11 Perfect Destinations for a Long Weekend in New South Wales
As the most visited state in the nation of Australia, New South Wales offers new and invigorating experiences for everyone, even for returning tourists and travelers from around the globe. Among the perfect destinations for a long weekend in New South Wales are the many small towns, hamlets, and villages that lie beyond the splendid cityscapes of Sydney. Each of these exquisite destinations is a gateway to some of New South Wales’ amazing natural landmarks. Furthermore, they encapsulate and preserve the compelling history of New South Wales when it was the first settlement of the British Empire in Australia. With views of the vast Pacific Ocean on its coastline and many diverse biomes and terrain to explore, the many perfect destinations to visit for a long weekend in New South Wales are excellent launching points in your journey throughout Australia.
Eden
A serene and sublime paradise on the Sapphire Coast, the small town of Eden provides biblical beauty in the form of spectacular natural regions worth exploring. Eden’s primary attraction is its access to the Beowa National Park, a magnificent coastal region with colorful cliffs, beach camping, verdant forests, and other opportunities to immerse yourself in the delights of New South Wales’ outdoors. Whales regularly visit the waters around Eden and swim in Twofold Bay, the third deepest natural harbor in the Southern Hemisphere, from which many can observe and photograph several vantage points, such as the Davidson Whaling Station.
On the other hand, you can learn more about Eden’s involvement in whaling at the Eden Killer Whale Museum, complete with exhibits and whale skeletons. Finally, for those of you who wish to be active and engaged, you ought to test your biking prowess at Gravity Eden, an area of premium machine-built MTB trails in Nullica State Forest. As a captivating and visceral paradise on earth, Eden is one of the perfect destinations to visit for a long weekend in New South Wales.
Griffith
In the Murrumbidgee Irrigation Area, or the Riverina region of New South Wales, travelers will encounter the picturesque town of Griffith, a bountiful destination within Australia's food bowl. Once a site of a large post-World War II settlement program for veterans, Griffith is now renowned for its grapes, oranges, and other produce grown in its fertile surroundings. These days, the town lures newcomers with exquisite wineries such as the Calabria Family Wines.
Additionally, you can marvel at Italian exhibitions, vintage wines and machinery, and other trinkets at the Griffith Pioneer Park Museum. When it comes to oddities and curiosities, Griffith houses the Hermit's Cave, an enigmatic shelter that was inhabited from the late 1920s to 1952 by a recluse. Naturally, the best occasion to visit Griffith is during the annual Griffith Spring Fest in October, when the produce throughout the Riverina region is at its ripest and highest.
Bermagui
On the southern shoreline of Horseshoe Bay lies the benevolent small town of Bermagui. Deriving its name from the Dyirringanj word “permageua,” possibly meaning "canoe with paddles, Bermagui encourages rejuvenating swims in places like the Bermagui Blue Pool or beyond the sandy and rocky coasts of Beares Beach.
Aside from the sea and the sun, there are plenty of exploratory areas of interest in the Bega Valley Shire, in which the town of Bermagui is situated. For instance, the Bermaguee Nature Reserve contains a handful of New South Wales’ tranquilizing biomes and some of Australia’s reclusive wildlife. You might also be interested in taking photographs of the equine-sculptured monolith known as Horse Head Rock at Wallaga Lake. In any event, you will encounter many natural activities and sights to behold in the sublime small town of Bermagui.
Currarong
Currarong is a lovely and accommodating village in the Shoalhaven area of New South Wales. For years, Currarong has been a prominent and prosperous fishing village that has allowed fisherfolk to catch all manner of marine organisms in the surrounding waters. One can marvel at the breathtaking sights and cliffsides around Currarong from the Mermaid Inlet. During your journey along the shoreline, you might chance upon the remnants of the S.S. Merimbula, an old and rusted shipwreck from Currarong’s early days of fishing.
For individuals interested in more outdoor escapades, you ought to admire the various flora and fauna one can find in New South Wales’ coastline at the Abrahams Bosom Reserve. Best of all, you can go swimming and snorkeling in several idyllic and scenic locations, such as the Currarong Rock Pools. With no end to its aquatic and amphibious wonders, Currarong ensures you have a fulfilling and long weekend vacation in the state of New South Wales.
Berry
Approximately 30 miles north of Currarong, the humble and laid-back town of Berry offers unspoiled and unbothered beaches, as well as a handful of quirky attractions to explore. At the Seven Mile Beach National Park, visitors can lounge beneath the languid Australian sun and soak in the terrific sprays and waves of the Pacific Ocean. Meanwhile, the Berry Markets (Country Fair), held on the first Sunday of each month at Berry Showground, encourages newcomers to browse and purchase the various items available in Berry.
Elsewhere, the Granties Maze mystifies and intrigues with its amazing maze, its menagerie of animals from different parts of the globe, and its rides for all ages. Lastly, in the north lies the sizable yet impressive expanse of the Budderoo National Park, a riveting forest teeming with wildlife and waterfalls.
