New South Wales
Sydney Harbour, the Blue Mountains, Hunter Valley wine and national parks from rainforest to alpine peaks.
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New South Wales is a state on Australia's east coast. Queensland lies to its north, Victoria to its south and South Australia to its west. Its capital, Sydney, is where most trips start, since almost two-thirds of the state's population lives in Greater Sydney. The Sydney Opera House on Bennelong Point and the Sydney Harbour Bridge are the city's best-known landmarks. Beyond the city, travelers head to the Blue Mountains, the Hunter Valley wine country and the coast.
The state has more than 780 national parks and reserves, which cover over 8% of its area and range from rainforest and waterfalls to coast and outback deserts. Royal National Park, on Sydney's southern outskirts, was proclaimed on 26 April 1879 as Australia's first national park. Kosciuszko National Park takes in the Snowy Mountains, where Mount Kosciuszko rises to 2,228 metres. Plan a city base with one or two regional trips.
New South Wales in five
- Check whether your park charges vehicle entryNSW charges motor vehicle entry at 45 of its 890-plus national parks and reserves. A day pass covers the vehicle, not the people, and you need none if you arrive on foot, by bicycle or by public transport.Day passes
- Compare the annual pass to day passesThe Multi Park Pass costs $65 for one year and covers fee-collecting parks except Kosciuszko. The All Parks Pass costs $190 and includes Kosciuszko. Day pass rates vary from park to park.Annual passes
- Carry a card for park entry stationsEntry stations do not accept cash; Visa and Mastercard debit and credit cards work without a surcharge. Cash is accepted at visitor centres and some carpark pay machines.Fee-collecting parks
- Use Newcastle as the first stop northNewcastle is a 2.5-hour drive north of Sydney along the Pacific Highway, or just under three hours by train or bus from Central Station. It makes a natural night before the north coast.Newcastle
- Treat Byron Bay and Canberra as their own legsByron Bay on the far north coast and Canberra inland each need a day or more of driving or a flight. Read their guides before you add them to a Sydney itinerary.Byron Bay
Neighborhoods
Sydney
- Price band: $$$$
Blue Mountains
- Price band: $$
Pokolbin
- Price band: $$$
Byron Bay
A surf town on the far north-east coast of New South Wales, beside the most easterly point of mainland Australia.
Things to do in New South Wales
See all attractions in New South Wales
Need to know
- Airport
- Sydney (SYD); Newcastle (NTL) is 30 minutes from the city center
- Getting there
- Flights into Sydney; the Pacific Highway links the coast
- Getting around
- Hire car for parks and the coast; trains between Sydney and Newcastle
- Best base
- Sydney, then a night in Newcastle or the north coast
- Time needed
- 7 to 10 days for Sydney plus the coast
Weather by month
- Rainy days
- Best
- Good
- Mixed
- Poor
- JanuaryClear5 rainy daysHigh35°Low23°Hot, humidJanuaryClear
Poor
- High
- 35°
- Low
- 23°
- Precipitation
- 38 mm
- Rainy days
- 5
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Hot, humid
- FebruaryClear4 rainy daysHigh33°Low22°Hot, stormsFebruaryClear
Mixed
- High
- 33°
- Low
- 22°
- Precipitation
- 37 mm
- Rainy days
- 4
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Hot, storms
- MarchClear6 rainy daysHigh30°Low20°Warm, easyMarchClear
Good
- High
- 30°
- Low
- 20°
- Precipitation
- 67 mm
- Rainy days
- 6
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Warm, easy
- AprilClear3 rainy daysHigh25°Low14°Mild, clearAprilClear
Best
- High
- 25°
- Low
- 14°
- Precipitation
- 34 mm
- Rainy days
- 3
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Mild, clear
- MayClear3 rainy daysHigh20°Low10°Cool, dryMayClear
Best
- High
- 20°
- Low
- 10°
- Precipitation
- 36 mm
- Rainy days
- 3
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Cool, dry
- JuneClear4 rainy daysHigh16°Low7°Cool, whalesJuneClear
Good
- High
- 16°
- Low
- 7°
- Precipitation
- 39 mm
- Rainy days
- 4
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Cool, whales
- JulyClear5 rainy daysHigh16°Low6°Cold, whalesJulyClear
Good
- High
- 16°
- Low
- 6°
- Precipitation
- 29 mm
- Rainy days
- 5
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Cold, whales
- AugustClear5 rainy daysHigh18°Low7°Whales, clearAugustClear
Best
- High
- 18°
- Low
- 7°
- Precipitation
- 30 mm
- Rainy days
- 5
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Whales, clear
- SeptemberClear4 rainy daysHigh22°Low9°Spring, mildSeptemberClear
Best
- High
- 22°
- Low
- 9°
- Precipitation
- 33 mm
- Rainy days
- 4
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Spring, mild
- OctoberClear5 rainy daysHigh26°Low14°Warm, windyOctoberClear
Best
- High
- 26°
- Low
- 14°
- Precipitation
- 57 mm
- Rainy days
- 5
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Warm, windy
- NovemberClear6 rainy daysHigh29°Low17°Warm, humidNovemberClear
Best
- High
- 29°
- Low
- 17°
- Precipitation
- 60 mm
- Rainy days
- 6
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Warm, humid
- DecemberClear5 rainy daysHigh33°Low20°Hot, busyDecemberClear
Mixed
- High
- 33°
- Low
- 20°
- Precipitation
- 41 mm
- Rainy days
- 5
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Hot, busy
Average daily high and low in Sydney, 2016–2025. Rainy day: 1 mm of rain or more.
