Visit New South Wales

Australia's premier state, New South Wales, is the oldest state in the country. It covers an area approximately twice the size of Britain, and is home to around a third of Australia's population.

The early years saw settlement concentrated in the area immediately surrounding the capital of Sydney, before a passage through the Blue Mountains was discovered in 1813. After that, the plains to the west were opened up to free settlers who ran sheep, and fortune seekers who discovered gold near Bathurst.

Today, the vast majority of the New South Wales population lives along the thousand kilometres of coastline, stretching from the relaxed golden beaches of Tweed Heads in the north to the exceptional diving and fishing shores of Eden on the Victorian border.

The year-round mild climate draws visitors to the coast to enjoy the sandy surf beaches, coastal lagoons, estuaries and bays, with popular resort villages at Byron Bay, Port Macquarie and Coffs Harbour.

The Great Dividing Range runs parallel to the coast, featuring pockets of National Park forest and building to become the Snowy Mountains in the Australian Capital Territory. The Range offers rich opportunities for adventure activities, from snow sports to cycling, caving, rafting, kayaking and horse riding - loads to get your heart racing!

West of the Range, the country gradually fades to become the desert-like outback region, featuring the mining towns of Broken Hill and Lightning Ridge. Explore the raw beauty of the area and discover hidden rock pools, ancient Aboriginal art, forgotten ghost towns and colourful local characters.