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I N A S S O C I AT I O N W I T H
NSW
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Out & About with Kids in NSW was created, designed and produced by Out & About with Kids, in association with Destination NSW
Editor Christine Kane Contributors Katrina Holden Lisa Monk Liz Swanton Design Magnesium Media Art Director Louise Summerton Designer Blair Pagan Published by Elwin Media Pty Ltd ABN: 22 159 093 606 PO Box 4148 Balgowlah Heights NSW 2093 Publisher Elisa Elwin Associate Publisher Richard Bunting Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in the editorial are those of the contributors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Publisher. Information provided was believed to be correct at the time of publication. Copyright Š Out & About with Kids 2014. Reproduction in whole or part without written permission is strictly prohibited. All reasonable efforts have been made to contact copyright holders.
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Hamilton Lund; Destination NSW
NSW is as kid-friendly as they come and full of hidden gems for families to discover and enjoy together! Venture off the beaten track for a short or long break and enjoy a family holiday exploring, tasting, seeing and playing somewhere different. From the state capital, Sydney, along our beautiful coast and into inland NSW, the landscape varies from cities and beaches to rainforests, mountains, alpine country and wonderful bush and outback landscapes. Far away from the everyday, as you travel around NSW, you’ll experience the warmth and friendliness of locals in every town and village, be delighted by the diverse range of family activities, adventures and attractions waiting for you and build a bank of unforgettable NSW memories to last a lifetime!
I N A S S O C I AT I O N W I T H
contents
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INLAND WATER FUN Rivers, creeks, streams, waterfalls …
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DID YOU KNOW ….? Top 10 BIG in NSW, ‘Wheely’ good fun and more …
Robert Blackburn, Destination NSW; Don Fuchs; Destination NSW
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FAMILY-FRIENDLY EVENTS From summer through to spring…
7
ANIMAL ANTICS Awesome, amusing, interactive and unusual …
10 HANDS-ON FOOD Catch it, pick it, collect it … and eat it! …
13 ADVENTURES
AFTER DARK …
Spotting stars to spotting wildlife …
16 INLAND WATER FUN Rivers, creeks, streams, waterfalls …
19 COOL CAVES Glowworms, stalagmites, stalactites…
22 UNFORGETTABLE NSW
Something different … something amazing …
Cool caves p19 alactites… st Glowworms, stalagmites, 1
NSW FLY HIGH 1 2 3 4 5 6
Byron Bay Air Charters TreeTop Safari Illawarra Fly Treetop Adventures Spring Loaded Trampoline Park Albion Park Variety Playground
DID YOU KNOW...? 7 8 9 10 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 23 24 27 28 29 30 31 151 32 34 147 148 149 150 152 153 154 155 156 157
The Alstonville Rodeo Viva la Gong McGregor’s Family Carnival The National Cherry Festival Tamworth Country Music Festival Eurobodalla Country Show Elvis Festival Party in the Park Thirroul Seaside & Arts Festival Kites and Bikes Billy Cart Derby Australian Celtic Festival Lambing Flats Festival Easter Festival Lightning Ridge Brigadoon, the Bundanoon Highland Gathering Annual Irish Festival Lismore Lantern Parade Ride around the Lake Coonamble Rodeo & Campdraft KidsFest Deni Ute Muster Vivid Sydney Festival Boats Afloat Bush Tucker Day Christmas Lights Spectacular AFC Asian Cup Junee Rhythm ‘n’ Rail Festival Narooma Oyster Festival Dubbo Stampede Eden Whale Festival ChromeFest Tastes at the Bay Festival Canowindra Balloon Challenge International Childrens Games
ANIMAL ANTICS 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42
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Lord Howe Island Secret Creek Mt. Kosciuszko ‘Shear Outback’ Comeroo Camel Station Dubbo Stampede Tumut Port Stephens
43 44 45 46 47 48 147 148 35
I N A S S O C I AT I O N W I T H
Total Eco Adventures Ned’s Beach Symbio Wildlife Park Taronga Western Plains Zoo Billabong Zoo Mogo Zoo Waterways Wildlife Park Dolphin Marine Magic Lord Howe Island
HANDS ON FOOD 50 Honeycomb Valley Farm 51 Aboriginal Blue Mountains 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74
Walkabout Sea Acres Rainforest Centre Li-Sun Exotic Mushrooms Tunnel Highland Lodge Barcoo Farmstays Starline Alpacas Trudgalong Farm Hanericka Farmstay Catch a Crab Mudgee Fine Food Farmers’ Markets Armidale Farmers’ Market Chocolate Festival Junee Licorice and Chocolate Factory Carobana Coffs Candy Kitchen Maitland Aroma Coffee Chocolate and Fine Food Festival Kids Cooking World Young Catania Fruit Salad Farm Tinklers Produce Huntley Berry Farm The Glenbernie Orchard ABC Cheese Factory Bodalla Dairy Shed, Café and Retro Milkbar
AFTER DARK 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85
Bellinger River Blackbutt Reserve in Newcastle Murramurrang National Park Hunter Wetlands Centre Montague Island Trial Bay Gaol Siding Spring Observatory Darby’s Falls Observatory The Paul Wild Observatory The Science Centre & Planetarium The Parkes Observatory
86 87 88 89 90 91
Sydney Observatory Jenolan Caves Tabatinga Entertainment Centre Maitland Gaol Old Dubbo Gaol Nightcap National Park
INLAND WATER FUN 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 100 101 102 103 104 105 106 107 108 109 110 111 112 113 114 115 116 117 118 119 120 121 122 123
