New South Wales

When to Go
Climate Description
New South Wales lies in the temperate zone, so generally the climate is free from extreme temperatures. Seasons are the reverse of those in the northern hemisphere - Christmas is in December (summer) while winter is between June and October.

The warmest months are December to February, with an average maximum temperature of 26ºC. The coolest months are June to August when daytime temperatures rarely fall below 7ºC.

From June to August it can be very cold in the Snowy Mountains alpine region with a winter maximum average of 0.1ºC. In Outback NSW it can be very cold at night with a winter minimum average of 5ºC.

Temperature & Rainfall Chart

Average Temperature (°C)

january
february
march
april
may
june
july
august
september
october
november
december

+25
+25
+24
+22
+19
+16
+16
+17
+20
+22
+23
+25

Average Precipation (mm)

january
february
march
april
may
june
july
august
september
october
november
december

103
117
131
127
123
128
98
82
69
77
83
78

Top Attractions

Top Attractions & Touring Routes
Blue Mountains National Park - wonderland of sandstone outcrops, deep ravines and hazy blue eucalypt forests boasts luxury retreats and the world’s steepest railway.
http://www.bluemts.com.au

Sydney Taronga Zoo - Located just 12 minutes from the city by ferry, Taronga Zoo offers free keeper talks, animal shows and feedings throughout the day. Taronga Zoo is home to over 2900 exotic and native species including rare Western Lowland Gorillas, Sumatran Tigers, Snow-leopards, Kodiak Bears, Chimpanzees, Giraffes and five Asian Elephants.
http://taronga.org.au/taronga-zoo.aspx

The Sydney Opera House is one of the architectural wonders of the world – arguably the best known building of the 20th century, with its design and construction involving countless innovative design ideas and construction techniques.
http://www.sydneyoperahouse.com/

Shark Diving Xtreme in Sydney - come face-to-face with giant sharks, stingrays, turtles and much more on your DIVE with the SHARKS at Oceanworld Manly! Immerse yourself and enjoy the thrilling excitement of diving with some of the most feared and often misunderstood creatures of the deep blue sea.
http://www.oceanworld.com.au/page.asp?id=3

Sydney Aquarium - Nowhere else in the world will you find a larger collection of Australia aquatic life - 650 species! If you see nothing else in Sydney, see Sydney Aquarium - it's an underworld experience you're not likely to forget!
http://www.sydneyaquarium.com.au/

Darling Harbour - a lively waterfront precinct, Darling Harbour throbs with activity day and night. It has developed into one of Sydney’s largest dining, shopping and entertainment areas with exhibition and convention centres attracting large crowds.
http://www.darlingharbour.com/

Hunter Valley - with more than 120 wineries, the Hunter Valley produces some terrific wines, loved at home and abroad, including the crisp Hunter Semillon and the ripe Hunter Shiraz. Complement the wine with superb cuisine and stylish boutique accommodation for the perfect getaway.
http://www.winecountry.com.au/

Greater Blue Mountains Drive - A series of linked drives and discovery trails that encircle the Greater Blue Mountains World Heritage Area

Grand Pacific Drive - The coastal route from Sydney, starting in the Royal National Park, heads south to Wollongong and Nowra

The Snowy Mountains Drive is a thrilling excursion through some of the most dramatic natural landscapes in the country. It has Australia’s highest mountains, home to the head waters of the Snowy River, the coolest winegrowing region in the State, and the lakes and power stations that make up one of Australia’s greatest engineering feats.

Sydney Melbourne Coastal Drive is a blockbuster drive that will take you through a tapestry of rustic country towns and fishing villages, through tangled forests and along sandy tracks that will leave you standing on a clifftop with a roaring wind filling your lungs with salty sea air.

Pacific Coast Touring Route - a scenic coastal drive from Sydney, north to Queensland.

Sydney to the South Coast - this meandering drive gives you just a taste of the coast, the capital and the countryside. Take time to stop and admire spectacular coastal views, see dolphins swimming in the wild, enjoy a beer at a micro brewery or in a country pub, see the nation’s capital, stunning gardens and grand country homes.

The Rainforest Way is a series of loops and trails where you can explore some of the State’s most inspiring sub-tropical rainforests.

