Wake up to a kookaburra
Take a two-hour drive north from Sydney to Eaglereach Wilderness Resort near Maitland and experience the bush at first hand. Stay in a phone-free eco-spa-lodge - equipped with wood-burning stove and a hot tub - and wake to the sound of kookaburras laughing like old gentlemen sharing a joke. Breakfast on your verandah in the company of wallabies and even an occasional wallaroo (an exotic all-black relation of the kangaroo) while you gaze out across the Hunter Valley. There are four square kilometres of unspoiled bush country to explore on horseback, mountain bikes or self-drive Discovery Buggies and you're almost guaranteed to see huge goanna lizards plus fabulous birdlife. A magical nature-based break. enquiry@eaglereach.com.au
A real jurassic park
One of New South Wales's most impressive natural attractions is the Blue Mountains, so called because of the blue haze which forms when the sun shines through the fine droplets of oils released into the air by the eucalypts that cover the area. Older than the Grand Canyon, this is a real jurassic park which is easy to reach - two-hours by rail from Sydney Central Station to Katoomba costs about £4 return - and fun to explore. You can go canyoning, climbing, abseiling, biking or bushwalking, but even simple hiking affords you views of venerable escarpments formed millions of years ago. Equally appealing escarpments are to be found in the form of the delicious chocolate cake served at Katoomba's Lilianfels hotel (on Lilianfels Avenue). info@bluemountainstourism.org.au
Sail away Sydney-style
Learn to sail on one of the world's most magnificent harbours by wandering down to a marina in Rushcutters Bay in the heart of the city where friendly skippers at EastSail offer introductory courses, while also catering for the more advanced sailor. Beginners feel they're in safe hands, withteaching in an informal Aussie 'go for it' spirit. The introductory course structure comprises four three-hour lessons on the water and one three-hour theory lesson in the classroom. Lots of sunshine and fresh air. eastsail@mpx.com.au
Feast from the east
Superb fresh produce and a wealth of international culinary talent have combined to make the standard of cuisine in Sydney second to none and one of the most exciting recent developments is the opening of Japanese chef Tetsuya Wakuda's new restaurant Tetsuya's. 'Tets'' degustation menu (eight courses for lunch [£30], twelve for dinner [£45]) is an adventure in itself which comprises mouthwatering dishes such as salmon lobster mousse with Wasabe and Wakame jelly, slow roasted fillet of barramundi with bitter greens & truffled peach, confit of Tasmanian ocean trout with unpasteurised ocean trout roe & marinated celery, followed by puddings which display a classic French provenance such as blue cheese & vanilla bean bavarois and floating island with vanilla bean & praline anglaise. Each course is accompanied by a different wine, the dining room is attractively minimalist, the service is discreet and the dress informal. Book early - the waiting list is six weeks long. Put aside a couple of hours. Tetsuya's, 529 Kent St, Sydney, NSW (Tel: 0061 2 9267 2900).
Best cellars by the binload
Explore the famous Hunter Valley wineries an hour-and-a-half north of Sydney by car. You can take take an organised bus tour, but it's more fun to rent a car and travel at your own pace, stopping off at vineyards such as Lindemans, Brokenwood, Pepper Tree and bigger operations such as McGuigan's, to taste the wonderful Semillons and Shirazes for which this region is renowned. You can purchase bottles of your new discoveries to enjoy fully when the driving's done. The surrounding countryside is spectacular and many of the wineries have small restaurants which provide fine Australian cheeses and charcuterie that go well with the wines. It's a good idea to spread the trip over two days as there's so much to see and do, so an overnight stay at the elegant new Tower Lodge hotel - huge themed rooms tastefully appointed with antique furniture - is a must. Tower Lodge, Halls Road, Pokolbin, NSW (Tel: 0061 2 4998 7022).
March 4: Australia and New Zealand special
My mother and father of a journey Kathryn Flett samples the wild, open roads of her parents' nation, driving 1,400 kilometres through bush, peaks and plains where floods cover land the size of England.
Miles of style It's smart, chic - and home to Neighbours. Mike Bradley guides you around elegant Melbourne.
Secrets of a sunshine city It's not just the breadth of a continent that separates Perth from the East coast. Mike Bradley tours the cosmopolitan capital of a state with blissful beaches, unique wildlife and Aboriginal culture.
Jump and jet ski - then sleep in a wagon Jacqui MacDermott gets a taste for adventure on South Island.
Boiling point as ancient collides with modern Miranda Sawyer enjoys New Zealand's North Island, where trendy bars sit alongside natural 'hot bath' beaches.
The lowdown on down under A practical guide to New Zealand and Australia.
