No Images? Click here What's New in NSWAutumn is officially here, and it’s the perfect time to get out and see more of NSW. Spend a night in a shipping container hotel room on a harbour island, hit the Royal Easter Show for some family fun, experience the Snowy Mountains without the snow and walk to the top of Australia. There’s nowhere like NSW! Please contact us for access to any content or visual assets mentioned in this edition. New Food and WineCelebrity chef Luke Mangan is opening Luke's Kitchen in the space formerly occupied by his MOJO by Luke Mangan restaurant on Waterloo’s Danks Street. Don’t expect to see nachos on the menu at Neil Perry’s new Bar Patron By Rockpool, a Mexican restaurant and tequila bar at Circular Quay, serving authentic Mexican food. On the North Coast, Byron Bay’s Foxy Luu’s is dishing up Asian street food, and in the Southern Highlands, Eden Brewery in Mittagong is all about craft beer, enjoyed with food from visiting food trucks. At the Blue Mountains Botanic Gardens Mt Tomah, The Potager restaurant has reopened after a smart refurbishment. In the pretty South Coast town of Berry, the Little Rae General Store has been reborn as Queen Street Eatery, serving rustic French food. New AccommodationIn Surry Hills, the very slick Paramount House Hotel has opened in the former headquarters of the Paramount Picture Company on Commonwealth Street. The building is also home to the Golden Age Cinema, The Locals Market selling seasonal fruit and veg, and The Paramount Coffee Project. The former Rockford Darling Harbour has undergone a total renovation and has reopened as Novotel Sydney Darling Square. Each of the hotel’s 230 rooms has a new colour scheme and lighting inspired by the nearby Chinese Garden of Friendship. In the Yass Valley, the 50-room Abode Hotel Murrumbateman has opened, with a design nod to the grand pastoral homesteads of rural Australia, and is made up of a series of linked pavilions and features a guest lounge, communal kitchen and bicycles to explore Murrumbateman on two wheels. New ExperiencesA pop-up hotel with a difference has opened on Cockatoo Island. The adults-only Contained Pop-up Hotel Suites are created from former shipping containers and feature luxury furniture and fabrics, Latin American food and cocktails and a plunge pool. There are more temporary glamping experiences to be had at Coolendel’s Flash Camp, on the Shoalhaven River, where bell tents are luxuriously appointed with mattresses, bedding, toiletries, crockery and glassware, brazier, furniture and lighting. And at Oberon’s Mayfield Garden, from 23 March to 30 April, Glamping in the Garden includes dinner for two at the Mayfield Farmers BBQ as well as accommodation in tents. Unwind at beautiful Halcyon House on the North Coast at Cabarita, at the newly opened Halcyon Spa offering a range of treatments to unite mind, body and spirit. Image credit: Kara Rosenlund. Images of these experiences are available at our online gallery. The Snowies - So Much MoreImages of the Snowy Mountains are available at our online gallery. A video of the Snowy Mountains is available to download. The Snowy Mountains region is known for its fantastic ski and snow adventures, but the fun continues year-round as the area transforms into a playground for those who love to walk, cycle, ride horses, fish and camp. Explore the region’s alpine driving routes, with spectacular scenery at every turn, fine food, sparkling wine, and locally-brewed beer and schnapps. Here are 10 ways to get the best out of the Snowies in the Autumn, Spring and Summer. 1. Walk to the top of Australia! Trek to 2,228 metres to the top of our highest peak, Mt Kosciuszko. The Mount Kosciuszko Summit Walk starts from Charlotte Pass or Thredbo, and is a moderate grade, six to eight-hour return trip from Charlotte Pass and four to five hours from Thredbo. Along the way you’ll see Lake Cootapatamba, Australia’s highest lake, blooming wildflowers and panoramic mountain views. K7 Adventures and Mt Kosciuszko Walks offer guided walks to the top, and at Lake Crackenback Resort & Spa, you can combine wilderness walks with a stay in a luxury lakeside resort. There are many other walking routes available. 2. Explore Yarrangobilly Caves, a complex network of six caves formed from a 440 million-year-old band of limestone. Look out for stalagmites, stalactites and cave corals. Above ground, take the nearby river walk to the thermal pool, which stays at a year-round temperature of 27 degrees. 