WE UNCOVER THE BEST OF NSW THIS MONTH
EAT – BOTANIC HOUSE SYDNEY
The dining venues at The Royal Botanic Garden Sydney have recently reopened after an extensive renovation. Chef Luke Nguyen is having fun playing with South East Asian and Australian flavours on the menu of Botanic House. Try dumplings and pork belly congee for brunch and wok-tossed black Angus with native pepper and oyster sauce for lunch. The space has plenty of natural light, blonde wood and an abstract mural on one wall. The more casual venue downstairs, Farm Cove Eatery, has also been refreshed – featuring bright salads and burgers for lunch, as well as grab-and-go options. Visit botanichouse.com.au
Murchessons Equine has teamed up with two boutique wineries in the Hunter Valley to create a unique tour combining horse riding and wine tasting. You don’t need any experience on horses to take part – the operators are very experienced and each tour starts with a riding briefing. Choose from a brunch ride or the afternoon trek – both take you to Wynwood cellar door and Hanging Tree Vineyard for a tasting and tour. The Equine Wine & Dine Tour adds a gourmet lunch or picnic at voco Kirkton Park. Murchessons also offers pony rides for kids and individual riding lessons. Visit murchessons.com.au
TOUR – SWIM WITH THE WHALES
Dive Jervis Bay is offering a new experience – to swim with the whales as they migrate back down the coast. September and October are the best months to see these curious, intelligent creatures as they swim back to the cooler waters of Antarctica after breeding. Groups will have a maximum of 10 people; it is up to the whales to come up to snorkellers, who must remain 30 metres away. Watch these majestic creatures play in the water – an unforgettable experience. Visit divejervisbay.com
A new dining hub in Sydney’s South-West brings together four exciting restaurants, open seven days a week. The Paper Mill is housed in a heritage building with original brickwork, which has been restored with the additions of steel and stone accents and bespoke timber joinery. On offer are eateries Shepherd’s Lane Café and Dessert Bar for coffee and pastries, Georgia’s Pizza and Bar for wood-fired pizza, Charcoal Joe’s Lebanese Chicken, and The Firepit Meat and Seafood for meats cooked over charcoal. Visit thepapermillfood.com
Orange welcomed a new 4.5 star boutique hotel last month, housed in a historically significant homestead built in 1896. The interiors feature an eclectic mix of bold colour, eye-catching textiles and contemporary art (including works from painter Lara Scolari and textile artist Natalie Miller). The signature room, the Yallungah Suite, has a separate lounge room, a private balcony overlooking the garden and a fireplace. A conference room for 16 people and a guest lounge to read the paper by the fire completes the picture. Visit byngstreethotel.com.au
Launching 6 September is a new shuttle service in the Blue Mountains that will take passengers along the Bells Line of Road between Katoomba and Richmond. Running twice a day, it will stop at Blue Mountains Botanic Garden Mount Tomah, Bilpin, Echo Point Lookout and The Hydro Majestic Blue Mountains. It has free Wi-Fi, USB charging ports and is air conditioned. The bus will leave from Katoomba at 9.30am and 1.50pm and Richmond at 11.40am and 4.10pm from Thursday to Monday. Visit facebook.com/botanicatouring
A Gourmet Guide to OrangeFor a taste of the good life, Orange in the Central West of New South Wales is a rural wonderland of wineries, designer hotels and just-picked produce.
Celebrate Spring at these Delightful Flower Festivals in NSWPlan a road trip to one of these four popular annual festivals, celebrating cherry blossoms, tulips, jacarandas and cool-climate gardens respectively.
SEPTEMBER 2019 EVENT GUIDE
SPOTLIGHT ON: KIAMA BODYBOARD KING PRO31 August - 8 September, Kiama The Kiama Bodyboard Slam is the third stop on the World Grand Slam Series and will see 100 of the best bodyboard athletes compete in the beautiful South Coast town of Kiama, which is known for its excellent conditions. Surrounding beaches will also be used, depending on conditions. It’s the only Association of Professional Bodyboarding (APB) World Tour event in Australia and it has been five years since it was last here. Make a weekend of it and explore the beautiful town, wander the Kiama Coast Walk, kayak in Minnamurra
River and do a spot of shopping in town. Visit visitnsw.com/kiama-bodyboard-king-pro
SYDNEY EVENT HIGHLIGHTS
1-30 September – The Sydney Fringe Festival
This year, the largest independent arts festival in NSW celebrates its 10th birthday. With over 400 productions across 21 postcodes, it showcases local and international artists and encourages new audiences to experience the independent arts. Visit sydneyfringe.com Until 8 September – Muriel’s Wedding The Musical
One of Australia’s most iconic films is now a laugh-out-loud musical. Follow Muriel Heslop’s journey to Sydney where she finds fame and fortune and more than she bargained for! With 20 original songs by Kate Miller-Heidke and Keir Nuttal, this is the toe-tapping, feel-good musical of the year. Visit murielsweddingthemusical.com
Until 8 September – Archibald, Wynne and Sulman Prizes 2019
The Archibald, Wynne and Sulman Prizes are amongst the most prestigious art awards in Australia and are held at the Art Gallery of NSW. Prizes are awarded to the best portrait painting; the best landscape or figure sculpture; and the best subject, genre or mural. Visit artgallery.nsw.gov.au/prizes 8 September – The Cabramatta Moon Festival
