IT'S TIME TO START EXPLORING NSW

From coastal getaways to city staycations, there are plenty of ways to show your love for NSW’s tourism industry right now. Whether you’re after wine tasting, seeking natural wonders and adventure, or a much-needed dose of luxury life, NSW has it all in our own backyard. This month, graze the new menus making waves in Sydney, embark on an outdoor adventure for the long weekend, and get to know one of NSW’s foremost contemporary artists. Start planning your next adventure today — for more inspiration on how to #LoveNSW, go to sydney.com and visitnsw.com

Image: Explore the Royal Botanic Garden Sydney on a Bonza Bike Tour

Crown Sydney, Barangaroo

WHAT'S NEW IN NSW

• Crown Sydney has announced three new venues to add to its growing food and beverage line-up: opulent Cantonese restaurant Silks; waterfront world-class lobby bar The Waiting Room; and Epicurean, an open-kitchen experience featuring nine live cooking stations that span a variety of European and Asian cuisines and offer panoramic views of the Sydney Harbour Bridge. The hotel and venues are set to open in December 2020.

• Pier One Sydney has created a series of sensational experiences for the ultimate staycation in Sydney. Have a soiree with up to 10 friends on a stylish balcony with a backdrop of Sydney Harbour Bridge and private chef; get 50 per cent off on Sunday nights with the Suite Sundays offer; or book the all-inclusive Harbour Getaway Package, boasting breakfast for two, valet parking, cocktails on arrival and the option to upgrade to a four-course dinner package at hatted on-site restaurant, The Gantry.

• Get a 360-degree view of the city with Sydney360, a free virtual guide of the harbour, CBD and suburbs. The interactive technology is available to access on any device, allowing users to explore the city via stunning bird’s-eye view visuals. With additional video commentary from local history, nature and culture guides, users can navigate the best of Sydney virtually before planning their real-life itinerary.

The Baggy Green collection at the Bradman Museum & International Cricket Hall of Fame

• The Bradman Museum & International Cricket Hall of Fame in Bowral is now home to Shane Warne’s Baggy Green cap, which has raised more than $1 million for bushfire victims. Warne, legendary spin bowler, sold his Baggy Green through online auction in January. The iconic cap was purchased by the Commonwealth Bank, who displayed it at schools, clubs and community centres, before unveiling it at the Bradman Museum on the 112th anniversary of Bradman’s birth.
   

• Soak up the panoramic views of Bondi while enjoying a drink from the new foraged cocktail menu at North Bondi Fish. Featuring local botanicals found along the foreshore, you can sip a Seaside Martini made using sea fig, or a Fragoli Bellini infused with strawberry gum. To celebrate the new cocktail additions, the venue will also host a Bondi Foraging Tour on 10 October with urban forager Diego Bonetto, including lunch and cocktails.
   

• Inspired by the cosmopolitan dining scene in Tel Aviv, Ezra is Potts Point’s newest place to feast, offering a shareable menu that traverses Jewish, Mediterranean and Middle Eastern flavours. Order Ashkenazi-style chicken liver parfait, za'atar-spiced roasted cauliflower, lamb tagine and a baklava ice-cream sandwich, plus take your pick from a curated cocktail and wine list.

Forest’s kangaroo tartar at Byron at Byron

• After its recent multimillion-dollar upgrade, the Byron at Byron resort has unveiled its new restaurant Forest, serving contemporary Australian cuisine. Executive chef Etienne Karner, fresh from his role at Park Hyatt Sydney, says Forest’s menu is “a hyper-local ode to the area’s exceptional produce, artisans, and farmers,” with Ballina king prawns, Paroo kangaroo, Windaboo mushrooms and Coopers Shoot tomatoes just some of the sustainably sourced ingredients on offer.

• Perched on lush hilltops just south of Port Macquarie, Mansfield Estate is a 240-hectare eco-conscious retreat perfect for family adventures, picturesque weddings and business functions. Completely off-grid, the Grants Beach accommodation uses solar panels, water tanks and repurposed building materials to minimise their carbon footprint.

