12 days in NSW

Hi all,
I'm an Aussie from Perth who now lives in the USA. I'll be visiting NSW
with my Dutch wife from Dec 31 to Jan 12. We'd planned on spending about
4 days in Sydney, and then heading out of town for the rest of the time
in a rental car. We'd love to hear your suggestions, especially about
where to go outside Sydney for a week.

What we like:

Beautiful/spectacular scenery
Walking/hiking
Swimming

What we don't like:
Tourist hype
Strip malls/chain hotels

We know it's full-on holiday season at that time - where will the crowds
be unbearable/ where will be be able to find accommodation? We're up for
camping/campervanning/hostelling or staying in not-too-expensive
hotels/B&Bs/cabins - what do you think our best bets are? We'd thought
of maybe heading up to the Barrington Tops, then driving north towards
Dorrigo/Bellingen, then looping down to the coast somewhere, before
zooming back to Sydney. Does this sound reasonable? Are we missing
anything we should not miss, e.g. the Blue Mountains?

Any advice we'd really appreciate.

Tom Johnstone
Wisconsin, USA

On Fri, 21 Nov 2003 18:26:41 -0600, tom
wrote:

We know it's full-on holiday season at that time - where will the crowds
be unbearable/ where will be be able to find accommodation? We're up for
camping/campervanning/hostelling or staying in not-too-expensive
hotels/B&Bs/cabins - what do you think our best bets are? We'd thought
of maybe heading up to the Barrington Tops, then driving north towards
Dorrigo/Bellingen, then looping down to the coast somewhere, before
zooming back to Sydney. Does this sound reasonable? Are we missing
anything we should not miss, e.g. the Blue Mountains?

I'd do it the other way. Go up the coast to Bellingen and then to
Barrington Tops (which you shouldn't miss), then drive through to the
western side of Barrington Tops NP on the logging road (it's a dirt
road, but a servicible one) to the Upper Hunter and then drive through
the western edges of the Hunter and down the Putty Road to Windsor on
the outskirts fo Sydney before going up into the Blue Mountains. If
you want spectacular scenery, you shouldn't miss the Blue Moutnains.
Go to Govett's Leap in Blackheath and do the walks there, and you'll
miss a lot of the crowds you'll get at the Three Sisters in Katoomba.

Gloucester, the town nearest Barrington Tops is your last chance to
refuel if you go that way, and is nice little town. I have stayed in
the motel there once when my husband hurt his back hiking and it
wasn't bad and not too expensive. There are some nice wineries in the
Upper Hunter that are off the tourist track. And if you're in the Blue
Mountains, you might like to make a day trip and drive the extra 1-2
hours out to Jenolan Caves, which are limestone caves in a spectacular
setting.

Geodyne

Ring ahead for accommodation at that time of year. Carry water.
The intinery and previous suggestion is a good one.
Traveller
Geodyne wrote in message
news
On Fri, 21 Nov 2003 18:26:41 -0600, tom
wrote:

We know it's full-on holiday season at that time - where will the crowds
be unbearable/ where will be be able to find accommodation? We're up for
camping/campervanning/hostelling or staying in not-too-expensive
hotels/B&Bs/cabins - what do you think our best bets are? We'd thought
of maybe heading up to the Barrington Tops, then driving north towards
Dorrigo/Bellingen, then looping down to the coast somewhere, before
zooming back to Sydney. Does this sound reasonable? Are we missing
anything we should not miss, e.g. the Blue Mountains?

I'd do it the other way. Go up the coast to Bellingen and then to
Barrington Tops (which you shouldn't miss), then drive through to the
western side of Barrington Tops NP on the logging road (it's a dirt
road, but a servicible one) to the Upper Hunter and then drive through
the western edges of the Hunter and down the Putty Road to Windsor on
the outskirts fo Sydney before going up into the Blue Mountains. If
you want spectacular scenery, you shouldn't miss the Blue Moutnains.
Go to Govett's Leap in Blackheath and do the walks there, and you'll
miss a lot of the crowds you'll get at the Three Sisters in Katoomba.

Gloucester, the town nearest Barrington Tops is your last chance to
refuel if you go that way, and is nice little town. I have stayed in
the motel there once when my husband hurt his back hiking and it
wasn't bad and not too expensive. There are some nice wineries in the
Upper Hunter that are off the tourist track. And if you're in the Blue
Mountains, you might like to make a day trip and drive the extra 1-2
hours out to Jenolan Caves, which are limestone caves in a spectacular
setting.

Geodyne

Spend one day in NSW driving to Queensland. (Just to start a flame war LOL)

Your proposed itinerary sounds ideal.

I don't want to demoralise you, but here's a geographic fact. Of the 6.8m
people that live in NSW, 4m live in Sydney. And they almost all leave Sydney
for one of those two weeks. Going inland then North - as you suggest - will
help, as the coast will be a nightmare.

When you are Sydney, try a coastal walk. These can range from 30 minutes to
5 hours, many will show you the harbour and ocean views, and in some places
you think you are almost in the wilderness. All of this only a few kms from
the city centre. Drummoyne to Manly is excellent, as are walks round the
middle harbour (Mosman to Clontarf). Everybody does the few kms from Bondi
to Tamarama beach round the headland, and so should you. I am sure any
guidebook will list a few bushwalks, or lash out and buy a book on walks
round Sydney in any bookstore here.

Enjoy your visit!


"tom" wrote in message
...
Hi all,
I'm an Aussie from Perth who now lives in the USA. I'll be visiting NSW
with my Dutch wife from Dec 31 to Jan 12. We'd planned on spending about
4 days in Sydney, and then heading out of town for the rest of the time
in a rental car. We'd love to hear your suggestions, especially about
where to go outside Sydney for a week.

What we like:

Beautiful/spectacular scenery
Walking/hiking
Swimming

What we don't like:
Tourist hype
Strip malls/chain hotels

We know it's full-on holiday season at that time - where will the crowds
be unbearable/ where will be be able to find accommodation? We're up for
camping/campervanning/hostelling or staying in not-too-expensive
hotels/B&Bs/cabins - what do you think our best bets are? We'd thought
of maybe heading up to the Barrington Tops, then driving north towards
Dorrigo/Bellingen, then looping down to the coast somewhere, before
zooming back to Sydney. Does this sound reasonable? Are we missing
anything we should not miss, e.g. the Blue Mountains?

Any advice we'd really appreciate.

Tom Johnstone
Wisconsin, USA

Thank you all for your suggestions. A question - would it be better, crowds
wise at that time of year, to head south of Sydney, and if so, where?

On Sat, 22 Nov 2003 21:41:40 -0600, "Tom Johnstone"
wrote:

Thank you all for your suggestions. A question - would it be better, crowds
wise at that time of year, to head south of Sydney, and if so, where?

No that isn't going to make a difference, Tom. The first two weeks of
Jan are the time that the majority of familes get out of tiwn for
their post-Christmas holidays, especially anywhere near a beach.

Going inland will mean you'll have the heat to cope with, but not as
many people. Visiting higher places, such as Barrington Tops and the
Blue Mountains will help to compensate for the heat somewhat.

Is your email addy valid?

Geodyne

"Geodyne" wrote in message
...
On Sat, 22 Nov 2003 21:41:40 -0600, "Tom Johnstone"
wrote:
snip
Going inland will mean you'll have the heat to cope with, but not as
many people. Visiting higher places, such as Barrington Tops and the
Blue Mountains will help to compensate for the heat somewhat.

Okay then, we'll stick with that plan. We actually have a week with my
family in Perth near the beach over Christmas, so the beach isn't all that
important.

Is your email addy valid?

Yep.

Geodyne