Activities
General Activities
Learn Aboriginal culture - Aboriginal tourism is gathering momentum in NSW. Using their knowledge of the landscape, its plants and animals gained over thousands of years, Aboriginal Australians are playing an ever more prominent role in interpreting their country to the wider world, and the experience is amazing.

Superb beaches - if there was a world competition for beaches, New South Wales would be disqualified on grounds of unfair advantage.
And while there are plenty of beaches here that are just perfect in their raw state, there are also quite a few that come with extras. If you prefer your beaches served with espresso bars as well as sand bars – and spas, surf lessons, and maybe a dolphin or two - the New South Wales coastline has just what you’re looking for.

Amazing driving experience - there are roads, and then there are drives. Roads you take to get from A to B.
Drives you take not so much to get somewhere but for the sheer pleasure of the journey itself – and in New South Wales, there are some inspirational drives.

Major Events Calendar
Snowy River Festival - Festivals and Celebrations, Performances, Sporting Events
From: Fri 14/11/08, to: Sun 16/11/08
www.snowyriverfestival.com

Festival of the Sun
From: Fri 12/12/08, to: Sat 13/12/08
www.fotsun.com

Countrylink Parkes Elvis Festival
From: Wed 07/01/09, to: Sun 11/01/09
www.parkeselvisfestival.com.au

Illawarra Folk Festival at Bulli
From: Thu 15/01/09, to: Sun 18/01/09
www.illawarrafolkfestival.com.au

Hyne Tumbafest
From: Sat 21/02/09, To: Sun 22/02/09
www.tumbafest.com.au

Camden Haven Music Festival - Festivals and Celebrations, Performances
From: Fri 24/04/09, To: Sun 03/05/09
www.camdenhavenmusicfestival.org.au

Lovedale Long Lunch
From: Thu 04/06/09, To: Mon 08/06/09
www.nelsonbaybusiness.com/index.php?page=country_music

Timbertown Steam Festival - Festivals and Celebrations
From: Sat 11/07/09, To: Sun 12/07/09 (unconfirmed dates)
www.timbertown.com.au
General
Official Name & Formation date
Australia, officially the Comonwealth of Australia.
Australia has six states and two major mainland territories.
New South Wales is Australia's oldest and most populous state, located in the south-east of the country, north of Victoria and south of Queensland.

Flag

Capital and major cities
Sydney - the biggest, oldest and most cosmopolitan city in Australia - and one of the most vibrant and exciting cities on earth.

Perched between a working harbour and beautiful beaches, Newcastle is a vibrant cosmopolitan city, bursting with energy and creativity. The emerging food scene here is evident in the great restaurants, bars and outdoor cafés around the city.

Wollongong - the State’s third largest city, has in recent years reinvented itself as a great weekend escape.

Wagga Wagga is often referred to as the Garden City of the South, thanks to its lush gardens and parks. There are historic buildings aplenty, including the Wagga Courthouse, where historic figures such as bushranger Robert Cotterell (known as Blue Cap) and James Kelly (younger brother of Ned) were sentenced for their crimes.

Tweeds Head - Endless surfing, beaches and waterways, northernmost town on the NSW coast

Coffs Harbour is packed with family-friendly attractions including beaches, water sports, adventure sports, indoor attractions, restaurants and cafés.

Tamworth - Australia’s country music capital, Tamworth is best known for its annual country music festival in January but it also hosts many other music attractions and events.

Albury-Wodonga is the thriving, twin-city hub of the Murray region, sitting astride Australia’s greatest river and nestled at the heart of a collection of historic villages.

Port Macquarie has a stirring history that began almost with the earliest days of European settlement in Australia. Today, the town still has many tangible reminders of that period and these are among its attractions.

The city of Broken Hill and the surrounding region provides the perfect opportunity to experience the great Australian Outback in all its glory – captivating landscapes drenched in light, vast skies, brilliant sunsets, clear nights ablaze with stars and character-filled towns.

Geographical location
New South Wales lies on the east coast of Australia, between Queensland and Victoria. Sydney is Australia’s premier gateway, the State capital and Australia’s largest city, and is easily reached by frequent flights from Asia, Europe, North America and Oceania. NSW is also well serviced by a network of regional airlines, trains, buses and coach services.