Lake Lyell/Lake Wallace Blue Mountains National Park Menindee Lakes Murray/Darling Junction Lightning Ridge Bore Baths The Murray River Boonoo Boonoo Falls Moree Artesian Aquatic Centre Apsley Falls Dunns Swamp Five Rivers Fishing Trail Edward River Barmedman Mineral Pool Macquarie Marshes Thredbo River Khancoban Pondage Lake St Clair Washpools Waterhole Barrington Tops National Park Brisbane Water National Park Lake Macquarie State Conservation Area Myall Lakes National Park Bindarri National Park Lake Ainsworth Mumbulla Creek Falls Clyde River National Park Kangaroo River Lake Illawarra Bundjalung National Park Brunswick Nature Reserve Cudgen Lake Karuah Nature Reserve
COOL CAVES 124 125 126 127 87 128 129 130 131 132
Abercrombie Caves Carey’s Cave (Wee Jasper Caves) Caves Beach Mermaids Cave Jenolan Caves Yarrangobilly Caves Ashford Caves Wellington Caves Borenore Caves Wombeyan Caves
Broken Hill 134
94
95
UNFORGETTABLE NSW 133 134 135 136 137 138 139 140 141 142 37 143 144 145 146
Timbertown Royal Flying Doctors Service International Cricket Hall of Fame Smoky Cape Lighthouse Scenic Dune Buggies Inverell Parkes Byron Shire Thursday Plantation Trainworks Mt. Kosciuszko Bourke Bago Maze Original Gold Rush Colony Gold Trails
102
59 122 115 141 17 9 91 18 1 140 Lismore 7 121 27 120 21 96
99
Grafton Bourke
138
143
129
19 98
Coffs Harbour 114 65 75 88 64 148
Armidale 100 61
83 147 29
136 123 80
Tamworth 12
105 81
Cobar
Port Macquaire
49 52 133 144 47
Taree
109
Scone
NEW SOUTH WALES
110
90 40 134 46 152 130
24
60 101
Parkes Orange
85 14
Forbes
71 156
Griffith Hay
131
55
Bathurst 15
92
124
36 127 51 93
87
Sydney
Katoomba
82
2
148 86 67 151 72 16
Young
68 146 20 10
69
149 63
Yass 125
Wagga Wagga 58
104
Tumut
23 3 119 Wollongong Bowral 135 5 8 84 Goulburn 28 30 Nowra 118
Canberra
Ulludulla
41 128
Deniliquin
142 45
132 53
Cootamundra
38
103 31
117 77 48 43
KEY
Moruya 97
Albury
107 37 106 54
Jindabyne
Forster
155 62 108 42 70 56 66 76 Newcastle 147 89 78 6 4 126 157 Central Coast 154 112 111
137
Cowra
West Wyalong
35 44
Mudgee
34 139
57
39
Dubbo
113 50
Cooma
74 32 145 13 73 150 116
Bega
Eden 153
79
1 Fly high 7 Did you know...? 35 Animal Antics 50 Hands on Food 75 After Dark 92 Inland Water Fun 124 Cool Caves 133 Unforgettable NSW
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Travelling around NSW It’s easy to get around NSW and to visit fascinating, family-friendly regions. You can self-drive and fly or, better yet, relax and enjoy a magical train journey – kids travel for $1 when travelling with an adult! Visit nswtrainlink.info and start planning your next NSW family holiday.
The BIG Banana – Coffs Harbour The BIG Merino – Goulburn The BIG Prawn – Ballina The BIG Apple – Batlow The BIG Cow – Nambour The BIG Golden Guitar – Tamworth The BIG Bench – Broken Hill The GIANT Tennis Racquet – Barellan The world’s BIGGEST Sundial – Singleton The world’s BIGGEST Playable Guitar – Narrandera > visitnsw.com/nsw-tales/things-to-do/ new-south-wales-thinks-big
Ride on Travel along the Legendary Pacific Coast and discover unique ‘ride-on’ experiences dotted all the way up the coastline from Sydney to the far North Coast. Pit stop anywhere from Glenworth Valley to Grafton, from Sydney to Seal Rocks and you’ll be amazed at the number and variety of ‘ride-on’ activities waiting for you - everything from camels to horses, BMX bikes to skateboards, dune buggies and surfboards!
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Clarence Valley Council; Jason Busch Photography; Mike Newling, Destination NSW
TOP 10 BIG NSW
D I D YOU KN OW. ..?
Wheely good fun
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Try out the great BMX park at Bateman’s Bay or venture out on the new 6km cycle path between Narooma and Dalmeny.
2.
Take a Segway Personal Transporter through Killalea State Park in Shellharbour or enjoy roller-skating at Illawarra’s only rink at Oak Flats.
Fly high! 1 Flying high in the sky gives you a unique perspective and there are a number of flying operators offering tours including Byron Bay Air Charters in a twin piper Comanche, Air T&G in a helicopter, Classic Aero in a genuine exRAAF Warbird or for the more adventurous, travel as a passenger with Byron Bay Microlights or try tandem hang gliding. 2 TreeTop Safari in Abbotsbury features a series of easy bridges and flying foxes for kids 10 years and over. Take an axhilarating 360m flying fox above the tree canopy for breathtaking views of the Sydney CDB and the Blue Mountains. Destination NSW; Wollongong Tourism
3 Illawarra Fly Treetop Adventures in the Southern Highlands is an award-winning native treetop walk experience and the only one of its kind in NSW. The steel walkway’s central tower
is raised nearly 50 metres from the forest floor. 4 The first of its kind in the Hunter, Spring Loaded Trampoline Park at Gateshead Indoor Sportsworld offers kids the chance to jump their way around on almost 100 trampolines. With a Kid Zone, Foam Pit, Gymnastics Tumble Tramps and a Free Bounce area, kids of all ages and abilities are sure to enjoy this bouncy adventure. 5 Take a scenic flight in a plane, microlight, biplane, helicopter or Top Gun fighter jet from Wollongong’s airport at Albion Park. 6 Variety Playground at Speers Point Park in the Lake Macquarie Region, will entertain for hours with a 9-metre spiral slide, flying foxes, climbing equipment, maze and bike track.
3.
Enjoy family-friendly cycling tours on the South Coast with Australian Cycling Holidays.
