a yoga room with sweeping views of the surrounding countryside.

Art Deco apartments

Step back in time to the 1920s at the Riverina’s new boutique apartment hotel, Rooms of Renown. Located within a heritage building (the former Renown Refreshment Rooms of 1920) in the town of Leeton, the apartments combine Art Deco décor with modern and luxurious finishings – think jungle wallpaper, velvet furniture, gilded accessories – as well as deluxe kitchenettes and ensuites.

Soul-restoring retreat

Escape to a nature haven at new Sapphire Coast retreat, The River. Located on 50 acres of land just south of Eden, and surrounded by national park, the secluded property caters for up to eight guests across three lodges. Each self-contained lodge features fully equipped kitchens, flax linen bedding, organic wool mattresses and firepits to enjoy the uninterrupted night sky.

FOOD AND DRINK

Native dining

There’s a new native ingredient haven in Mudgee – Huntington Estate’s dining space has relaunched as The Garden Bar & Kitchen by Indigiearth. The latest collaboration by Ngemba Weilwan woman Sharon Winsor’s native ingredient food company, the menu includes native cheese platters, inspired desserts, green ant G&Ts and more.

EXPERIENCES

Bird’s-eye views for all

A first of its kind in NSW, Balloon Aloft is taking wheelchair users to the sky. Its new accessible hot-air balloon flies over the Hunter Valley on a one-hour tour. It features an easy-access door and customised seating and harnesses for anyone with limited mobility. The tour also includes transfers from the meeting location at Peterson House to the launch site aboard a wheelchair-accessible vehicle.

New tours for twitchers

Spot some of the Sapphire Coast’s 200 bird species on one of Tiny Zoo’s new birdwatching tours in Tathra. Find beginner bird-watching workshops, private half- or full-day tours, and a Birdwatching and Beers tour that includes morning tea and lunch at a local brewery. Tours include local ecologist guides and return transfers to your accommodation or cruise ship.

Indigenous art in the Blue Mountains

Celebrating the beauty, richness and depth of Australia's Indigenous culture, Bilingarra is a new art gallery and cultural space in Lithgow by Wiradjuri artist Brett Groves. The space holds art workshops, displays original paintings by Groves, and sells native foods, Indigenous Nations maps and gifts.

Flower season in the Snowies

As the snow melts, the Snowy Mountains become carpeted in colour; wildflower season officially kicks off in Kosciuszko National Park in December. Head out on one of the park’s many summer hiking trails to see anemone buttercups, billy buttons, alpine sunrays and more in bloom, from the easy downhill Merritts Nature walk to the 19km guided Alpine Lakes Hike.

NSW Tourism Awards 2023

The NSW Tourism Awards for 2023 were announced this month, with some of the most outstanding winners in the state taking home an award. Contained In Nimbin won gold in the New Tourism Business category; Husk Farm Distillery won gold in the Tourism Wineries, Distilleries & Breweries category; and Crank It Up Festival, Batemans Bay was the recipient of the Judges’ Tourism Star Award, a special prize to reward resilience and innovation. The awards are managed by the NSW Tourism Industry Council powered by Business NSW, the state’s peak business organisation, and supported by the NSW Government’s tourism and major events agency, Destination NSW.