• Sydney’s first ever hop-on hop-off floating pub and dining experience is now setting sail from the city’s piers – the Harbour Bar & Restaurant is the latest offering from Captain Cook Cruises. The remodelled MV Sydney 2000 vessel will set sail daily from 12pm to 10:30pm, stopping at King Street Wharf, Darling Harbour and Circular Quay to collect and drop off guests. With lower and upper decks, the all-day floating bar offers casual waterfront dining, live acoustic music and spectacular 360-degree views.

High tea at The Hydro Majestic Hotel, Medlow Bath

• Get to know a hidden secret of the Blue Mountains, with a new shuttle between Katoomba and the secluded Megalong Valley by Fantastic Aussie Tours. Stopping at the cellar doors of Dryridge Estate and Megalong Creek Estate, guests can hop off for a wine tasting and explore part of the nearby Six Foot Track walking trail. An optional stop at the Hydro Majestic Hotel in Medlow Bath makes time for high tea and a history tour.

• Warakirri, a new café and retail shop by bush food and catering business Indigiearth, has opened in Mudgee to offer an Indigenous Australian twist on brunch. The menu weaves native Australian ingredients into classic café dishes – think wattleseed pancakes with sweet quandong sauce; a ham, cheese and bush tomato toastie; or a green ant and finger lime cheesecake.

The deluxe glamping tents at the Port Stephens Koala Sanctuary

• Hang with koalas in their natural habitat, with four-star glamping available among the gumtrees of the brand new Port Stephens Koala Sanctuary. Led by informative guides, guests can get a tree-top perspective on the skywalk, learn more on a sanctuary story walk, and visit injured koalas at the new Koala Hospital.     

• Get the kids exploring with the Kiama Passport for Kids, a fun guidebook filled with local itineraries, activities, colouring-in pages, stickers and a wildlife catalogue designed by local graphic designer Melissa Mylchreest. Created to encourage mindful adventuring for little travellers on the South Soast, you can pick one up at the Kiama Visitors Information Centre, The Bookshop Kiama or online.

• In addition to their premium cabins and glamping facilities, Bonny Hills Holiday Park on the Mid North Coast has launched 26 new campsites for families to pitch their tents or park their trailers this spring. There are 11 new astroturf sites and 15 new powered turf sites, with glimpses of the ocean and plenty of shady trees.

The interactive Love NSW Map

HIT THE ROAD WITH THE LOVE NSW MAP

Travel fantasies can now become reality with the newly launched interactive Love NSW Map that allows users to build their own bespoke NSW road trip itineraries. Filter and bookmark dream destinations and experiences to compile in a personal virtual trip scrapbook, ready to go when you next hit the road. Wineries? Check. Whale watching? Got it. Ziplining? Sure thing. Schedule action-packed day trips, a wine-tasting long weekend or a fun-filled school holiday – the online Love NSW map puts a diverse range of food, culture, nature and coastal experiences, plus all the best accommodation, at your fingertips.

Hot Dub Time Machine. Credit: Pat Stevenson

GREAT SOUTHERN NIGHTS LINEUP ANNOUNCED 

NSW’s Great Southern Nights music event is tuning up for an incredible month of gigs across November, with more than 50 Aussie artists confirmed. The ground-breaking 1000-gig event, which is a NSW Government initiative delivered by Destination NSW in partnership with ARIA, was created to kickstart the bounce back of the live music, hospitality and tourism industries. During November's Australian Music Month, 1000 COVID-safe gigs will be played across eight different regions of NSW featuring artists such as Lime Cordiale, Ash Grunwald, Wendy Matthews, Shannon Noll, The Rubens, Hot Dub Time Machine, Ocean Alley, AB Original, Julia Stone and Troy Cassar-Daley with Kasey Chambers and many more.

The five-bedroom Springfield Farm house

SLEEP RETREAT IN THE SOUTHERN HIGHLANDS

If you’re looking for a good night’s sleep then book a spot now at The Goodnight Co. Sleep Retreat hosted at Springfield Farm in Avoca for three-days from 12 to 14 March 2021. A wellness retreat with a focus on getting a good night’s sleep, the experience aims to enrich guests' sleep experience with sleep education, meditation and yoga. Hosted by The Goodnight Co.'s co-founders Shea Morrison and Danielle Knight.  