4.
Do a lap at Australia’s first and only electric indoor karting track at C1 Speed at Albion Park Rail near Wollongong.
5.
Skate the four bowls and grinding areas at the Ballina Coast and Hinterland skate parks or try the Lennox Head bowl. Enter a comp or join a workshop at Ballina Missingham skatepark run through Skateboarding Australia.
6.
Pedal on one of the many mountain bike trails and tracks in the Snowy Mountains. Choose from gentle valley trails and village rides or, for the more adventurous, try an adrenalin-pumping ride on the new Kosciuszko Flow Trail.
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Did you know that NSW is brimming with hundreds of uniquely different, inspiringly interactive and ultimately unforgettable opportunities to meet a whole range of awesome animals? In every corner of the state, throughout the year, amazing (and sometimes amusing!) animal encounters abound! Destination NSW; Symbio Wildlife Park/Wollongong Tourism; Mike Newling, Destination NSW
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xperience the excitement of supersmart sheepdog trials in the Southern Highlands, Narrandera or Tenterfield; get up close with the amazing clownfish and seabirds on pristine Lord Howe Island 35 ; meet pure-bred dingoes, spotted-tailed quolls, brushtailed rock wallabies, emus and brush turkeys at Secret Creek in the Blue Mountains 36 , a wildlife sanctuary; ride high in the saddle in ‘The Man from Snowy River’ country near our highest peak, Mt. Kosciuszko 37 . Try your hand at being a real ‘bushie’ at rodeos, in sheep shearing sheds and on mustering missions in Outback NSW; catch all the action of a rodeo at Dungog, Tamworth and lots of other inland towns throughout the state; see sheep being shorn at ‘Shear Outback’ 38 in Hay; stay at Comeroo Camel Station 39 outside Bourke – a working sheep and cattle station. When you think outside the square, you’ll soon discover so many extraordinary NSW destinations with awesome animal encounters – from friendly to fierce, cute to reclusive and everything in between!
Coonamble Rodeo & Campdraft 29 , held over the June long weekend, brings together 1000 cowboys and cowgirls for a fantastic weekend of steer wrestling, calf roping, barrel racing and bucking bronco rodeos!
animal antics Symbio Wildlife Park
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A NI M A L ANT ICS
A running festival for everyone, Dubbo Stampede 40 boasts the iconic Taronga Western Plains Zoo as its backdrop. Enjoy a relaxing day out for the whole family by taking part in the gentle ‘Dingo Dash’, which is perfect for all ages, or tackle one of the more challenging runs like the 42.2km ‘Rhino Ramble’!
AQUATIC ANTICS
42 Pull on a pair of waders and feed sharks and rays at Port Stephens 43 Snorkel at Broulee on the South Coast with Total Eco Adventures – safe, guided tours for all ages and abilities
Hand-feed mullet, wrasse, garfish, silverdrummer, spandledemperor and King Fish at Ned’s Beach on Lord Howe Island. 44
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Z
oom in for amazing zoo adventures off the beaten track. Discover Symbio Wildlife Park 45 near Wollongong – it’s on the southern fringe of the beautiful Royal National Park and home to native Australian animals and an amazing collection of exotic wildlife from around the world; visit Dubbo’s much-loved Taronga Western Plains Zoo 46 and have a sleepover on a special ‘Zoofari’; check out Billabong Zoo 47 at Port Macquarie and the
new Jurassic Pond that is home to the 4.6 metre, 50-year-old ‘monster croc’, Shrek, and handle a 7-metre long python! Feed a meerkat and rare white lions at Mogo Zoo 48 on the South Coast. Visit the cute koalas and other native wildlife who call Waterways Wildlife Park 147 in Gunnedah home; meet dolphins, seals, penguins and turtles at Dolphin Marine Magic 148 in Coffs Harbour – a sanctuary for the rehabilitation of rescued marine creatures.
Blue Mountains Lithgow & Oberon Tourism; Taronga Zoo
41 Try your luck trout fishing in Tumut – a guaranteed workout for those arm muscles
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unforgettable animal encounters 1
Venture to the colourful floodplains of Broken Hill’s Kinchega National Park and Menindee Lakes and marvel at the impressive bird species.
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Go koala spotting in Bongil Bongil National Park near Sawtell – it’s home to the largest koala population in NSW.
Holly Bradford, Capital Country Tourism; Destination NSW; Blue Mountains Lithgow & Oberon Tourism ; Greater Port Macquarie Tourism; Clarence Valley; Hamilton Lund, Destination NSW; Broken Hill City Council; Destination NSw; Destination NSW; Broken Hill City Council
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Be part of the summer penguin parade and watch ‘puppies of the sea’ – pretty-faced seals – frolic in the waters and sunbathe on the rocks at Montague Island.
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Travel the newlyopened ‘Hello Koala’ sculpture trail, a public art community project of 50 large scale one-metre high unique fibreglass koala sculptures that dot the landscape from the Pacific Ocean and Hastings River by Port Macquarie’s CBD to the timbered hinterland of Wauchope and the national parks and waters of the Camden Haven.
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Walk through a subtropical rainforest at the Butterfly House at Bonville near Coffs Harbour and share the air with hundreds of beautiful butterflies.
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Experience an animal fun park full of saltwater crocs, emus, kangaroos and wallabies, wombats, farmyard baby animals, barn owls and other birds at Macadamia Castle near Ballina.
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Visit ‘a zoo without fences’ – you’ll be treated to close encounters with animals in the wild, including swans, emus, wallabies and kangaroos at Eurobodalla National Park at Potato Point.
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Let the fish swim right up to you when you snorkel in the spectacular Bushranger's Bay aquatic reserve at Bass Point.
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Make friends with furry creatures at Oakvale Farm and Fauna World, Port Stephens where you can milk a cow, hand-feed the free range animals, observe emus, cassowaries, camels, dingoes, sheep, goats and ducks.
