West of Sydney, in Blackheath, Allendale Cottages provides complete privacy for guests in one of four self-contained cottages, on a nine acre setting at the edge of the forest of the Blue Mountains National Park. Blackheath also has fine restaurants, cafes, galleries and antique shops; beautiful parks and gardens, including the Rhododendron Gardens. A short drive from here are the Jenolan Caves and Kanangra Walls, and through the rainforest, the Megalong Valley.

Ninety minutes south of Sydney, the Anchor Inn offers quality accommodation and fine dining in sumptuous retreat at heart of the Illawarra region, amid rolling hills, pristine beaches, elevated headland, shore and sea pools on either side; near town centre cafes and restaurants.  

Eaglereach Wilderness Resort, two hours drive north from Sydney, in wilderness of the Hunter region; spectacular views of Barrington Tops National Park, and the Pacific Ocean; rainforest, cliffs, wildlife, swimming, hot spa, fine dining and good wine; self-contained lodges.

Goulburn River Stone Cottages bushland retreat, comfortable, rustic handcrafted stone cottages in secluded Goulburn River valley on Upper Hunter Valley by the National Park. Open fireplace, modern amenities, solar and gas power; wildlife, scenery, meandering river through sandstone cliffs and gorges, brilliant stars, cosy open fires, fresh eggs and produce, peace and privacy. Located 22 miles from Gulgong in Central-West NSW.

HermitageCottage, restored and furnished for comfortable, self contained, air conditioned, home away from home; fully equipped kitchen and pantry, generous breakfast provisions. Your hosts live on the property and are always available to assist. Enjoy the fresh air, explore the rainforest and listen to the abundant bird life on 80 acres in the foothills of the Blue Mountains.

Tizzana Winery Bed & Breakfast just over an hour from Sydney, in a tranquil valley off the Hawkesbury River, overlooking a lagoon of waterlilies, an ideal escape or romantic getaway. The Greater Blue Mountains, Wollemi Wilderness, Mount Tomah Botanical Gardens, Windsor, Richmond & Kurrajong, Wisemans Ferry and St Albans are all nearby.

Make sure you take some time to get out of the city, because Australia’s countryside is stunningly beautiful. Blue Mountains National Park, just 50 miles west of Sydney is a lovely refuge with its lush plateaus and deep valleys. Overnight camping is possible if you’d like to rough it, and there are plenty of well-maintained trails to accommodate bushwalking. The beautiful array of animals that call the park home include many you won’t find in any other country, including kangaroos, koalas, bandicoots, wallabies, and dozens of other species of birds, marsupials, reptiles, amphibians and insects. Many of the best views can be seen right from the highway, including the famous Three Sisters, a sandstone formation of three columns overlooking the valley.

The dazzlingly-lit Sydney Harbour Bridge joins with the Opera House to form one of Australia’s most picturesque urban images at night or day. But, for an even better view, take a BridgeClimb tour for a completely different view of the city. Starting from the south end of the bridge, you climb up the arch to its top, cross the width of the bridge, and return on the other side, all secured to the bridge by a safety wire. If dark crevasses are more your bag, opt for the underside tour, in which you descend under the bridge to get a tour of its inner workings.

No building better symbolizes Australia than the Sydney Opera House, with its massive, concentric, seashell-shaped roofs. Views of the Opera House and the nearby Harbour Bridge are the iconic Sydney Vista, but don’t miss the opportunity to see a show inside this spectacular performance centre. The Opera House is one of the busiest performance buildings in the world, hosting more than 1,500 performances each year in its seven different venues, each dedicated to opera, dance, theatre, and music.

Sydney's historic neighborhood is known as the founding place for both the city and the country, as the British began their colony here. Also known as Sydney's outdoors museum, many gays know it for the shopping.

It's located at the foot of Sydney Harbour Bridge and the western shore of Sydney Cove. The old district has been revived with cafes and restaurants, tourism shops and pubs, live outdoor concerts and street theatre. On weekends, there's a market with some 100 stalls.

While you're there check out the Museum of Contemporary Art, and the Sydney Observatory.

Sydney is well positioned to observe seasonal migrations of majestic Australian east coast humpback whales, who swim north past Sydney to mate, as well as common and bottlenose dolphins, who are present in the region year-round. During the migration season, there are observation stations staffed by volunteers at Cape Solander and North Head.

Sydney is a wonderland for gay men seeking surf, sand and Speedos. There are a number of hot spots to check out, depending on your scene.
Bondi Beach is a magnificent swath of sand about four miles east of downtown Sydney. At the northern end of the beach, just below the North Bondi Surf Life Saving Club, is the North Bondi section, where you will find all the hot gay men. To get here, take bus 380 or 333. Most buses in Sydney originate at Circular Quay, but many people catch these buses from Oxford Street.

Redleaf Pool doesn't look like a pool to most visitors -- it's a fenced-in area of Seven Shillings Beach on the harbor with a sandy patch and grassy knoll. Here you will find a lovely mix of beautiful gay men and families with children. Look for the entrance at 536 New South Head Road in Double Bay, an eastern suburb of Sydney. To get here, take bus 324 or 325.

Andrew "Boy" Charlton Pool is an unknown gem to many of Sydney's gay visitors. Idyllically located between the Botanic Gardens and Woolloomooloo Wharf, ABC is so packed with good-looking gay men that it feels like the set of a Kylie Minogue video. The pool is easy to walk to from downtown.

La Perouse attracts a relaxed, burly and sometimes naked crowd. Especially popular with Sydney's big population of bears, La Perouse offers a lazy beach experience. To get to this beautiful beach southeast of downtown, hop aboard bus 394 or 393.

The website of Free Beaches of New South Wales lists 20 clothing optional areas along the coast, with the scoop on each one. Three of these, Cobblers Beach, Lady Jane Beach, and Obelisk Beach are in the immediate area of Sydney.