Just two hours north of Sydney lies the Central Coast and Hunter Region. This spectacular region with its beautiful beaches, alfresco dinning and world-renowned vineyards is a favourite playground for Sydneysiders. It spans from the edge of the Sydney Metropolitan area "Brooklyn" to Lake Macquarie. Its unique features include dolphin watching at Port Stephens, the high country of Barrington Tops and amazing waterways and recreational areas in between.

The Hunter Wine Country is Australia's oldest wine producing area, with some of Australia's most famous wineries. Cessnock is the gateway to the vineyards, and Pokolbin is the heart of this wine country.

Lake Macquarie is Australia's largest coastal salt-water lake. The area is a natural paradise for sailing, canoeing, water skiing, fishing and bushwalking.

Travelling further north along the coast we reach Newcastle, with its beaches, harbour and historic sights. Newcastle is the state's second largest city. Continuing on the coastal route, one of the areas most spectacular and popular holiday resort towns, Port Stephens, offers crystal clear waters, beautiful beaches and natural bushland.

Moving inland we reach Maitland, with considerable historic significance and a huge range of art, antique and craft shops and galleries. To the north of Maitland is Dungog, the gateway to Barrington Tops National Park. Lush bushland provides the perfect formula for bushwalking, horse riding and outdoor picnics by the meandering streams and waterfalls.

The scenic Central Coast is a spectacular holiday destination just one hour north of Sydney. This region offers both spectacular coastline and lush rainforest. The beaches are the feature of this region, however there are countless waterways which also characterise the region, Brisbane Waters, Tuggerah Lake, Lake Budgewoi and Lake Munmorah are just a few examples. There are markets on every weekend somewhere on the coast. The Entrance and Terrigal offer alfresco dinning by the sea and should not be missed.

New South Wales lies in the temperate zone and the climate is generally free from extremes of heat and cold. The greatest heat is usually experienced in the north west and out back regions of NSW. The coldest region is the Snowy Mountains, where winter frosts and snow are experienced over long periods. Rainfall varies widely over the state, gradually diminishing to an annual average of 180 mm in the far north west.

The climate along the coast is temperate and slightly humid in NSW and the temperatures get cooler the further south you travel along the coast. The deserts of the outback regions experience hot days and cold nights. Irregular floods and droughts occur in the north and western regions, some times due to the El Nino effect.