New South Wales includes the following parts:
- Sydney;
- Sydney Surrounds;
- North Coast;
- South Coast;
- Snowy Mountains;
- Heart of Country;
- Outback;
- Lord Howe Island

Languages
The official language is English, many other languages are retained by minorities, including Italian, German, Greek, Vietnamese, Chinese dialicts and Aboriginal languages.
Religion: 27% Roman Catholic, 21% Protestant and smaller minorities of all other major religions.

Currency
Australia has a decimal currency system, with 100 cents to the Australian dollar. Automatic teller machines (ATMs) are found in cities and regional centres but check to make sure your own bank offers that service.

Major credit cards including Visa, MasterCard, Diners Club as well as American Express and Travelex travellers’ cheques are widely accepted throughout NSW.

Sydney’s banks generally open Monday to Thursday 9am to 4pm and Friday 9am to 5pm. In Sydney, all major banks are equipped to exchange foreign currency, while foreign exchange bureaus are spread throughout the central business district and at Sydney Airport.

A Goods and Services Tax (GST) of 10 per cent applies to most goods and services. It is included in the ticket price of goods and in restaurant menus.

Departing travellers may be able to claim a refund for GST paid on goods bought in Australia under the Tourist Refund Scheme.

If you are carrying A$10,000 or more (or foreign currency equivalent) into or out of Australia, you will need to declare so in your customs form.

Communication
Australia’s telephone country code is 61. Service for all mobile (cell) phones is widespread while internet access is available at internet cafes, hotels and libraries.

Time zone
Winter Time: Sydney is 9 hours ahead of Riga;
Summer Time: Sydney is 7 hours ahead of Riga

Public holidays

Public Holidays 2009:

01 January - New Year's Day
26 January - Australia Day
09 March - Labour Day
10 April - Good Friday
13 April - Easter Monday
25 April - ANZAC Day
08 June - Queen's Birthday
25 December - Christmas Day
26 and 28 December - Boxing Day
Useful Information
Food & Drink
Local chefs have become lifestyle gurus. And heading off to organic good food markets has become everyone’s favourite activity.

Sydney is the hot destination for foodies, with flavours and venues to suit all budgets and palates. There’s incomparable seafood, a rich multicultural dining experience and world-beating fine diners.

And across the State there’s now a string of iconic food and wine experiences, from Sydney to the gastronomic regions of New South Wales.

To search for a restaurant within NSW area:
http://www.bestrestaurants.com.au/sydney-restaurants.aspx

Health Issues
Australia is one of the safest destinations in the world, but you should observe the same precautions with your personal safety and possessions as you would in any other country or at home.

Emergency phones
If you need police, fire or ambulance in an emergency call Triple Zero (000).

Always call Triple Zero (000) in situations where a life is in danger, a crime is taking place, or in time critical situations.

Mobile Phones - Emergency Procedures: call number 112

Driver's License
Driving: Left Side

Electricity & Mains
The electrical current in Australia is 220-240 volts, AC 50Hz. The Australian three-pin power outlet is different from some other countries so you may need an adaptor.

Banking & Shopping Hours
Australia Post offices are usually open 9am to 5pm Monday to Friday.

Retail opening hours in Sydney vary. Generally stores open from Monday to Saturday 9am to 5pm. Thursday is late night shopping in central Sydney and some suburban shopping centres. Many stores also open on Sundays, and retailers in the city centre, Rocks and Darling Harbour have extended hours, closing at 9pm.

Shopping hours in country NSW are generally shorter.

Tipping
As a rule, tipping is not expected in NSW. However, for good restaurant service, 10 per cent tips are widely accepted as the standard.

Useful Links
http://www.visitnsw.com - Sydney and regional NSW accommodation, attractions, tours and events

Embassy & Consular
Nearest Consulate of Latvia:
583 Darling Street
Rozelle NSW 2039 Tel : (02) 9555 7230
Email: abirzulis@bigpond.com

Hours of Business:
Monday - Friday: 8.30 a.m. - 5.00 p.m.

Postal Address: 583 Darling Street , Rozelle NSW 2039
Mr Aldis Janis BIRZULIS
Honorary Consul (since 01/11/2007)

Country Info

See also:

Great Barrier Reef's Paradise Islands

New South Wales

When to Go

Top Attractions

Activities

General

Useful Information

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