From Hawkesbury oysters to Hunter Valley from above.
Most New Zealanders who’ve been to Sydney think they’ve ‘done’ New South Wales. Lorna Riley thought the same until Destination NSW and House of Travel sent her beyond the harbour. After a stop-off at the newly opened Sydney Fish Market, Riley wenton an in-water oyster dining experience on the Hawkesbury River – home to the “freshest seafood you will ever eat”, she says – followed by a dolphin tour and koala glamping experience at Port Stephens Koala Sanctuary and a high-adrenaline quad bike tour across sand dunes. The pace eased again in the Hunter Valley with a 10-course degustation at EXP Restaurant, a vineyard picnic at Audrey Wilkinson, and a hot air balloon flight at dawn, with mobs of kangaroos visible below and a champagne breakfast waiting on landing. Riley’s verdict: stop treating Sydney as the destination and take your next visit state-wide.