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Join a camel train or a camel trek – hop on the back of a humpy camel for an unforgettable ride on beaches at Stockton, Coffs Harbour, Port Stephens, Port Macquarie and Bateman’s Bay or on the dusty trails of Outback NSW at Silverton.
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H A NDS ON FOOD
Whether it’s admiring the sweet charms of the queen bee, traipsing through prized truffle fields, adventuring down a mushroom tunnel, catching live crabs, picking berries straight from the orchard or milking cows in the dairy — there’s plenty of fun food adventures for kids in NSW. WHY NOT...?
Funny farm
55 Experience sulky and sled rides led by Bella the Clydesdale horse, included in your tariff at Barcoo Farmstays in Bathurst
Farm visits and farm stays allow kids to interact with animals and provide the opportunity to learn how fresh produce is sourced, grown and farmed. Every Sunday Near River Produce 49 , in the Hastings River region, runs tours that allow you to partake in regular farm activities such as feeding the chickens or piglets or spending time in the garden mulching or sowing seeds. Afterwards, everyone can indulge in a meal made of fresh produce they helped source from the farm. ‘The Farmacy’ sells fresh farm including pork, chicken, eggs and seasonal vegetables. At the 36 ha Honeycomb Valley Farm 50 at Nabiac on the mid north coast, you can join in a broad range of activities including feeding lambs, goat milking, collecting eggs, grooming alpacas, spinning honey and harvesting herbs.
Bush tucker
Kids aged seven years and over can join the tourism award-winning Aboriginal Blue Mountains Walkabout 51 . An all-day adventure, led by accredited Aboriginal guides, families can help source and scour for local bush tucker! You’ll also take in rock and cave paintings and engravings, giant natural sculptures and ochre face and body painting. In Port Macquarie, the Sea Acres Rainforest Centre 52 runs bush-tucker tours through its 3kms of coastal rainforest boardwalks.
Pick and catch your own!
In the Southern Highlands, the Li-Sun Exotic Mushrooms Tunnel 53 is located on abandoned railway lands and tunnels in Mittagong. Just three or four times per year, you’ll have the chance to be
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54 Collect eggs and pick home-grown veggies at Highland Lodge in the Snowy Mountains
56 Pick fresh quince, apples, pears, lemons and peaches and feed the alpacas on the farm at Starline Alpacas in the heart of the Hunter Valley
Head to the Gloucester River for a visit to Trudgalong Farm, a labrador breeding farm for over 40 years, where you can play with puppies, fish from the ponds, study the worm farm and learn about native stingless bees. 57
58 Feed ducks, chooks, kangaroos, turkeys and camels at Hanericka Farmstay, in the Riverina region, near Wagga Wagga.
adventurous and join a tunnel tour and discover why Jamie Oliver visited here in March 2014. On the Tweed River on the far North Coast, the Catch a Crab 59 tour operators offer a range of fun activities for all ages including catching live crabs, fishing in the Tweed river, pumping for yabbies, feeding pelicans and visiting the oyster farms.
This little piggy went to market
The Mudgee Fine Food Farmers’ Markets 60 on the third Saturday of each month hosts kids cooking classes and farm walks for families. Cooking classes are run by local chefs and foodies for kids aged 8-14; the gardening classes teach kids about growing their own herbs and vegetables. In the New England region, the Armidale Farmers’ Market 61 , held on the first and third Sunday of every month in Curtis Park, has a renowned selection of yummy baked sweet treats as well as goat meat, gourmet sausages, berries, coffee and free-range meats.
Chocolate!
In the July school holidays, Hunter Valley Gardens runs a Chocolate Festival 62 , featuring live demonstrations from chocolatiers, a patisserie with decadent treats from the likes of guest chefs such as Adriano Zumbo and a wine and beer stand for the grown-ups. The famous certified organic Junee Licorice and Chocolate Factory 63 in the Riverina conducts daily tours and the onsite restaurant serves organic
James Pippino Destination NSW; Port Macquarie Tourism; Port Macquarie Tourism; Shutterstock
G
etting out to explore food at its source through hands-on, roll-up-your-sleeves experiences is the stuff of precious (and tasty) family memories! Thanks to a diverse topography and expansive range of options that stretch from coast to country, NSW provides real, and fun, opportunities for kids to discover food at its source and experience the colour and flavours of fresh produce.
hands on food ate
From the source to the pl coffee, woodfired pizza and Devonshire teas. At Carobana 64 in Coffs Harbour, you can watch the process of carob, honeycomb and brittle making in their tours from Monday to Thursday. At nearby Coffs Candy Kitchen 65 you can see colourful candy being made by Danish master sugar confectioner Nils Nilsson and family!
Clockwise from top: Ricardoes Tomatoes and Strawberries in Port Macquarie; Mushrooming at Oberon; Fruit and produce market in Mudgee, Central NSW
Each August, the Maitland Aroma Coffee Chocolate and Fine Food Festival 66 brings sweet goodness to the Central Coast region – with coffee and chocolate demonstrations including how to make a chocolate gingerbread house and cupcake decorating, along with children’s entertainment.
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H A NDS ON FOOD
Left: Fruit picking is a natural fit for little ones
Truffle hunting is a highly skilled artisan trade but it makes for great adventures for kids with a detective streak (for children over 10). Specially trained hunting dogs are joined by their handlers as they literally sniff out the highly prized fungi. Hunting season is usually between June to August. Truffles thrive in NSW around the Southern Highlands, Orange and Oberon.
Kids in the kitchen
Want your kids to discover the joy, pride and life skills that come with cooking – but in someone else’s kitchen? At Kids Cooking World 67 in Sydney, owner and founder Mona Kamel is passionate about teaching kids the life skill of cooking. Classes are for kids, teens and adults teaching gingerbread making, sushi rolls, pizza classes and cupcake decorating – and the handson tuition shows kids how to use and clean their cooking utensils. School holiday cooking boot camps and also mini master chef classes are also offered at selected locations in Sydney, and for group bookings they will even come to you.
