New South Wales Top Things To Do

Dolphin watching
Go dolphin and humpback whale watching; you can spot migrating whales along the coast and good places include Cape Byron between June and August and Hervey Bay between mid July and late October.

Surf
Do as the locals do and strut your stuff at world-famous beaches such as Bondi and Manly in Sydney. Surf with the big boys at Bronte, Coogee, Collaroy, Palm and Byron Bay beaches.  Port Macquarie and Coff's coast in the north of the state are great surfing territories with Scott Dillon's Legends Surf Museum the ideal place to visit when on dry land.

Sydney Hobart Yacht Race
Watch the annual yacht race (http://rolexsydneyhobart.com) from Sydney to Hobart in Tasmania, starting on 26 December and covering over 2,000km (1,250 miles). The first day at Sydney Harbour attracts huge crowds and spectator craft, generating a great atmosphere as the fleet sets sail.

Watersports in Port Macquarie
Couple stunning scenery with nail-biting fun by windsurfing, kayaking and white-water rafting in the Great Lakes district; its most popular resort is Port Macquarie, a sophisticated town set in a deluge of greenery with a large koala population.

Drive
The Grand Pacific Drive (www.grandpacificdrive.com.au) takes you from Sydney to Wollongong, down to Shoalhaven, through coastal rainforest, villages and across the vast Sea Cliff Bridge. Alternatively, the Greater Blue Mountains Drive (www.greaterbluemountainsdrive.com.au) is linked with discovery trails to help you appreciate this World Heritage Area.

Mardi Gras
Indulge in the queen of all festivals, the world-famous Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras (www.mardigras.org.au). Held in February, highlights of the two-week event include the launch, the Oxford Street parade and post-parade event and Harbour party.

Go Skiing
Ski, cross-country ski or snowboard in the Great Dividing Range and the Snowy Mountains: the season generally runs from June to October. Thredbo (www.thredbo.com.au) has the longest and best ski runs.

Climb or trek
Rock climbing and mountain walking attract visitors to Warrumbungle National Park whose ‘Grand High Tops' track through the remnants of ancient volcanoes ranks high among Australia's most spectacular walks. Trek through rainforest communities in Mount Warning National Park.

Skywalk
Step onto the Skywalk (www.skywalk.com.au) at the top of Sydney Tower which enables the brave to literally 'walk across the city skyline', along glass overhangs 268m (880ft) above the ground. Enjoy views as far afield as the Central Coast and the Blue Mountains.

Wine tasting
Sniff, swirl and sip some exceptional Australian wine in the Hunter Valley wine district (www.winecountry.com.au), famous for wine makers such as Wyndham Estate, Rosemount and McGuigans; the Hunter Valley has over 140 wineries and many restaurants. It is a two-hour drive north of Sydney and is Australia's oldest wine region.

See Contact Addresses for further tourist information.