NRMA

Love bushwalking? Head to the Blue Mountains

A 90-minute drive from Sydney, the Blue Mountains is like a balm for bushwalking enthusiasts with its famed eucalypt forests interlaced with series of trails for all abilities.

Delve into the park along any of its tracks and you’ll soon discover why this World Heritage site draws walkers back time and again. This place has it all, from heart-pumping multi-day odysseys to short strolls that remind you to disconnect from the world for a while.

Walkers with gusto will revel in the challenge of Mount Solitary Walking Track where they’ll traipse through rainforest, witness wondrous valley views, and navigate the precipice of Mount Solitary, over a total of 12km.

Those with little walkers in tow can take in the renowned Three Sisters landmark on the Three Sisters Walk, suitable for the whole family. Somewhere in the middle is Grand Canyon Track, a historic 6.3km loop that will see you sidle past waterfalls in the depths of a canyon shrouded by rainforest.

Love stargazing? Head to Coonabarabran

Sitting on the fringes of Warrumbungle National Park, Australia’s first designated Dark Sky Park, Coonabarabran is considered the stargazing capital of Australia. This unassuming country town lures astronomers from all over the country with its pristine conditions and proximity to some of Australia’s biggest and best telescopes promising remarkable celestial views.

There’s an array of observatories in the area, with Siding Spring Observatory and Milroy Observatory being two of the most popular. Siding Spring Observatory has the country’s largest optical telescopes while Milroy Observatory guides budding astronomers through sightings of far-off galaxies, nebulae and star clusters.

Visit during Labour Day long weekend in October for the annual Star Fest at Siding Spring Observatory and you’ll have the chance to chat with astronomers about their research projects and explore the entire observatory.

Love natural wonders? Head to Mungo National Park

In the far reaches of South West New South Wales lies the World Heritage-Listed Willandra Lakes Region, a place of dramatic landscapes, rugged beauty, and cultural significance.

This is the outback, where vivid blue skies meet stark desert terrain; the kind of place you go to be truly awed by nature. At the heart of it all is Mungo National Park. Here, dust meets skin and an otherworldly terrain steers visitors towards a steadfast appreciation for the elements, starting with the park’s magnificent Walls of China – diminutive pinnacles formed by thousands of years of earth, wind and erosion.

Dried salt water lake beds also scatter the park, having not seen water for thousands of years. Mixed with these impressive feats of nature is one of the world’s most significant anthropological discoveries: two of the world’s earliest examples of ritual burial, Mungo Man and Mungo Lady.

Love surfing? Head to Pacific Palms

Pacific Palms is home to some of the best breaks in the state. Legendary Boomerang Beach and Blueys Beach both call this stretch of the Barrington Coast home, with other gems like Seal Rocks and Seven Mile Beach also within driving distance.

Boomerang Beach is hands down the pick of the bunch, its rock ledges responsible for the beach’s famed ‘perfect’ wave that see national surfing championships held here. Just over three hours from Sydney, Pacific Palms is the ideal distance for an Endless Summer style long weekend – particularly in the summer months when surfing conditions are at their best.

Love beaches? Head to Jervis Bay

For those partial to spreading their towel on impossibly white sand, Jervis Bay is utopia. Australia’s famously white Hyams Beach sits pretty here, consistently named as having the whitest sand in the world.

A must-visit for any sun-worshiper, yes, but don’t expect to have this dazzling crescent all to yourself. If a desert island feel is more your vibe, venture further south to Murrays Beach where the sand is just as blinding but you won’t have to hustle for space.

These are by no means your only choices; Jervis Bay is studded with gems, a bit like beach bingo, with a stunning bay around every corner. Greenfield Beach is tucked away in Jervis Bay National Park, offering gin- clear water and velvety sand that welcomes you like a warm hug; Blenheim Beach is a tiny pocket of perfection where you can sidle onto crowd-free sands from the dense bushland that borders the beach; and Chinamans Beach is an often overlooked wonder.

If you like your beach days served with a side of adventure, take on the White Sands walk, a 2.5-kilometre trail that winds its way through the best patches of sand in Jervis Bay National Park.

Love gourmet seafood? Head to Merimbula

Merimbula sits in the heart of the Sapphire Coast Oyster Trail, one of Australia’s leading oyster producing regions.

The Oyster Trail starts at Wonboyn Lake, touring through Pambula Lake, Merimbula Lake and Nelson Lagoon before finishing at Wapengo Lake, encompassing five local estuaries expertly nurturing these mollusc delicacies.

Meet the farmers and feast on some of the freshest oysters you’re likely to wrap your lips around. Oysters have been a part of Merimbula’s history since the 1920s, farmed at Merimbula lake where oysters naturally thrive without intervention thanks to the ebb and flow of the estuary’s tidal exchange.

Today, the lake is home to an impressive array of local oyster farms growing the native Sydney Rock Oyster and Angasi Oyster (also known as Australian Flat Oyster).

Love islands? Head to Lord Howe Island

Craving an island getaway? Lord Howe Island is close enough you can squeeze a trip into a long weekend yet removed enough from the mainland for the illusion of a South Pacific escape.

Vibrant aquamarine hues of the surrounding UNESCO World Heritage marine park quickly train your brain to forget the humdrum of everyday life. Close to 100 coral species and more than 400 fish species call this marine park home; diving and snorkelling its depths reveals a kaleidoscope of wonders.

Hike along the Seven Peaks Walk for an all-encompassing view of the island, which, with lush green mountains soaring out of a brilliant lazuli lagoon, bears an uncanny resemblance to Bora Bora.

This article first appeared online at MyNRMA.