Fruit salad, yummy yummy
Fruit picking is a natural fit for the little ones – outdoor fun, sweet juicy goodness they can get their hands dirty with, it’s healthy, easy and fun for everyone! A number of regions offer seasonal pickings of everything from cherries, strawberries, pears, apples, plums and figs to pecans, chestnuts and oranges. Young 68 is the cherry capital of Australia. Pick your own cherries at Willayoung and Torry Hill
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Orchards, and at Petal Falls Orchard you can see the workings of an orchard and packing shed. You can also buy jams, sauces and seasonal fruit pies. Griffith’s Catania Fruit Salad Farm 69 is one of the oldest working farms in the Riverina. A visit at anytime of year and a tour onboard the daily Farm Safari will allow you to try a broad range of fruits and nuts straight from the trees. You’ll see sustainable practices being used throughout and can purchase over 70 different food products made from ingredients off the farm. At Tinklers Produce 70 in Pokolbin, a working fruit and vegetable farm in the Hunter Valley, you can help with the picking and the Tinklers are also a wine-making family, so parents can grab a tasty semillon or chardonnay! At the Huntley Berry Farm 71 in Orange, you can devour your fresh-picked berries (between November and May) or slurp on berry ice blocks from their store under the magnificent trees in the large lawn area, where their free-range chooks roam. The Glenbernie Orchard: The Apple Shack 72 in the Illawarra region north of Wollongong is a 40 ha orchard and farm shop with apples, nectarines, peaches, bush honey, jams and chutneys. Through the Hawkesbury Harvest, you can visit a range of orchards to pick your own fruits and nuts. There is also a suggested range of farm gate trails in the area to visit. The National Cherry Festival takes place each December in Young, with 2014 marking the festival’s 65th year. There are cherry pie eating and pip spitting competitions, a car show, street parade, fireworks display and Christmas markets.
SAY CHEESE On the South Coast in Central Tilba, the ABC Cheese Factory 73 has been making cheese and dairy products since 1891. You can view cheese making and milk bottling through the windows and also taste a range of honeys. Try the milkshakes made from the milk from Tilba’s own jersey cows. Also on the south coast at the Bodalla Dairy Shed, Café and Retro Milkbar 74 , kids can bottle-feed calves daily at 10am and 4pm. You won’t want to leave without slurping on a traditional milkshake thickened with rich ice cream!
Holly Bradford; Capital country Tourism; Shutterstock
Who let the dogs out?
adventures after
dark NSW is full of fabulous things to see in the dark … all it takes is a bit of imagination...
W
e’re all pretty good at sightseeing and discovering by day, but how would you like to explore NSW by night? Study the stars in the dark sky; use night vision goggles to spot possums and owls; moonlight canoe; night ski; spot wildlife at night and even play glow-in-the-dark mini golf!
MOONLIGHT GLIDE
tExplore NSdeW onby thnigh ter wa e a moonlit gli
Shutterstock
Usually when we think of canoes, we think of sunshine glinting on the water as we glide along … but what if it was moonlight, instead? Imagine slipping through the quiet waters of the Bellinger River 75 (near Bellingen) in your canoe, while your guide points out the constellations above and the creatures that dwell beside the river. You will hear – and perhaps see! – koalas, bats, possums, jumping fish … and, if you’re lucky, a dolphin or two. It’s a magical way to encounter our nocturnal wildlife and lots of places throughout the state now offer special ‘full moon’ paddles.
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A DV EN TURES AFT ER DA R K
There’s something different about the sounds of the night. A rustle in the bushes, unseen wings flapping, perhaps the sight of a pair of glowing eyes staring at you.While many spotlight prowls ‘hibernate’ for the winter, they warm up as the weather does making spring and summer the best times to turn your spotlight on! 76 Beautiful Blackbutt Reserve in Newcastle has night walks during daylight saving months 77 Murramurrang National Park on the South Coast offers after dark animal spotting tours during the school holidays in the warmer months. 78 While the Hunter Wetlands Centre Spotlight Prowl also ‘hibernates’ in the winter, it wakes up in spring and is ready for action, just like the animals. Do a night walk with experienced guides ... you’ll be amazed at what you see and hear. 79 Montague Island on the South Coast is home
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to a colony of penguins and regular night tours operate from Narooma during the warmer months to marvel at the ‘penguin parade’. 80 Trial Bay Gaol at South West Rocks holds ‘Walk on the dark side’ torchlight tours during the school holidays (except winter), where you can tour the historic ruins of the gaol and learn its history. It’s BYO torch and children under 16 must be accompanied by an adult.
Clockwise from above: Riverside camping at night; Bald Rock National Park; Siding Spring Observatory, Coonabarabran
STAR LIGHT, STAR BRIGHT
The clear skies of NSW offer amazing views of the starlit heavens and there are plenty of observatories around the state, from Bourke to Broken Hill and beyond, with breathtaking views of the night skies. While they may not all be open every night, it’s worth visiting these observatories, as their locations offer wonderful views of the star-spangled night skies and some do have night-time activities.
CCIA
TURN YOUR SPOTLIGHT ON!