3. Cycling in the NSW Snowy Mountains offers spectacular views of Australia’s highest peaks, alpine lakes and forests, and giant boulders on the rolling Monaro Plains. Hire a bike or take your own on the Kosciuszko Express Chairlift, from November to May, enjoy the spectacular views and then ride on the famous Thredbo Downhill Bike Run. Other rides include the Thredbo Valley Track, the Geehi Reservoir Ride and Cascade Hut Trail. For those with tired legs, Lake Crackenback Resort & Spa is offering electric bikes for hire; great for tackling the hillier sections of the beautiful trails around the resort. 4. The Snowy Mountains Hydro-Electric Scheme is an engineering marvel; made up of seven power stations (two underground), 16 major dams and more than 140kms of trans-mountain tunnels. Visit the Snowy Hydro Discovery Centre to see how the ambitious project was realised. 5. The pristine waters of the lakes, rivers and water catchments of the Snowy Mountains are great fishing spots for recreational anglers. Fishing in most rivers and streams is allowed between October and the June long weekend, when melting snow creates crystal-clear waterways teeming with trout and native fish such as Murray cod and golden perch. On Steve Williamson’s Trout Fishing Adventures fishing guides will teach and guide anglers in fly, lure and bait fishing. At Lake Eucumbene, anglers can hook a rainbow trout, brown trout or fine Atlantic salmon. Visit Eucumbene Trout Farm and Gaden Trout Hatchery to see how these cold-water sport fish are bred. 6. The Snowy Mountains High Country is the perfect location for a horse-riding adventure. Guided rides vary from an hour to full or multi-day treks combined with camping in locations including Kosciuszko National Park, Jindabyne, Bago State Forest and Tumut State Forest with Yarramba Horse Riding, Thredbo Valley Horse Riding, and Reynella Rides. 7. The Snowies is great for food and wine with wine tasting in the Tumbarumba wine region to food festivals celebrating local produce. Savour locally made ciders, schnapps and beer, and cool-climate wines and eat out at a great range of restaurants. Try Shut the Gate Winery in Berridale, Jindabyne Brewery, Crackenback Farm and Wildbrumby Schnapps Distillery. Visit Tumbarumba, the coolest wine region in the state, for cellar door tastings at Tumbarumba Wines Escape, Glenburnie Vineyard, Courabyra Wines, and Mannus Wines. 8. From white water rafting and kayaking on the Snowy River with Alpine River Tours, to leisurely paddling on Lake Jindabyne or river sledding on the Thredbo River, there are tours and kayak and canoe hire available across the region. 9. Stylish accommodation: High Noon View is a modern, minimalist apartment, a five-minute walk from Thredbo village, with an outstanding view of the High Noon ski field. At Elm Cottage in Tumut, Yellowbox is the newest of the five available cottages, overlooking the the Goobarragandra River, and is perfect for family and group holidays. While in Thredbo, boutique chalet The Eastern is set amongst Australian silvergums on the foothills of Mt Kosciuszko. 10. The Snowy Mountains is fantastic for scenic driving routes. On the Snowy Mountains Highway, which connects Tumut and Adaminaby, you’ll travel through the High Country, pass the Yarrangobilliy Caves, Blue Waterholes campground and walks, including to Landers Falls Lookout. Take your time driving the Kosciuszko Alpine Way which threads its way through valleys, Thredbo village, and Dead Horse Gap to Khancoban. Lower Snowy Drive takes in lookouts, campgrounds, picnic spots and views. The Wadbilliga Road drive is a 4WD touring route through Wadbilliga National Park and includes coastal foothills, rainforests and heathland. Lobs Hole Ravine 4WD Trail connects Jounama to Wallace Creek lookout through the northern regions of Kosciuszko National Park and is a great sightseeing tour for those who want to fish, walk, mountain bike or camp off the beaten track. For more information on the Snowy Mountains go to www.visitnsw.com. Easter in NSWThe Royal Easter Show in Sydney is a highlight among Easter events around NSW, and celebrates Australian country life with animal shows, agricultural competitions, food demonstrations, mini farms, sheep shearing, pony rides, fun fairs and much, much more. Tickets are on sale now. Here are some other ways to celebrate Easter in Sydney and NSW.
