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Linda Moyes, Freedom Australia “There’s so much more to New South Wales than Sydney. There’s sand dunes, city, mountains, rainforest, beach – you could stay for a month. I didn’t realise how nice the wine was, or how many varieties there were, and the food and fresh produce were incredible too. The people, their passion, and the experiences just shine. The most surprising thing for me was discovering an Aboriginal cultural tourism spot less than two hours from Sydney, so you don’t have to send clients all the way to Uluru. Andrew, our guide, was fantastic, and hearing his stories allowed us to see into their culture. As well as that, the landscape was beautiful and the quad biking brilliant.”


Located on Bennelong Point, this area has long been a meeting place for Aboriginal people. Everyone from Kanye to Prince has performed here, plus there’s ballet, comedy and the annual light and music festival Vivid Sydney. A backstage tour with our guide,


Daryl – a cross between Robin Williams and Woody Allen – reveals incredible


arched concrete ceilings and unreal views across the harbour. Designed by Danish architect Jørn Utzon, who pored over nautical maps and looked at ancient meeting places for inspiration, its iconic shape is said to evoke the harbour’s cliffs and sails. Strolling back to the hotel, the city is singing. There’s a street market, music and a buzzing vibe, and we get back


in time for a swim in the rooftop pool before the sun dips behind the mighty bridge. Next morning, we get to marvel at the opera house all over again on a climb along Sydney Harbour Bridge. At 134m above sea level, it’s an elevating experience and reveals yet more incredible views of the city.


LEFT: Bistro Molines in the Hunter Valley


64travelweekly.co.uk10 January 2019


w BEST BITES In spring, New South Wales turns purple as the jacarandas burst into bloom, and they grace the roadside for almost all of our two-hour drive to the Hunter Valley. This is Australia’s oldest wine region, with a history of viticulture dating back to the early 19th century. Today, it’s home to a flourishing foodie scene and more than 150 cellar doors, where guests can try and buy wine. Our hosts for lunch, Robert and Sally Molines, arrived in 1973 when it was a sleepy place with just one restaurant and two hotels, and the couple went on to establish some of the Hunter’s best-loved dining destinations. Despite this formidable legacy, dining at Bistro Molines – their current venture – feels like stumbling upon


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