NIGHT VISION
Destination NSW; visitbyronbay.com
81 Siding Spring Observatory in the Warrumbungles near Coonabarabran is home to Australia’s largest optical telescope and has loads of activities about the universe, the solar system and astronomical research. Its once-a-year Open Day is in October, a great family day out. 82 Darby’s Falls Observatory in Cowra is open during winter until 10pm and in summer until 11pm 83 The Paul Wild Observatory is just outside Narrabri and is home to one of the world’s most advanced radio telescopes and crystal clear night skies for star gazers 84 The Science Centre & Planetarium in Wollongong has more than 130 exhibits and the ‘Discovery Evenings’ reveal the wonders of space 85 The Parkes Observatory is home to ‘The Dish’ - a 64-m diameter parabolic dish used for radio astronomy, made famous in the movie starring
Sam Neill 86 And don’t forget Sydney Observatory, which has the oldest Australian telescope in regular use and offers viewing sessions and activities on most nights of the week Try a night tour at the 87 Jenolan Caves, where you can choose from a variety of tours, including ‘Legends, Mysteries & Ghosts’! Or glow-in-thedark mini golf at 88 Tabatinga Entertainment Centre at Coffs Harbour! Take the kids to 89 Maitland Gaol in the Hunter Valley, where the family can become ‘inmates’ for the night ... this historic gaol has a variety of tours and attractions, but the sleepover is great fun and includes a ‘Torchlight Tour’ and a night spent in a prison cell. 90 Old Dubbo Gaol also runs family-friendly night tours, as well an adults only (kids 16 years and over) ‘Beyond the Grave’ tour that is sure to give you the shivers.
One of the latest ways to see our national parks is through night vision goggles and there are many parks across the state offering this exciting and novel family experience! Wander through Nightcap National Park 91 in the hinterland behind Byron Bay – beautiful by day and mysterious by night! The military-grade night vision goggles allow you to see animals such as possums, pademelons, bandicoots, tawny frogmouths and frogs. If you’re lucky, you’ll spot a koala or an owl. Marvel at the glowworm colony and then relax at the top of Minyon Falls with a hot chocolate and sense of wonder!
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I N L A ND WAT ER FUN
It’s easy to think that in NSW ‘water’ means beaches and ocean, but once you head away from the coast you’ll find rivers, lakes, waterholes and waterfalls all over inland NSW, just waiting for you to come and have fun!
anywhere! Grab the chance to try something new, like fly fishing or white water rafting and there’s even the opportunity to learn some history along the way, while you explore a new waterway. So, what are you waiting for? Here are some of the best.
Blue Mountains
Lithgow - Lake Lyell/Lake Wallace 92 Water ski, swim, canoe, bird watch and fish for trout; Katoomba - Blue Mountains National Park 93 A World Heritage-Listed Area and a region ten times older than the Grand Canyon in the USA, the park has swimming holes, waterfalls, walking tracks and picnic areas. Blue Pool track leads to a sandy riverside beach and Jellybean track is an easy downhill walk to cool off in the calm waters of Jellybean pool.
Outback NSW
Broken Hill - Menindee Lakes 94 The Menindee Lakes is a chain of shallow freshwater lakes connected to the Darling River, a mecca for birdlife and excellent for boating, fishing and kayaking; Wentworth - Murray/Darling Junction and
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Viewing Tower 95 Climb the viewing tower to see the junction of Australia’s two longest rivers, the Murray and the Darling, on the NSW/Victoria border which, combined, is the fourth largest river system in the world!; Lightning Ridge - Lightning Ridge Bore Baths 96 A long soak in the naturally heated thermal baths is very soothing - even better at night, when you gaze into the star-studded sky and enjoy the outback serenity.
Country NSW
Albury-Wodonga – The Murray River 97 This great river is a popular place for families so why not venture out on a houseboat holiday and enjoy the scenery, the leisurely pace and the fantastic water activities including wakeboarding, waterskiing, swimming and boating; Glen Innes and Inverell - Boonoo Boonoo Falls 98 The Falls cascade over the eastern edge of the New England tableland crashing 220m into the rainforest and gorges below and there’s excellent swimming in the Boonoo Boonoo River; Moree and Narrabri Moree Artesian Aquatic Centre 99 This area sits above the Great Artesian Basin and is known as the artesian spa capital of Australia. Relax and heal in the mineral rich waters; Armidale - Apsley Falls 100 Apsley Falls are two waterfalls on the Apsley River, in a deep gorge that is part of the Oxley Wild Rivers National Park. Aboriginal legend has it they were created by the
WHY NOT...? 101 Visit the Mudgee region’s Dunns Swamp where you can swim on the waters in the World Heritage-Listed Wollemi National Park 102 Fish over five rivers in Balranald on the Five Rivers Fishing Trail 103 Explore Deniliquin’s Edward River by kayak in the Murray Valley National Park 104 Bathe in the therapeutic Barmedman Mineral Pool in Wagga Wagga.
CCIA
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oss in the togs and towel, fit a fishing rod into the boot, or even carry a kayak on the roof racks (or hire one when you get there) - and you’ll be ready to make a splash,
inland
water fun Rainbow Serpent during the Dreamtime. Warrumbungle - Macquarie Marshes 105 The iconic Macquarie Marshes wetlands are a bird enthusiast’s paradise, with over 300 species of birds and other native wildlife. One of the best ways to explore the area is with a guided kayak tour.
Snowy Mountains
Destination NSW
Kosciuszko National Park - Thredbo River 106 If you want to try your hand at fly-fishing or white water paddling, the rough and tumble of the Thredbo River is the place to do it. Try tubing down the river - it’s great fun for families!; Tumbarumba - Khancoban Pondage 107 Great fishing and boating is available on this section of the famous Snowy Mountains Hydro Scheme, just one of a series of lakes in the region that play an important role in power and water provision, as well as fun for locals and visitors.
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I N L A ND WAT ER FUN
WHY NOT...?
Hunter Valley - Lake St Clair 108 A great family getaway spot, offering swimming, sailing, water skiing, camping and fishing; Upper Hunter Washpools Waterhole, Towarri National Park 109 Washpools is a 500m walk from the picnic area parking spot, but well worth the effort – and there’s plenty of birdlife! Barrington Tops - Barrington Tops National Park 110 The rainforests here form part of the Gondwana Rainforests of Australia World Heritage Area. There’s good fishing and other watersports (including white water action) courtesy of the six rivers that flow through the park.