Opera Australia’s Handa Opera on Sydney Harbour ̶ La Bohème An Autumn and Winter of ArtsWhen the stage lights up at Handa Opera on the Harbour on 23 March, it will signal the start of an exciting few months of Autumn and Winter arts events. The Handa production of La Boheme is set in 1960s Paris, against a backdrop of social uprising and revolution, and features real snow. While opera buffs are captivated by this tragic love story, here are five other arts events to check out in Sydney and NSW. 1. The 21st Biennale of Sydney comes to town on 16 March for 12 weeks of art, ideas and conversation. Since it began, it has showcased the work of almost 1,800 artists from more than 100 countries, and has attracted more than 4 million visitors. 2. The Archibald Prize is an annual art prize awarded to the best portrait. Judged by trustees of the Art Gallery of NSW, where the popular exhibition of the finalists is held, related prizes include the Packing Room Prize (awarded by the gallery staff) and the ANZ People’s Choice, voted for by the public. The Archibald Prize Exhibition runs from 12 May to 9 September. 3. Driven by the thriving arts scene on the NSW South Coast, River of Art Moruya showcases the work of local and visiting artists. Now in its 13th year, the event comprises four days of art exhibitions and workshops in Moruya, Batemans Bay and Narooma between 17 and 20 May. 4. Australia’s biggest celebration of writing, the Sydney Writers Festival promises more than 400 events, attracting around 100,000 people for the week-long appreciation of words and ideas at Sydney’s Carriageworks. Writers, novelists and screenwriters from around the world will descend on the city for talks, workshops and book signings. 5. Celebrating the world’s best films, the Sydney Film Festival features film premieres, talks and parties, plus 12 films selected for the Official Competition and $60,000 prize money. The event is on 6 to 17 June at the State Theatre plus cinemas across the city. Truffle Season in NSWImages of truffle hunting at Macenmist Black Truffles & Wine are available at our online gallery. A video of a day in the life of truffle hunting is available to download. The much sought-after truffle is highly prized by foodies and, each Winter, the hunt is on to find them. Join the hunt, eat and shop for Australian truffles in NSW while enjoying a holiday in some of the State’s prettiest regions. How Truffles GrowTruffles are fungi that grow attached to the roots of trees; as the roots spread and the tree grows, truffles grow with them. As they ripen, they give off a strong scent which attracts animals to dig them up, allowing the truffle spores to spread and propagate. Traditionally, pigs were used to hunt truffles, because of their keen sense of smell; however, as they also love to eat truffles, and are reluctant to give them up, trained dogs are now more commonly used. To grow truffles, trees are inoculated by adding truffle spores to the roots of oak and hazel tree seedlings, which are planted on truffle farms, or truffieres. The ideal growing conditions are hot Summers and cold Winters, with frosts adding to the intensity of flavour, making the area around Yass, the Southern Highlands, the Blue Mountains, Snowy Mountains, home to Macenmist Black Truffles & Wine, and Central NSW perfect for truffle growing. The secret to a successful planting is spacing seedlings to allow the sun’s rays to warm the ground. Seedlings also need to be planted well away from other tree types in case different fungi on their root systems infect the truffle fungi. Truffles form in late Spring, grow through the Summer, ripen and are harvested in Winter; if it is a cold Autumn, the black truffle season can start in late May. As Winter begins, truffles get blacker and more pungent, and are finished by September. Although truffles are native to Australia, these varieties are largely inedible, except to native animals and birds, and so Australian truffle farmers (aka truffiers) produce the black or Perigold truffle, an introduced species from Europe. The first inoculated seedlings were planted in Australia in 1995, with truffles being found three years later. However, it was a decade before good quality, commercial quantities were harvested. Now, thanks to new technology and processes, growers consistently harvest truffles four to five years after planting. The black truffle remains the most widely cultivated, due to its flavour, and is most commonly served shaved over cooked food. Growers such as Terra Preta Truffles in Braidwood, sell their truffles at local markets between June and August and supply high-end restaurants. Where to Hunt for Truffles in NSW
Save the Date - Upcoming Sydney and NSW EventsSydney13 March-18 May: Start your day the energetic way with Samsung Powers Sunrise on the Steps, a series of yoga and circuit classes on the Sydney Opera House steps. The morning exercise program, which runs between 7am and 8am, is a 10-week program, fusing fitness with technology, led by a team of personal trainers. 7 April: At The Championships Royal Randwick, the best horses in the world compete for $20 million in prize money in races including the Australian Derby, and the Star Doncaster. 18 April-7 May: The 20th Spanish Film Festival gets underway celebrating the best of films in the Spanish language, at selected Sydney cinemas. 22 April: Part of National Youth Week, Art Meets West showcases Western Sydney’s best artists at an art market with live music and food. April 23-20 May: Sydney’s biggest annual comedy event, the Sydney Comedy Festival features hundreds of the world’s funniest new and established comedians taking to stage across the city. Regional NSW29 March-2 April: Presenting the biggest names in world music, the Byron Bay BluesFest presents more than 200 performances on multiple stages over five days, with camping for 6,000, food, drinks and children’s entertainment. It’s big. 6-15 April: Australia’s longest-running food festival, Orange F.O.O.D Week showcases the region’s seasonal food and wine and producers over 10 days at markets, dinners, lunches and more. 7 April: In its second year, Mayfield Garden’s AutumnFest is all about great music in beautiful surrounds accompanied by good food. 13 April-13 May: At Sculpture At Scenic World, see more than 35 artworks over five weekends in a rainforest transformed into an outdoor gallery. 21-29 April: Watch the skies come alive with colour and the roar of burners as a mass launch of hot-air balloons take flight at the Canowindra Balloon Challenge. Balloons of all shapes and sizes from all over the world are launched at 6.30am and 3.30pm daily. For further information regarding imagery and footage, please contact the DNSW PR team at media@dnsw.com.au. |