Discover the New South Wales Experience: 2026 Tourist Attractions and Events You Can’t Miss!

New South Wales tourism leaders visit Korea

Deepening ties, refreshed charm woo Korean travelers

[Herald Economy = Reporter Ham Young-hoon] Tourism leaders from New South Wales (NSW) and Sydney recently made a warm return to Korea, showcasing the refreshed, 2026-ready NSW and celebrating the steadily growing bond between NSW and Korean travelers over the past five to six years.

A playful highlight was Seosan’s Garorim Bay “Mud Max” clam-tractor troupe — a local, affectionate riff on Mad Max — which also reminded guests that parts of the original film were shot in New South Wales.

In downtown Seoul they unpacked a tempting mix: celebrity hideaways, the Blue Mountains’ Three Sisters — likened to Seoraksan’s Chilhyungjebong — and Australian-style wines that blend global winemaking expertise into distinctly Aussie bottles.

Destination New South Wales (DNSW) hosted its first PR media event in Korea on the 18th at Up To Me, an Australian restaurant in Yeonnam-dong, sharing fresh travel updates and a warm invitation to Korean visitors.

Jennifer Tung, DNSW’s Northeast Asia director, and Hee-jung Kim, DNSW’s Korea business development manager, joined the event to present NSW’s latest tourism trends and must-see highlights.

Tung kicked off with a heartfelt shout-out to Korea. “Koreans are an important market for us, and many arrive as leisure travelers, so we’re designing experiences with that in mind,” she said. “Don’t miss Sydney’s icons — the Opera House and Harbour Bridge — plus shopping, nature and wildlife encounters.”

DNSW also unveiled refreshed attractions and festivals around NSW and offered tastings to spotlight premium wines from regions like Hunter Valley and Orange.

▶ Festivals

Handa Opera on Sydney Harbour runs twice daily from the 27th through May 3. It’s outdoor theater at its most cinematic, staged with the Opera House and Harbour Bridge as a dramatic backdrop.

Marking its 40th anniversary, this year’s production ramps up the spectacle. Andrew Lloyd Webber’s The Phantom of the Opera will play on an open-air stage over Sydney Harbour, pairing a live orchestra and lavish staging with nightly fireworks for a truly immersive experience.

The festival tightly weaves performances, exhibitions, dining and accommodation into a city-wide arts celebration, turning Sydney into one giant cultural stage.

Vivid Sydney — now in its 16th year — lights up the city from May 22 to June 13, spanning the Opera House, Circular Quay and Darling Harbour. It’s the time of year to witness Sydney at its most dazzling after dark.

This year’s themes are Light, Music, Mind (ideas) and Food, featuring light art, live music, idea talks and food events, many of which are free. The opening showcase First Light Live and a June 6 performance by Korean artist Stella Jang are among the festival highlights. Expect a bigger drone show this year as the event continues to grow.

Culinary pop-ups such as Saltbush & Starlight Dining at the Opera House and Dream Mist in the Botanic Garden will run during the festival, and harbor cruises will offer a range of dining options.

Sydney Marathon joined the World Marathon Majors in 2025 and drew roughly 35,000 runners last year, including about 400 Koreans. Known as one of the world’s most scenic marathon routes, it’s become a bucket-list event for runners. This year’s race is scheduled for August 30.

New Year’s Eve is another major draw, with Sydney’s iconic dawn timing attracting big crowds.

▶ Fish market, new airport, new hotels

The Sydney Fish Market has doubled in size and got a sleek makeover, turning it into a must-see attraction. Try fresh seafood, watch live auctions, and soak up the lively atmosphere. DNSW expects over 6 million annual visitors, and Korean tour operators are already adding it to many itineraries.

Western Sydney Airport is opening soon. To ease congestion at the existing airport, a new 24-hour facility will launch this year in the Parramatta area, about 50 km west of the city center, with capacity for over 10 million passengers annually.

Recent hotel additions include a five-star InterContinental on Coogee Beach. Luxury properties like Capella, Park Hyatt Sydney and Crown Towers Sydney have also raised the city’s hospitality profile.

W Sydney opened in 2023 and is the largest W hotel in the world, with 588 rooms in Darling Harbour.

Capella Sydney also debuted in 2023 after transforming an old education department building into a heritage hotel; it ranked 12th on the 2025 list of the world’s top 50 hotels.