Byron-based artist Lindy Lee. Credit: Anna Kucera

FIVE MINUTES WITH: LINDY LEE, ARTIST

Lindy Lee is an Australian Chinese artist based in the Northern Rivers region — she draws on her heritage and natural surroundings to inspire her contemporary artwork. In October, Lee’s largest survey exhibition, Moon in a Dew Drop, is coming to the Museum of Contemporary Art. It will showcase her unique creative processes including flinging molten bronze, burning paper and letting rain drops transform surfaces into shimmering, thought-provoking pieces.

What are your favourite Northern Rivers destinations for inspiration? 
For me there is a huge thirst to gaze into and beyond the horizon. I feel a physical sense of being released into a connection with something infinite. And swimming: it’s a form of meditation for me. I’m spoilt for choice for ocean beaches: if I need to do laps there are my local pools at Mullumbimby or Lennox Head, but for ‘special’ I go to Brunswick Heads or the Tyagarah tea tree lakes.

Some of your recent work incorporates patterns in the night sky – where do you love to view stars in NSW? 
About an hour south of Byron is a place called Black Rocks where a tea tree river meets the ocean. Here you see the most magnificent night sky full of stars. And you can’t beat going to the beach at full moon. Watching the reflection on the rippling ocean is exquisite.

You live in a holiday destination, Byron, but where do you love to holiday in NSW?
When we lived in Sydney, my husband Rob and I would often go to the Southern Highlands and Kangaroo Valley. We still love to visit these places, where the landscape is noticeably different to subtropical Brisbane where I grew up and to the verdant rainforests where I now live.

When friends are in town, where are the must-visit spots you take them?
Minyon Falls are best after a heavy rainfall but beautiful any time. Koonyum Range has an entirely different feel with rocky terrain and the plants are more akin to desert flora. Positioned behind Mullumbimby, Koonyum takes you high above the Shire where you can see a huge distance, all the way to the Byron Lighthouse. Mullumbimby also hosts one of the best farmers markets in the country every Friday morning. And then there’s Federal, a dear little village in the hinterland, home to a fabulous Japanese cafe called Doma, the most amazing fusion of Japanese/Australian vernacular, with live music and lashings of the Shire’s relaxed vibe.

What’s your favourite neighbourhood to explore in Sydney and why?
I’m a swimming fanatic and one of my favourite places to swim is the McIver’s Ladies Baths in Coogee, a gem of an ocean pool which, as the name implies, is open to women only. Then there’s the spectacular clifftop walk from Clovelly to Bondi, passing ocean-view cemeteries and ancient Indigenous rock carvings along the way. With all that exercise, you deserve a generous serve from the Bronte Fish and Chippery opposite the park: yum!

What other galleries do you like to visit when you are in Sydney?
So many! But I’ll pick three: White Rabbit, an astonishing philanthropic gift to the city, presenting an eclectic range of contemporary Chinese art with verve and integrity. I also love Artist Run Initiatives, which launched my own career and continue to display the ideas of young artists. And of course the Museum of Contemporary Art for its to-die-for location on Circular Quay, its dedication to contemporary art and of course for hosting my show.

Where do you love to eat and drink in the city?
When I used to teach graduate students our group was known as the Lindy Lee Hot Pot Appreciation Society. We’d trawl Chinatown and the inner western suburbs searching for Sydney’s best hot pot restaurants. Other favourites: Vietnamese pork rolls, the pho with the best and most fragrant broth, or a mash-up of anything and everything on offer at the fish market; Sydney offers one of the world’s most engaging food crawls.

Where to next in NSW?
I want to return to the desert. When judging an art prize in the Pilbara some years ago, I had my first taste of that astonishing landscape, and I also really understood, for the first time, the meaning of Welcome to Country. Lightning Ridge and that wide wild west of New South Wales are definitely at the top of the list for me.

View Lindy Lee’s survey exhibition Moon in a Dew Drop at the MCA from 2 October. 

See Byron on the water with Go Sea Kayak

WHAT TO DO THIS OCTOBER LONG WEEKEND 

Celebrate the Labour Day October long weekend from 3-5 October in style. Enjoy this splendid time of year by exploring the natural beauty of NSW on a coastal walk, relaxing at the beach or savouring food and wine in regional areas.

