Country NSW

Country NSW has plenty to keep visitors satisfied – from nation-making heritage sites and charming towns to cultural attractions, world-class food and wine regions, and walking trails that wind through World Heritage wilderness. It is also home to many sites that are of great significance for indigenous Australians.

Riding a paddle-steamer on The Murray, going on safari at Taronga Western Plains Zoo, visiting the CSIRO Parkes Radio Telescope, exploring 430 million-year-old caves and joining the dots between cellar doors are just a few of the State's must-do experiences. You can even try your luck fossicking for gold.

Winemaker Shaun Cassidy and his wine dogs at the Merilba Estate Wine property in Uralla

The one-of-a-kind museums in Country NSW also make compelling pit stops, from the Bradman Museum in Bowral to the Age of Fishes Museum in Canowindra, and the Australian Fossil and Mineral Museum in Bathurst. There is also a world-class collection of historic aircraft at the Temora Aviation Museum.

Some of Australia's most exciting art galleries are found in regional Australia. Think MAMA in Albury, Wagga Wagga Art Galleryand Western Plains Cultural Centre in Dubbo. The Bank Art Museum Moree, located in the thermal spa town of Moree, is also worth visiting for its collections of Aboriginal art.

A working dog on a property in Glen Innes, Country NSW

There are memorable tours, including heritage, horse riding, wineries and ballooning. Worth circling on your events calendar is the world-famous Toyota Country Music Festival Tamworth. You can plan your visit to Country NSW around colourful festivals as well as thrilling rodeo and sporting spectacles, such as the Bathurst 1000.

Choose your own adventure in Country NSW with forays that range from placid pastimes like gentle hiking, fishing and birdwatching to adrenaline-pumping pursuits such as mountain biking, canyoning and skydiving. Children are also entertained around Country NSW in wildlife sanctuaries, adventure playgrounds and water parks.

Camper gazing up at the galaxy of stars, Warrumbungles

The natural beauty of Country NSW is magnificently diverse, from emerald-green sections of the Gondwana Rainforests near the Armidale and Glen Innes regions in northern NSW; to World Heritage Mungo National Park in southwest NSW; and Australia’s first Dark Sky Park in the Warrumbungle region in the State's northwest.

The wineries for which Country NSW is known also make for a sweet detour, with cellar doors offering sensational views over the countryside. Food tourists regularly flock to restaurants such as Biota, Lolli Redini, Tonic and the Pipeclay Pumphouse. You can also tuck into seasonal fare in heritage pubs and farmers markets.