In the lead up to the Olympics in Sydney, it is easy to overlook the rest of New South Wales. That would be a mistake, as the state can lay claim to being Australia's most rewarding for visitors.
Whether you are seeking colonial history, the expansive outback, mountain landscapes, vineyards or endless rich farmland, it is all here. Most of all, there is the coast - scalloped vistas of one bush-covered headland after another, each linked by a crescent of golden sand. In more crowded nations the idea of being able to find a pristine beach is a fantasy - but not here.
A recent addition to the state's attractions has made it much easier to explore New South Wales in style. The Great South Pacific Express is a sibling of the legendary Orient Express service through the Simplon to Venice, and the carriages and service reflect the golden age of railways.
The 21 cars were designed and built within the past few years but follow a rich Edwardian theme. Every journey features high standards of service.
The first route offered was along the coast from Sydney to Brisbane and onwards to Cairns. Rather than battling with traffic along the Pacific highway, travellers could relax on the observation deck for panoramic views of the rivers, tropical plantations, brilliant coastline and lush rainforests. Now the Great South Pacific Express has an extended repertoire and takes in many more sights.
Inevitably, the journey begins in Sydney and it is well worth looking around before the train leaves. One exciting new attraction is the possibility of climbing Sydney harbour bridge. This was once the domain only of authorised staff and a handful of daredevils. Now there is a company prepared to take you up to the top of the span in perfect safety. From this point looking inland to the Blue Mountains, you really do feel as if you are
sitting on top of the world.
The itineraries put together by the Great South Pacific Express manage to do more in less time than you could hope to achieve by yourself. The adventure begins with a helicopter transfer to the Blue Mountains. The cafes and parks of the city disappear below as your new vista takes in the whole of Sydney and its incredible harbour. Then, as you head west, it expands to encompass the Sydney Olympic Park and the Blue Mountains as a dark line along the western horizon.
Only 90km from Sydney, the Blue Mountains national park is a spectacularly eroded plateau. It is a world of breathtaking sandstone gorges and cliffs, thundering waterfalls, abundant native Australian birdlife and fauna, including plenty of kangaroos, unspoilt bushland and a rich aboriginal and colonial heritage. In the crisp mountain air you can enjoy a round of golf, or go mountainbiking, riding, abseiling or bushwalking.
Lunch is served at the express's own Lilianfels house, located right on the edge of the Jamison Valley. The original house was built in the 19th century for a chief justice of New South Wales and still stands in the beautiful gardens of the modern luxury hotel. It is only a short walk to the Three Sisters, an unusual rock formation in a great location that appears on many postcards of the Blue Mountains.
There is time to enjoy lunch and the wide-ranging Lilianfels facilities before boarding the Great South Pacific Express and settling into your luxurious compartment. While you dine in the sumptuous restaurant car, your compartment will be converted into a cosy bedroom.
The next morning breakfast will be served in your compartment as the Great South Pacific Express proceeds through rural New South Wales to Canberra, the nation's capital.
After a guided tour of Canberra and lunch at a historic country homestead, the Great South Pacific Express returns northwards through the spectacular scenery of the Southern Highlands - lush green national parks, beautiful waterfalls, Mount Gibraltar and colonial villages that are windows into Australia's past.
The day is likely to conclude with dinner followed by drinks as the pianist plays in the lounge car.
Much of the following day is spent in the Hunter Valley two hours north of Sydney. This is one of Australia's premier wine-growing regions. With more than 50 wineries of various sizes and renown, and almost as many restaurants, it is well worth exploring.
You will be taken on a private tour of a vineyard accompanied by its owner, and in the cellar there will be an opportunity to taste some of the valley's best wines. Lunch is at an award-winning local restaurant with grand valley views. Afterwards there is time to enjoy the location, but certainly not enough to take in all the many activities on offer.
For the more adventurous, there is tandem skydiving or cycling tours of the vineyards, golf, horseriding, and hot-air ballooning. Other possibilities include cooking classes or travelling only an hour to the coast to sail with the dolphins in Port Stephens. You will be back on the Great South Pacific Express in time for dinner.
The last day on board the express is a visual feast as you continue north to Brisbane along one of Australia's most popular roads, the Pacific coast touring route. There is plenty of time to appreciate an endless string of bush-fringed beaches and hills cloaked in sub-tropical rainforests from the plush observation deck before arriving in Brisbane during the afternoon.
This trip consists of several intensive days covering a range of highlights, but it leaves some untouched. It is worth heading inland to Broken Hill, an idiosyncratic mining town in the outback that once provided much of Australia's wealth and still encapsulates the outback pioneering spirit.
Although the Great South Pacific Express will pass by Byron Bay, a stylish coastal community that is rapidly becoming the preferred beach house of Australia's rich and famous, it is worth coming back for a longer visit.
Inevitably, there are a few places to which no train can take you. Australia's other islands are special, too. Nothing can prepare you for the beauty of Lord Howe island - a part of New South Wales out in the Pacific Ocean. This is a relaxing holiday destination and the perfect place to learn scuba diving on the most temperate coral reefs in the world.
This year the eyes of the world have turned towards Sydney. Those who venture beyond the city limits will find that the brilliant harbour city is just one of the many attractions of this fascinating state.
David McGonigal
Sunday Times