Central Coast
Gosford Area - Brisbane Water National Park 111 Enjoy fishing and all types of watersports and Somersby Falls has a great swimming hole! Wyong Area - Lake Macquarie State Conservation Area 112 This lake is twice the size of Sydney Harbour and the biggest permanent saltwater lake in the Southern Hemisphere! You can go wild here with a wide range of fishing and water sports or hire a houseboat!
North Coast
Forster and Taree - Myall Lakes National Park 113 This is one of NSW’s largest coastal lakes systems
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and all well suited to favourite family watersports; Coffs Harbour - Bindarri National Park 114 You can watch the headwaters of Urumbilum River drop over the Great Escarpment in a series of spectacular waterfalls – and swim in the river’s clear waters. Keep an eye open for frogs and platypus. All vehicle access is 4WD; Ballina - Lake Ainsworth 115 Also known as Tea Tree Lake, this tea-tree-stained freshwater lagoon – rather like a big medicinal bath and suitable for swimming and kayaking. Historically Lake Ainsworth is a water hole sacred to women as it was once an Aboriginal women’s birthing place.
South Coast
Sapphire Coast - Mumbulla Creek Falls 116 Sacred to the local Yuin people, Mumbulla Creek in Biamanga National Park offers great swimming with a natural rock water slide; Eurobodalla Clyde River National Park 117 Lots of secluded spots to fish or swim or paddle and you can hire canoes and kayaks; Jervis Bay/Shoalhaven Kangaroo River 118 Explore this pretty section of the Shoalhaven catchment by canoe or kayak or enjoy swimming and fishing; Wollongong and Surrounds - Lake Illawarra 119 The second largest saltwater lake in NSW, offers great swimming, boating, fishing – and you can try your hand at prawning!
121 Spot endangered turtles while you swim or kayak in Brunswick Nature Reserve at Byron Bay 122 Enjoy all kinds of water sports in the hidden wetland region of Cudgen Lake in the Tweed and swim, boat, paddle and fish (and spot nocturnal wildlife if you camp!) at 123 Karuah Nature Reserve in Port Stephens. Destination NSW; Shutterstock
Hunter
120 Visit Bundjalung National Park in Lismore where you’ll find a river, beach and freshwater lagoons and you can snorkel on the shallow reefs
Glowworms, living fossils, stalagmites and stalactites – NSW is home to over 2,000 beautiful caves where you’ll discover these fascinating living creatures and natural formations. Some of the caves are hundreds of millions of years old! Explore the deep and the dark on a safe, guided tour and, with your torch light at the ready, you’ll experience the thrill of the hidden world of caves up close!
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David Hil, Destination NSW; Shutterstockl
very NSW cave belongs to one of 100 different cave, or ‘karst’, systems across the state. ‘Karst’ is a landscape formed by the disintegration of soluble rocks such as limestone. It is created when acidic water breaks down the surface, leading to cracking and fracturing and allowing the formation of caves and sinkholes, along with underground drainage. The Abercrombie, Jenolan, Wee Jasper, Wellington, Wombeyan and Yarrangobilly caves all offer fantastic guided tours that provide the chance to see rock formations such as stalagmites and stalactites. Do you know which is which? The ‘mites’ go up and the ‘tites’ go down! Caves also offer us the chance to learn something – like a natural ‘textbook’ for explaining the phenomenal development of our planet! Some caves hold a special place in the Dreamtime stories of the local Aboriginal people from that area. They’re also a great place to see really unusual plants and animals, including ‘living fossils’, invertebrate species which have adapted to live in caves. They look like their ancient ancestors and many have no eyes or pigmentation. Caves are not the only features of limestone landscapes. There are limestone gorges at Yarrangobilly and Bungonia, among others, that are well worth a visit, and you don’t need to head underground to enjoy them!
There are many caves in NSW national parks that may be suitable for older kids and experienced adults to explore together on a self-guided tour. Remember safety first and visit environment. nsw.gov.au/parksafety for tips before you set out.
cool caves s Chifley Cave, Jenolan Cave
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CO O L CAVES
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Nearest town: Bathurst - and also accessible from Goulburn near the small village of Trunkey Creek.
A favourite hiding spot for bushrangers of days gone by, the most famous feature is 'The Archway', the largest natural arch in the Southern Hemisphere. Within the Archway cave is the gold miners’ dance platform built in January 1880. It’s still used to this day for concerts and weddings, and the annual Carols in the Caves performance.
CAREY’S CAVE (WEE JASPER CAVES)
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Nearest town: Yass
Often described as a beautiful and fascinating cave system with its spectacular folded limestone formations, Carey’s Cave is also a treasure trove with many fossils of very rare fish found here.
CAVES BEACH
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Nearest town: Swansea, Newcastle
Aside from being a great surfing and swimming beach, Caves Beach is home to some fantastic sea caves. The self-guided Caves Beach Walk is a fun activity at low tide.
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Left to right: Amazing stalactite formations inside Wombeyan Caves, Southern Highlands; Exploring caves by water; Touring the Jenolan Caves in the Blue Mountains.
MERMAIDS CAVE
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Nearest town: Blackheath in the Blue Mountains.
Mermaids Cave is an undercut sandstone cave located in the Megalong Valley region of the Blue Mountains. Named in 1882 and also known as Mermaid’s Glen, it’s accessible by a short walking trail from the Megalong Valley Road. A scene from the film, ‘Mad Max – Beyond Thunderdome’ was filmed there.
JENOLAN CAVES
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Nearest town: Oberon near the Blue Mountains and also accessible from Lithgow, Little Hartley and Katoomba.
Jenolan Caves is one of the most visited cave systems in Australia. Experts suggest the caves could be around 340 million years old, which makes it the world’s oldest known and dated open cave system. The caves include many marine fossils and the formations, which are sometimes pure white, are noted for their beauty. Several kilometres of caves are easily accessible and well lit and host adventure caving, concerts and kids adventure activities.