Right now in New South Wales
Local time, today's weather and the exchange rate, refreshed through the day.
19
- Feels like
- 18°
- Humidity
- 55%
- Wind
- 8 km/h
- Chance of rain
- 2%
New South Wales
07:38 AM
Tuesday, November 3
- Today28°17°2%Tuesday: Clear. High 28°, Low 17°. Chance of rain 2%.
- Wed30°16°20%Wednesday: Drizzle. High 30°, Low 16°. Chance of rain 20%.
- Thu24°13°16%Thursday: Clear. High 24°, Low 13°. Chance of rain 16%.
- Fri27°12°0%Friday: Partly cloudy. High 27°, Low 12°. Chance of rain 0%.
- Sat27°13°2%Saturday: Cloudy. High 27°, Low 13°. Chance of rain 2%.
- Sun24°10°0%Sunday: Clear. High 24°, Low 10°. Chance of rain 0%.
- Mon27°11°4%Monday: Clear. High 27°, Low 11°. Chance of rain 4%.
Updated 03:52 AM local time · Weather data by Open-Meteo.com
Money
Mid-market rate1 USD = 1.423 AUD
Rates from Nov 2, 2026 · Rates By Exchange Rate API
Day trips by train
- Newcastleabout 2.5 hours' drive from SydneyOcean baths, a 6 km coastal walk and whale cruises in season.Read the guide
- Blue Mountainsa long day or overnight west of SydneyEscarpment walks and lookouts; some attractions charge vehicle entry.Read the guide
- Canberraa road trip or a flight inlandThe capital's free national museums and Parliament House; see the Canberra guide.Read the guide
Before you go to New South Wales
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Rules for New South Wales, checked
- NSW vehicle entry fees apply at 45 national parks and reserves; a day pass is per vehicle, and no pass is needed on foot, by bicycle or by public transport.Checked Oct 2, 2026 · Source
- Annual passes: Multi Park Pass $65 for one year; All Parks Pass $190 for one year, including Kosciuszko National Park.Checked Oct 2, 2026 · Source
Plan around New South Wales
Harbor ferries, coastal walks and where to stay
Read the guideNewcastleOcean baths and a coast walk, 2.5 hours north
Read the guideBlue MountainsThree Sisters, cliff walks and a day trip
Read the guideByron BayCape Byron walk and beaches
Read the guideCanberraFree museums, Parliament and Floriade
Read the guideAll of AustraliaETA, regions, flights and money basics
Read the guideFlights and car hireLong distances and one-way rentals
Read the guideNew South Wales FAQ
How many days do you need in New South Wales?
Seven days cover Sydney, Newcastle and one more region, such as the Blue Mountains. Ten days allow a slow drive along the coast. Treat Sydney as the longest stay and add the others as short stops.
Do you need a national parks pass in NSW?
Only for vehicles entering the 45 parks that charge. A day pass covers the vehicle; annual passes start at $22 for a single park and $65 for the Multi Park Pass. You do not need a pass if you arrive on foot or by public transport.
Can you pay cash at NSW national park entry stations?
No. Entry stations accept Visa and Mastercard cards with no surcharge, while visitor centres and some pay machines in carparks take cash. Check the park's page before you drive in.
What is there to see in New South Wales beyond Sydney?
The Blue Mountains for walks and lookouts west of Sydney, Newcastle for ocean baths, Byron Bay on the far north coast and Canberra inland for free national museums. Each has its own guide, and a 7 to 10 day trip fits Sydney plus two of them.
When is the best time to visit New South Wales?
March to May and September to November give mild weather for walking and driving. Whales pass the coast from May to November. Summer is hot and humid, and winter is cool but clear.