▶ Hot spots near Sydney

Hee-ryung Kim of NSW Tourism highlighted hidden gems across the state. The Blue Mountains — just 90 minutes from Sydney — really do look blue. Tiny oil droplets from eucalyptus trees scatter sunlight and give the range its blue haze.

As a UNESCO World Heritage-listed conservation area, the Blue Mountains offer eucalyptus forest hikes and atmospheric stays at places like the Hydro Majestic. Ride the world’s steepest railway and the Southern Hemisphere’s largest cable car for unforgettable vistas.

As featured recently on a Crazy Tours episode, the cable car provides a thrilling, panoramic view of the whole range.

Drive south to the South Coast and you’ll find the S-line Sea Cliff Bridge on the route to Jervis Bay. The dramatic cliffs and photogenic bridge make this one of Australia’s most filmed and Instagrammed drives.

Jervis Bay, about a three-hour drive from Sydney, is a favorite local escape with some of the world’s whitest sand beaches.

Expect cruises, water sports and a look at Australian-style shellfish farms that may feel familiar to Koreans from the south coast. Murray Beach’s brilliant white sand is a big draw, and Montague Island offers the chance to swim with sea lions.

Head inland and west from Sydney to Broken Hill and the Riverina. Korea Tourism Organization’s Mud Max video, inspired by Seosan Garorim Bay’s clam-tractor story, nods to the area where Mad Max was filmed. Here you’ll find a Mad Max Museum, mining-town history, Outback-style lodgings and island culture. Indigenous heritage is strong, offering deep cultural insights — a different side of Sydney’s surroundings.

NSW also includes Outback stretches where ancient wilderness meets striking modern roads — proof that Uluru isn’t the only iconic desert landscape in Australia.

Byron Bay, at the state’s northern tip, is a beloved seaside getaway known for surf beaches and its free-spirited vibe popular with Millennials and Gen Z. Celebrities like Chris Hemsworth and Hugh Jackman reportedly have second homes here. Byron’s lighthouse and the Tweed region are hubs for nature and eco-tours.

Traveling down the east coast from Tweed Heads toward Sydney brings you to Port Stephens, a favorite with Koreans for sandboarding and dolphin watching.

Past Port Stephens, Hunter Valley’s vast vineyards unfold. NSW is divided into 14 wine regions, each shaped by varied climates, soils and winemaking approaches.

▶ Food, arts and culture

Festivals now pair pop-up dining with Sydney’s culinary scene, broadening cultural and artistic experiences for visitors.

The Royal Botanic Garden Sydney, with sweeping views of the Opera House and Harbour Bridge, remains a romantic spot where travelers unwind in iconic surroundings.

The Museum of Contemporary Art Australia (MCA), perched on Sydney Harbour, showcases contemporary architecture and global contemporary art. Its new dining spot, Canvas, serves chef-driven menus with harbor views — an elegant mix of art and flavor.

Fine-dining heavyweights like Quay and Bennelong offer inventive tasting menus from prime vantage points overlooking the harbor, capping off culturally rich days of shows and exhibitions.

Yellow Tail — recognizable by its kangaroo-adorned yellow label — is the world’s top-selling Australian wine brand and also sells strongly in the U.S. Sommelier Hyun-chul Cho pointed to Yellow Tail’s technical consistency and ability to maintain quality at scale as the keys to its global success.

Hunter Valley, NSW’s most famous and one of its oldest wine regions, produces distinct wines. Even in warm, humid conditions, growers achieve high acidity, lower alcohol and crisp, dry whites that avoid heavy oak. Young wines show citrus notes like lemon and lime; with age they develop honey and toast nuances.

Hunter Valley Shiraz contrasts with the stereotypical bold Aussie Shiraz. It’s more medium-bodied, with restrained alcohol and earthy, spicy character — a versatile match for grilled meats, roasted vegetables, salmon and oysters.

Right now, Orange and Tumbarumba are names to watch. Orange, inland west of Sydney, sits between 600 and 1,390 meters in elevation, making it one of Australia’s premier high-altitude wine regions. Grapes benefit from sunny days and cool nights that preserve acidity. As Australian wine shifts more toward whites, sparklings and pinot noir, Tumbarumba’s reputation is poised to grow.