This is Sydney’s largest Asian festival, attracting more than 90,000 people each year with its food markets, live entertainment, rides, fireworks, lantern parade and fun competitions. Visit fairfieldcity.nsw.gov.au/moonfestival 8-29 September – Camden Festival
Enjoy a picnic in a historic park, see a film under the stars and try local produce at various events during the month in the South-West suburb of Sydney. Visit camden.nsw.gov.au 4-21 September – Sydney Latin American Film Festival
From the dark and mysterious, to the downright fun and profoundly beautiful, the 14th annual Sydney Latin American Film Festival presents a curated collection of features, short films and documentaries at venues across Sydney. The Cotton Wool War will be screened on the opening night fiesta. Visit sydneylatinofilmfestival.org 12-15 September – Sydney Contemporary
Australasia's largest premium contemporary art fair, with 93 galleries from around the globe, will showcase the work of over 450 leading artists from more than 34 countries at Carriageworks. There’ll also be engaging panel discussions and offerings from local restaurants. Visit sydneycontemporary.com.au 15 September – Blackmores Sydney Running Festival
The Blackmores Sydney Running Festival is a fantastic event comprising four running routes of different lengths that take in some of Sydney’s most stunning sites. It’s one of the only days in the year that pedestrians are allowed to walk or run across the main deck (the road) of the Sydney Harbour Bridge. Visit sydneyrunningfestival.com.au 20-22 September – Caravan Camping Outdoor Lifestyle Expo
On for three big days, with over 100 exhibitors, the Caravan Camping Outdoor Lifestyle Expo at Sydney Olympic Park is the ultimate way to check out what caravan and camping is all about, just in time for Summer. Visit caravanexpo.com Until 20 October – Australian Geographic Nature Photographer of the Year 2019
Witness nature at its most dramatic, graceful and unexpected with the stunning images from the Australian Geographic Nature Photographer of the Year, on display at the Museum of Applied Arts and Sciences. Visit maas.museum Until 20 October – Chicago the Musical
The razzle dazzle world of Chicago the Musical is playing at Sydney’s Capitol Theatre with show-stopping tunes, iconic Aussie performers and slick choreography. Roxie Hart is played by Natalie Bassingthwaighte, while Casey Donovan hits the stage as Matron ‘Mama’ Morton. Visit chicagothemusical.com.au
REGIONAL EVENT HIGHLIGHTS
5-8 September – Peter Allen Festival
The Peter Allen Festival honours the legendary performer in his hometown of Tenterfield, with arts, culture, singing, song writing, theatre, dance and entertainment. Visit thepeterallenfestival.com.au 7 September - 7 October – Mudgee Wine and Food Festival
Celebrate the bounty of the Mudgee region at the Mudgee Wine and Food Festival. There’s a huge range of events including live music, tastings, lunches, dinners, tours and the headline Flavours of Mudgee street festival on 28 September. Visit visitmudgeeregion.com.au 11-15 September – Write Around The Murray
Visit Albury Wadonga for five days of storytelling at this welcoming literary festival. Hear author talks, participate in workshops, eat delicious food and see exhibitions – there are plenty of events for children too. Visit writearoundthemurray.org.au 13-15 September – Broken Heel Festival
Desert, disco and plenty of divas combine at the Broken Heel Festival in Broken Hill. A homage to Priscilla Queen of the Desert with comedy, cabaret, live music and lots of social activities, this year hosted by Philmah Bocks and Art Simone. Visit bhfestival.com 14 September – End2End Festival
Hunter Valley Wine Country’s most famous wineries come together for the End2End Festival with local gourmet food, live music, celebrity chefs, semillon and seafood, and boutique brews. Visit end2endfestival.com.au 14-22 September – Eden Caravan Muster
Head to the gorgeous Sapphire Coast for eight days of food, wine, entertainment and adventure. With daily yoga classes, markets, an open-air cinema, live music, craft beers and more. Bring your caravan, camping gear or stay in local accommodation. Visit edencaravanmuster.com.au 21 September – Riverfest BBQ & Beer Festival
Come out of hibernation this Spring at Riverfest BBQ & Beer Festival at Dubbos’ Lazy River Estate and enjoy barbeques, brews and live music. Visit lazyriverestate.com.au 21 September – Grazing Down the Lachlan
Seven food stations are set up along an old stock run beside the river for Grazing Down the Lachlan, a degustation evening under the creative direction of highly respected chef O Tama Carey from Lankan Filling Station in Sydney. Visit grazingdownthelachlan.com 22 September – Cherry Blossom Long Lunch
Sit down for the 70th year of this spectacular lunch in Young, with exceptional Hilltops food and wine served on trestle tables in the middle of a flowering cherry blossom orchard. Visit visithilltopsregion.com.au 24 September - 7 October – Tulip Time
Now in its 59th year, Tulip Time in Bowral is one of Australia's biggest floral festivals, attracting tens of thousands of visitors. There’s a street parade and mass planting of more than 75,000 tulip bulbs and 15,000 annuals at Corbett Gardens. This year’s theme is Mary Poppins. Visit southern-highlands.com.au/tulip-time 13-15 September – South Coast Food and Wine Festival
Celebrate the South Coast’s fantastic produce at this festival held in Berry. Attend a cheese or doughnut masterclass, meet farmers and learn about their produce and taste the delicious food of the region. Visit southcoastfoodandwinefestival.com.au
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