Touching down in a new place always feels exciting – but it’s even more special when you’re welcomed with open arms. Handily, Australia’s ten most welcoming towns for 2025 were unveiled earlier this year, and two of them are right here in NSW.
For its 13th annual Traveller Review Awards, Booking.com used a whopping 360 million verified reviews to determine the world’s most welcoming regions and towns. We already covered the news that South Australia earned a spot among the ten most welcoming regions on the planet, but now we're narrowing in on the ten friendliest cities and towns across the country.
The first NSW town to make the list is the charming mountainside town of Mudgee. Surrounded by magical rolling hills and vineyards galore, home to a disproportionate number of exceptional glamping spots, and just three and a half hours’ drive from Sydney, Mudgee is a popular weekend getaway spot for Sydneysiders who want to escape into the country. And it turns out, you’ll be met with a smile when you arrive – with Mudgee ranking as the fourth friendliest town in Australia.
Next up, Time Out Sydney Food and Drink Editor’s favourite regional spot: Orange. This foodie mecca is home to a whole lot of excellent eateries (including the winner of Best Destination Venue in the Time Out Sydney Food and Drink Awards 2025), and plays host to Australia’s longest-running regional food fest. But Orange doesn’t just satisfy your appetite with tasty treats – it was also ranked the tenth most welcoming destination in Australia for 2025.
These are the 10 most welcoming cities in Australia for 2025
- Montville, QLD
- Maleny, QLD
- Margaret River Town, WA
- Mudgee, NSW
- Ocean Grove, VIC
- Bicheno, TAS
- Port Lincoln, SA
- Halls Gap, VIC
- Daylesford, VIC
- Orange, NSW
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