Go on a coastal walk
Make your way along the Bondi to Coogee Coastal Walk: a 6-kilometre pilgrimage, which hugs the coastline and connects Sydney’s most famous beaches. Enjoy a swim at each of the beaches en route, including Tamarama and Bronte beaches. Slightly longer is the 10-kilometre Manly to Spit Bridge walk. The track unravels through a mix of bushland and harbourside trails and offers views of secluded beaches, bays and inlets in North Sydney. Stop at Reef Beach, Forty Baskets Beach and Fairlight Beach.

Embark on a food and wine feast
Foodies will love the Murrumbateman Moving Feast (3-4 October), a roving degustation of fine local wines matched with delicious tasting plates, or head to Mudgee for a diverse range of events including live music, tastings, lunches, dinners and tours at the annual Mudgee Food and Wine Festival. From food and wine pairing, platters and tasting flights, the festival runs from September 11 to October 5.

From the mountains to the coast
The October long weekend falls in the middle of school holidays, so take the kids on a road trip into regional NSW. Try the Greater Blue Mountains route: drive to Katoomba for a stopover at one of the many cafes, see The Three Sisters and take a bushland hike. For a coastal trip, the Grand Pacific Drive is wonderful for families: see the Royal National Park, cruise the spectacular Sea Cliff Bridge and tackle outdoor adventures at Illawarra Fly.

Aquatic Adventures
Mild spring weather is perfect for heading out on the water on a kayak, paddleboard or canoe. Take a paddling tour in the crystal-clear calm waters edged with coastal bushland in Booderee National Park. Up north in Byron Bay, the Byron Bay Sea Kayak Tour is a memorable aquatic adventure where a team of surf life savers paddle with you to Australia’s most Easterly point. In Sydney, hire a stand-up paddleboard in Manly and explore the clear waters of Manly’s North Harbour, or paddle a harbour beach and look out across Sydney at Rose Bay.

Professional Weekend of Surf
Head to Forster this long weekend and enjoy the Professionals Weekend of Surf. Beach and water events kick off at noon and there’ll be a thrilling ironman event on Saturday, along with the iconic march past, and surf, board and ski events on Sunday.

For more long-weekend ideas go to visitnsw.com.  

TAKE A SYDNEY PLAYCAY TODAY!

Take a break from the everyday and book a “playcation” in Sydney to explore the city from a different perspective. Go to sydney.com and discover a suite of thematic itineraries, including wellness, luxury, arts and culture, outdoors and adventure and foodie, which are sure to provide inspiration for the ultimate getaway in the city. Here’s a taste of what’s on offer:

For a family getaway
Sydney is the ultimate playground for little and big kids alike. Check your squad into the Four Seasons Sydney to find in-room tents and movie experiences; do a twilight BridgeClimb with kids over eight; get close to the wildlife at Taronga Zoo and SEA LIFE Sydney Aquarium; and finish with a few scoops of Gelato Messina’s creative ice-cream flavours.

For a little romance
Rekindle the flame with your love in Sydney’s cosiest quarters, with intimate rooms, candlelit dinners, cute cocktail bars and picturesque picnic spots. Feast on French food at Restaurant Hubert, go on a private speedboat tour of the harbour with La Dolce Vita and relax together with an Ocean Dreaming Bath couples massage treatment at The Darling Spa at The Star.

For a foodie’s feast
Some of the best produce of the state can be found on the tables of the city – order flame-licked Jack’s Creek wagyu at Firedoor, sustainable seafood at Saint Peter and seasonal Italian at Restaurant Leo. Meet the growers at Carriageworks Farmers Market, spice your own rum at Brix Distillers and learn about native bush foods on an Aboriginal heritage walk in the Royal Botanic Garden Sydney.

For a wellness focus
Recentre your mind and restore your body with a weekend just for you. Unwind with a massage at The Day Spa by Chuan at The Langham, indulge in an all-veggie long lunch at Yellow, get cleansed with a facial by Melanie Grant, stretch out in a Sky-Lab aerial yoga class and reconnect with your inner calm in a meditation session at The Well.

For art and culture seekers
With its multicultural heritage and creative hubs, the city offers plenty of enriching activities. Go gallery-hopping at White Rabbit, the Museum of Contemporary Art and the Art Gallery of NSW; head to Newtown for a street art tour with Culture Scouts and vintage shopping along King Street; and catch a show at the Belvoir St. Theatre.

