New South Wales Food & Wine

Land in Sydney and jet off on an exhilarating seaplane flight over the harbour, taking in the picture postcard vistas of the twinkling blue water, framed by the Sydney Opera House and Harbour Bridge below. Your flight includes a delicious lunch at Catalina Restaurant Rose Bay, which specialises in high quality, line-caught fish and seafood. Try the fresh sushi and sashimi or oysters, shucked to order. Back on solid ground take some time to explore the parks and gardens of this diverse city.

Soak up the scenic delights of the dramatic Blue Mountains, so-called due to the indigo-hued mist that emanates from the eucalyptus forests. Here, majestic rock formations such as the triple-peaked Three Sisters and the cliffs of Mount Solitary attract plenty of visitors, and one of the best ways to see them is on foot. Don’t leave the area before looking around the Jenolan Caves, a collection of ten enormous caverns filled with intriguing limestone formations.

Spend lazy days gazing out over golden vineyards and tasting top-quality wines in the Hunter Valley, an area of gently rolling hills, quaint towns and villages, and some fantastic locally-produced delicacies. Complement your wine-tasting with various cheeses, olives and artisan chocolates, or try a craft beer or two. But the true highlight of your stay in the Hunter Valley will be a peaceful hot air balloon ride over the vines, followed by a decadent champagne celebration.

Leave the mainland behind and jet off to the dense forests and jagged rock formations of Lord Howe Island, 600 kilometres east of the mainland. At just 11 kilometres by two kilometres, Lord Howe is a small island, but big on natural wonders among its rare birdlife and tropical plant-filled forests. Boasting crystal clear waters and a stunning coral reef, Lord Howe Island is a great place to discover more than 500 fish species that inhabit the undersea world, whether that’s by glass bottomed boat, snorkel, diving or kayak.

Return to Sydney for one more night. Browse for last-minute souvenirs on Market Street or check out the sculptures and paintings in the Art Gallery of NSW. Later on, head down to the Rocks and test out the restaurants, or head to a swanky bar or two in Darling Harbour. Watch the sun set from the top of the Sydney Tower and see the lights of the city skyscrapers come alive. Perhaps even catch an evening performance of opera or dance at the Sydney Opera House – what a treat!