New South Wales, home to Australia's oldest and most dynamic major city, Sydney, is the country's most visited state and one of its most diverse. With a population larger than any other Australian state and a huge range of landscapes, it offers an extraordinary variety of experiences: sweeping beaches, World Heritage-listed national parks, a taste of the real Australian outback, snow-covered mountains in winter, lush farming country, rich Aboriginal culture, and the glittering city lights of Sydney.

The state was named by Captain James Cook in 1770 when he charted the eastern coastline and noted that parts of it reminded him of the coast of southern Wales. The heart of New South Wales is Sydney, a sunny and cosmopolitan harbour city instantly recognised by the white sails of its Opera House and the great arch of the Harbour Bridge. Beyond the city's excitement, the state promises countless escapes, from the striking scenery of the Blue Mountains and the alpine landscapes of the Snowy Mountains to the vineyard country of the Hunter Valley and the charming historic villages of the Southern Highlands. Along the coast, travellers can enjoy whale-watching, surfing, swimming and the relaxed pace of creative, free-spirited seaside towns.