For lovers of luxury
Live the luxe life for the weekend with a five-star itinerary to truly indulge. Treat yourself to harbour views with a room at the Park Hyatt Sydney and continue the Opera House panoramas with dinner at nearby Aria. The best views are on a private Sydney Seaplanes flight, with lunch at Bert’s Bar and Brasserie in Newport to follow.

For outdoor adventures
With sunny skies, plenty of greenery and world-class waves, Sydney’s outdoor spaces are the beating heart of the city. See the sights on two wheels with an electric bike tour with Blue Bananas. Glide along the harbour with Sydney by Kayak, or pump the adrenaline in a speed boat with Explore Sydney Harbour. Finish with lunch overlooking the gardens at Botanic House.

For milestone moments
Special occasions deserve the best of Sydney. Book the decadent State Suite at QT Sydney before hopping on a Captain Cook Cruise for a six-course degustation dinner matched with Penfolds wine. Spend the next day bottomless brunching at Reign QVB or wining and dining to Icebergs’ iconic Bondi Beach views.

For a pet-friendly play
Don’t leave your fur-baby at home this staycation – Sydney has plenty of dog-friendly accommodation and activities to pamper your pooch. Book in a luxurious stay at The Little Albion in Surry Hills, with their ‘Plush Pup Package’, go for a ‘puppaccino’ at Lumiere Cafe, relax at a spa day at Alysium Spa while your four-legged friend gets their own treatment at Hachi Grooming, and finish with a glamorous doggy photoshoot with Pawtastic.

For more Sydney playcay inspiration visit sydney.com/love-sydney.

Watch our regional NSW Local Legends video series on YouTube

MEET THE PRODUCERS OF REGIONAL NSW 

Get to know some of regional NSW’s food producers, winemakers, distillers and brewers in a series of nine video stories created by Destination NSW. The series reveals some of the faces behind NSW’s most celebrated food and drink from the coast to the country. Hear their stories and feel the passion and pride they have for their produce – grown and made here in NSW.

You can view the #LoveNSW Regional Food & Wine Local Stories video series here.

Hear Sydney’s food and wine legends tell their stories in our video series

MEET SYDNEY'S HOSPITALITY HEROES

Hear from some of Sydney’s dining legends in a series of seven video stories created by Destination NSW. From hatted chefs to inner-city distillers, this series meets the makers and the minds behind some of Sydney’s most vibrant food experiences, and provides insight into what makes Sydney’s food and drink scene so unique.

You can view the #LoveNSW Sydney Food & Wine Local Stories video series here.

Hamilton is coming to Sydney. Credit: Joan Marcus

UPCOMING EVENTS

Streeton | Art Gallery of NSW
At the Art Gallery of NSW a collection of significant works by Australian impressionist painter Arthur Streeton will be displayed from 7 November until 14 February 2021. The beautiful tribute and retrospective will feature more than 150 paintings of his sunlit landscapes sourced from public and private collections.

Lindy Lee: Moon in a Dew Drop | Museum of Contemporary Art
Australian Chinese artist Lindy Lee melds two cultures together in this mesmerising exhibition of more than 70 works including large-scale sculptures and wax paintings. Lee uses unique processes like burning paper, throwing molten bronze and allowing rain to transform surfaces.

HAMILTON | Sydney Lyric Theatre
The brilliant hip-hop musical Hamilton is coming to Sydney from 17 March, 2021. Don’t miss this award-winning musical, which tells the tale of American founding father Alexander Hamilton in a progressive style. Tickets are on sale now.

Three Bridges Run | Parramatta River
The Three Bridges Run on 1 November takes runners along a flat run that winds along the Parramatta River and through George Kendall Riverside Park, Newington Nature Reserve, Rhodes Point and more scenic locations. There is a choice of a 5-kilometre, 9-kilometre, a 21.1-kilometre half marathon as well as a 42.2-kilometre marathon.

Bouddi Coastal Run | Bouddi National Park
This spectacular summer run is on 14 November within Bouddi National Park on the NSW Central Coast. There’s a 14-kilometre and a 21-kilometre trail run leading runners over various terrain and past coastal vistas, rocky landscapes, sandy expanses and beach cliffs.

VISUAL STORYTELLING GALLERIES

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