Southern New South Wales is all about remarkable landscapes and breathtaking scenery of the country, beaches, lakes, mountains, and villages. During summer, colorful wild flowers carpet the meadows while winter presents a landscape blanketed by snow. Main highlights include the Snowy Mountain, Southern Highlands, and the South Coast locale.

Snowy Mountains

For those looking forward to cool and refreshing air and grand alpine scenery, the Snowy Mountains will definitely attract and leave you spellbound. The Snowy Mountains stretches 500km from Canberra to Victoria and is formed more than 250 million years ago. Mount Kosciuszko is Australia highest peak reaching the height of 2228 meters. Panoramic views of the Snowy Mountains can be found at the Mount Kosciuszko Lookout. The Snowy Mountains is also home to two of Australia's largest ski resorts, Thredbo and Perisher. The whole Snowy Mountains region is preserved within the Kosciuszko National Park.

The Snowy Mountains flora and fauna species are also unique to this region such as the silver snow daisies, mountain plum pine, sphagnum moss, snow gums, the Corroboree frogs, mountain pygmy possums, and the brown and rainbow trout. The only glacial lake in Australia, the Blue Lake, can also be found here. The view of the ice-frozen lake is truly spectacular and a feast for all eyes.

Southern Highlands

The Great Dividing Range, which runs from the Blue Mountains down to the Snowy Mountains and into Victoria, divides the region into three areas, namely the coastal strip, a 500km stretch of beautiful beaches that starts from Wollongong all the way to Eden. Sitting on the edge of the Great Dividing Range is a superb natural wonderland of wilderness and country towns. The Southern Highlands are brimming with the sights, sounds, and smells of the Australian bush. Experience the cackle of a kookaburra, the scent of a crushed gum leaf, or catch the flash of a rainbow lorikeet from among the trees. Explore the colonial country towns and see colonial antiques and quality crafts. Accommodation choices range from standard motels to luxury resort hotels and all offer a vast range of leisure activities.

The South Coast

The South Coast is an abundance of beaches, waterways, and rural country towns. The coastline is rich in Aboriginal sites, fishing villages, and undamaged beach settlements. Major highlights in this area include Shoalhaven, Eurobodalla Coast, and the adjoining Illawarra region.

Shoalhaven, home to the famous Jervis Bay, is located on the foothills of the Southern Highlands. Jervis Bay is one of the most beautiful natural harbors in Australia. It was made famous for its naval bases, National Park, and tiny settlements of Husskinson and Vincentia. It is also reputated to have the clearest waters and whitest sands in the whole of Australia. The major attractions include dolphin and whale sightings as well as scuba diving and snorkeling.

The Eurobodalla Coast, which literally means the "Land of Many Waters" in Aboriginal language, is famous for its over 100km of coastline and natural forest. Major town highlights include Nelligen and Central Tilba. The former is situated on Clyde River and its rich history is closely linked to its waterway. In the early days, Nelligen was a busy port and trade and commerce center and was much bigger than it is today. Most trades and goods from the hinterland to Sydney and further destinations will have to go through Nelligen and vice versa. The barrier to the coast formed by the Clyde River was finally violated with the construction of a bridge, which then linked the road from the Southern Highlands to Princess Highway and to Batesman Bay. After that, the commercial center for the region gradually shifted to Batesman Bay.

Central Tilba is a historic farming village, backed by the 800 meters high Mount Dromedary. This town is famous for its weatherboard cottages and shops, now housing some of the region's finest cafes and craft shops, as well as cheese and wine. The cheese factory and wineries are all open to visitors.

The main highlight of the Illawarra region is Wollongong, the third largest city in the state. Situated on a coastline of wonderful surf beaches and backed by Mount Kembla and Mount Kiera, Wollongong is popular for its 17 surf beaches, lighthouse, harbor, and seafood restaurants. Another of Wollongong's pride is its art gallery, which is also Australia's largest regional gallery that houses a massive collection of 20th century paintings and sculptures. Diversity of culture is also reflected here with the Nan Tien Temple, the largest Buddhist temple in the Southern Hemisphere that was built for the large Chinese community of Sydney.

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