Stuart Owen Fox Destination NSW; Dolphin Watch Cruises Jervis Bay
ABERCROMBIE CAVES
KIDS’ CAVING KIT The temperature inside a cave can be on the chilly side so make sure you take a warm jacket with you (and even a hat and gloves!) Always wear closed in, solid shoes with good sole grip as the ground can be uneven and sometimes a little slippery
YARRANGOBILLY CAVES
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Nearest town: Tumut in the Snowy Mountains.
There are five caves here, created from a belt of limestone laid down about 440 million years ago in Kosciuszko National Park (the largest cave – South Glory – is a self-guided tour). You can warm up after your trek into the depths (if you have brought your swimmers) with a dip in the beautiful thermal pool (27ºC all year round).
ASHFORD CAVES
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Nearest town: Inverell in the New England region.
Ashford Caves lies within Kwiambal National Park. The large arch-shaped opening was made to allow access to the phosphate (guano) reserves laid down by bats. These caves are easy to explore but you must bring your own torch.
WELLINGTON CAVES
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Nearest town: Wellington in the Dubbo region. Jenolan Caves
This is a group of limestone caves, the most wellknown of which is Cathedral Cave which has been open for guided tours since 1885. It’s famous for its huge stalagmite known as Altar Rock, 32m in
circumference and more than 15m high. There is also Gaden Cave, which is noted for its unusual cave ‘coral’. The mammalian fossils are also important and are thought by many to have influenced Charles Darwin and his Theory of Evolution.
BORENORE CAVES
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Nearest town: Orange
Access is self-guided and suitable for casual visitors. Entry to the reserve is free. There are over 40 caves, including Arch Cave, Verandah Cave and Tunnel Cave. The Tunnel Cave is closed each year from May to October to allow the colony of common bent wing bats, which hibernate there, to remain undisturbed.
WOMBEYAN CAVES
Carry a small, light backpack and stow snacks and water bottles! Take a torch! Guided tours are well-lit but you just never know when you might spot something that requires further close-up examination!
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Nearest town: Mittagong in the Southern Highlands.
These limestone caves, which are about 400 million years old, include the Victoria Arch, one of the most popular because it is close to the camping ground. Others include Fig Tree Cave, Wollondilly, Mulwaree and Kooringa caves.
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U N FO RGET TABLE NSW
For something a little different that you might not have thought of, try rewarding the kids with lifelong memories and learning experiences - with everything from gold mines to gaols, trainworks and cricket legends.
134 Learn about the historical and vital services provided to inland and outback Australia at one of the Royal Flying Doctors Service Visitor Centres in Broken Hill and Dubbo.
Cricket-loving families can learn all about ‘Our Don Bradman’, the story of cricket and our 135
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cricketing heroes at Bowral’s International Cricket Hall of Fame. 136 Take in spectacular views across the Pacific Ocean on a guided tour of Smoky Cape Lighthouse in Hat Head National Park. Smoky Cape is the most elevated lighthouse in NSW and is still fully operational, guiding ships to safety around the infamous Cape. In a beautiful bushland setting, it’s the perfect place for a picnic and even some whale spotting! 137 Venture out to Scenic Dune Buggies at Hill End, near Bathurst, for a tour through 1200 ha of picturesque scenery and loads of fun doing hill
138 Fossick for sapphires at 7 Oaks Sapphire Fossicking, Billabong Blue Fossicking or Tingha Sands in Inverell.
The Legendary Pacific, Coast; Paul Foley,Destination NSW
133 Visit Timbertown at Wauchope and view the new Cedar Creek Gold Fields exhibition and see the largest water wheel in Australia. Learn about the gold rush and try your luck at panning for real gold. Jump aboard the steam train, see daily shows and if you do happen to strike it lucky you can take your gold findings home with you!
nsw
unforgettable
Broken Hill City Council; Destination NSW; Don Fuchs Destination NSW
climbs and creek crossings and travelling along historic timber getter trails. Your guides take the lead vehicle and you follow. Buggies are built for two, with booster seats and seat belts provided so kids can safely enjoy the ride with a parent. See kangaroos and sheep and maybe even wallabies, rabbits or goats.
thouse at Smoky CahpeWLiesght Ro cks Sout
139 Located near the centre of Parkes, Peak Hill’s historic tourist gold mine features five spectacular open cuts, walking trails and viewing platform. 90 Become a convict at Old Dubbo Gaol to experience a bygone era of prison life.
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Broken Hill City Council; Greater Port Macquarie Tourism; Destination NSW; Snowy Mountains
U N FO RGET TABLE NSW
140 Byron Shire is host to no less than 12 National Parks and a Marine Park and much of the landscape has its origins in the world’s largest shield volcano, Mt Warning. Walk through the rainforest looking at different coloured lichen; view a waterfall that seems to drop a very long way down. Ask a local to point out the hidden secrets! 141 Discover the amazing natural healing properties of tea tree oil at Ballina’s Thursday Plantation. The home of tea tree oil features an interactive educational display, verandah café overlooking the sculpture garden and rainforest walk and huge tree maze that will keep the kids entertained for hours. 142 Trainworks is Australia’s newest and largest rail experience located on 5 ha in the historic town of
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Thirlmere near Wollongong. This significant rail collection, includes over 100 rolling stock items, associated with the history of the railways in NSW. 37 Explore the Snowy Mountains in summer and take the chairlift up the highest mountain range in Australia which is home to the highest mountain, Mt. Kosciuszko.
Do the Darling River run from Bourke - a fabulous cruise on the waters that bustled with paddleboats from 1859 until 1931. 143
144 Get lost in the Bago Maze at Port Macquarie’s Bago Vineyards, the largest hedge maze in NSW. Challenge the kids to navigate their way through 2000 metres of pathways, lookout towers and bridges.
145 Pan for gold and explore the maze at the Original Gold Rush Colony in Eurobodalla or along the 146 Gold Trails in Blackguard Gully Reserve, Young.
NSW
I N A S S O C I AT I O N W I T H