Moama
On the northern bank of the Murray River, which separates the states of New South Wales and Victoria, the magnificent village of Moama entreats newcomers to a number of grandiose amenities that the two Australian states often share. Visitors can take a scenic and luxurious boat cruise down the Murray River aboard a handful of tourism crafts like the PS Canberra.
Those of you with a desire for thrills and daredevils can watch exhilarating off-road and dirt races at the Heartland Raceway. In contrast, people who prefer to simply take in the serene and clean air of the land can venture across the Murray Valley National Park and the Barmah National Park, both of which share their arboreal territories with New South Wales and Victoria. As the twin and neighbor of the southern town of Echuca, Moama is both a gateway to Victoria and New South Wales for those eager to get one step closer to either state.
Huskisson
Huskisson, thriving beside Jervis Bay, is an exquisite and perfect destination for a long weekend in New South Wales. From June to July and September to November, Jervis Bay becomes a hotspot for pods of whales migrating through the area, a sight to behold from the ruins of Cape St. George Lighthouse. Within the bounds of the Booderee National Park to the south, you will come upon remnants of the Aboriginal culture within an enticing beachside setting.
On the other hand, you will encounter Australian marsupials grazing in regions such as the Jerrawangala National Park and Parma Creek Nature Reserve. There are plenty more exciting activities and adventures to enjoy in Huskisson, particularly during the Huskisson Carnival, an annual festival that takes place from Boxing Day until the end of January.
Kangaroo Valley
Located in a valley sharing its jumpy name, Kangaroo Valley is a lush and vivacious small town that offers innumerable attractions and activities worth experiencing within the rainforests and valleys of New South Wales. One ought to follow the languid Kangaroo River towards calming and compelling destinations such as the sinuous Lake Yarrunga. On the other hand, you can traverse the amazing Hampden Bridge, a Victorian suspension bridge with castle-like sandstone towers that crosses over the Kangaroo River.
Visitors eager to learn more about how this enticing small town in Kangaroo Valley developed can head over to the Pioneer Village Museum for its displays on early settlers in 19th-century farm sheds. Best of all is the dominating and stellar landmass of the nearby Morton National Park, featuring magnificent waterfalls, verdant rainforests, and river canyons that slice through the state's mountains.
Kingscliff
Around 15 minutes south of Tweed Heads, the small town of Kingscliff provides a regal experience at the beaches. From pristine shorelines such as Cudgen Creek Beach and Kingscliff Beach, you can wade and wallop about on the sand and beneath the sun with all the merriment you can muster. In the hinterlands, you will come across the delicious and desirable farmlands of the Tropical Fruit World. This local farm also serves as an amusement park, serving tropical fruits, mini golf courses, and an animal park for all to see. The period of May through November is a particularly significant time to visit Kingscliff, as the waters are thronged with whales, dolphins, and turtles that you can snorkel and swim alongside should you join helpful programs from the Cooly Eco Adventures.
Orange
One will be feeling all sorts of colors (even a happy kind of blue) in the small town of Orange. Despite its relatively large population, travelers will enjoy the small-town charms and enchantments that Orange exudes, especially in homely areas like the Orange Botanic Gardens, with its interactive sundial and forested trails. Since Orange is located at the slopes of Mount Canobolas, an extinct volcano, one can admire the impressive, volcano-shaped landscape from ideal vantage points such as the Mount Canobolas Summit lookout.
Additionally, the volcanic soil around Orange is fertile enough that many wineries have made their living in the area, allowing travelers to sample their creations at places like Ross Hill Wines. Many of you will definitely be interested in attending the Orange FOOD Week in April, when the townsfolk celebrate their agricultural capabilities and wine.
Yamba
In the village of Yamba, visitors will adore and admire all that there is to experience, from one of New South Wales’ perfect small towns to visit for a long weekend. Located at the mouth of the Clarence River, Yamba beckons visitors to explore its surroundings and waterways from the vantage point of the Yamba Lighthouse, which has guided ships to safe harbor since 1880. To the north, one can journey through magnificent forests and gawk at impressive cliffs within the Bundjalung National Park. Meanwhile, to the south, the massive Wooloweyah Lagoon offers all kinds of fishing and boating opportunities in proximity to the shimmering beaches in Yamba’s east. Last but not least, you can pursue ancient emu trails and uncover other animal tracks in Yuraygir National Park, the largest coastal park in New South Wales. It is about an hour’s drive south, perfect for a day trip during your weekend vacation.
The Land Down Under Has a Number of Perfect Places For You
The perfect destinations for a long weekend in New South Wales are undoubtedly the various small towns and villages that one can find from the coastline to the mountains, valleys, and rainforests of the state. In towns like Bermagui and Currarong, tourists will be gawking and ogling over the placid beauty of New South Wales’ coastal regions. Meanwhile, in destinations such as Yamba and Huskisson, you will be entreated to several of the state’s splendid national parks and recreational areas for your myriad of interests. With quirky amenities and admirable festivals in other locations, such as Griffith and Orange, many will want to see more of what New South Wales has to offer. No matter your decision, you will not regret picking New South Wales’ small towns as the perfect destinations for a long weekend.
