It’s Finally Time to Travel – Yay! (Where to Go in NSW)

It seems like forever since we have been able to leave home, but government restrictions on travel around NSW have lifted.

This means it’s officially time to take a break. Whilst I think the idea the Queensland government have their boarders closed is beyond ridiculous, (and the cost has been estimated to be more than $500 million in lost revenue from Sydneysiders escaping the winter cold), it leaves time to explore our own gorgeous state – and spend our money here.

I’ve just been south of Sydney for 3 days all in the name of story research, to sample the best of Southern NSW, and was surprised at how fantastic the trip was & how many things I didn’t know about NSW.

Bangalay Luxury Villas is a relatively new and largely undiscovered, upmarket luxury beach villa accommodation venue in the Shoalhaven, and sitting in a microclimate which means it doesn’t get too cold.

Just two hours from Sydney, Bangalay luxury villas has villas with fires, a fabulous restaurant and the beach 40 metres away making it the perfect place to get away for a few days. 

There are three local wineries close by with tastings. Berry is a swift 10 minutes drive from the villas, with all of the fabulous food, shopping and buzz of a bustling local tourist town.

In Huskisson, the Djriba Waagura Cultural Walks offer an intimate and incredible insight for all ages into life on the land in this country generations ago, and how we can all use the plants and natural world around us to sustain life. Huskisson also has a sensational pub overlooking the ocean.

The 40 Minute drive to Kangaroo Valley is picture book, especially in Autumn, with a striking palette of amber coloured leaves shrouding the roads. Bowral and all that the Southern Highlands has to offer is another short but pretty drive away too, and this week restaurants can accommodate up to 50 people so most are opening.

I visited my favourite Grand Bistro where chef Damien Monley is back from London for now and in the kitchen, my pick for a fantastic dinner and even better brunch. The multi award winning Gumnut Patisserie is a hit with everyone, and the local vibe is always positive.

And that’s just one pocket of this beautiful state. So where else can we travel to right now? I am receiving loads of questions via e-mail and messenger about travel right now. Things are changing almost daily, but this is the situation as of the time of writing.

The Victorian Borders are open, so you can drive (around 8.5 hours) to Melbourne from NSW. But that’s the only place in Australia we can visit for now without quarantine.

There’s been plenty of talk about New Zealand opening for Australians, possibly from July 1, but as of the time of writing that had not happened.

Australians can’t leave the country without permission from the Australian government plus we currently have to go into 2 weeks quarantine when we come back from overseas.

But for future reference when we can fly away, Spain and Germany have re-opened their borders with strong word France won’t be far behind. In the UK, foriegners have to do 2 weeks quarantine on arrival.

And another positive closer to home is the ski fields are opening soon. Thredbo on June 22 and Perisher on June 29.

All of these restrictions will change in time, so keep your eyes on the press for updates, and if you do want to get away, book ahead – things are filling up super fast.