Australia – New South Wales (Blue Mountains, Sydney, Hunter Valley, Port Macquarie, Waterfall Way & Bryon Bay)

We entered the state of New South Wales after leaving Canberra and made a beeline to the World Heritage listed Blue Mountains. Located only 60 km from Sydney, this popular destination is famous for its breathtaking views, waterfalls, and rock formations. We visited the Three Sisters, Scenic World, Katoomba & Wentworth Falls, and Katoomba’s Beverly Place street which is full of street art. From the Blue Mountains, our next destination was the beautiful waterfront city of Sydney. With its many beaches, museums, viewpoints, eateries and coastal walks, we thoroughly enjoyed our time in this vibrant city. After leaving Sydney, we made our way to Caves Beach, Merewether Ocean Baths (the largest ocean baths in the Southern Hemisphere), and Hunter Valley for some wine tasting at the excellent Tulloch Winery. Then it was koala time as we moved on to Port Macquarie, where nearly 100 colorful koala sculptures can be found on the “Hello Koalas Sculpture Trail”. The nearby Koala Hospital is not to be missed, as koalas injured by speeding vehicles or attacked by pets are rehabilitated with the intention of eventual release back into the wild. Tacking Point Lighthouse and Guulabaa Koala Breeding Center rounded out our time in Port Macquarie before we drove onward to Dorrigo Mountain National Park for the excellent Wonga Walk (Tristania Falls, Crystal Shower Falls and the Skywalk Lookout Point). Then it was time for yet more waterfalls as we drove on Waterfall Way (Dangar Falls, Ebor Falls and Wollomombi Falls). Two more of Australia’s quirky “big things” were checked off our bucket list – The Big Banana at Coffs Harbor and The Big Prawn in Ballina before we made our way to our final stop in NSW. Bryon Bay is a coastal town popular for its surfing and beautiful beaches which explains why it is on every east coast itinerary. We were able to step foot at the Easternmost point of mainland Australia at Cape Byron Lighthouse and spot wild koalas in a gum tree near Fisherman’s Lookout. Next up is Queensland as our epic road trip continues.

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