6 places where you can feel like you’re overseas without ever leaving NSW

In the north of the state, deep within the New England Highlands, you’ll find Australia’s very own Celtic Country. Gaelic connections run deep here, dating back to the first European frontiersmen who explored this region in the early 1800s. While they may not boast quite the same ancient provenance as their British inspiration, the mystical ring of standing stones erected here in 1992 is nonetheless a declaration of how thoroughly the spirit of the Celts resonates in these parts.

It’s truly remarkable how such a calming, meditative space can exist in the very heart of Sydney’s bustling CBD. This traditional Chinese garden was a gift from Sydney’s sister city of Guangzhou, and features classical pagodas, waterfalls, weeping willows, lily pads and native Chinese blooms. The buildings are highly ornate, decorated with elaborate carvings of dragons and other mythological scenes from Chinese antiquity. At the garden’s centre is the Lake of Brightness; a beautiful pond filled with chubby carp lazily swimming by. 

Built to resemble the kind of rustic taverna that has stood for generations under the Tuscan sun, this charming winery, with its warm umber walls and terracotta tiles, is a dead ringer for the real deal. The driveway is even lined with fruiting olive trees - a relatively common crop in the Hunter, but here it adds to the Mediterranean theatre of the place. Once you’re settled in on the terrace overlooking the vines, you can enjoy a sommelier guided tasting as you imagine yourself far away in the heart of the Med.

With its dense, verdant canopy and fairytale-worthy cascade, these beautiful falls in a quiet corner of New England share an uncanny resemblance to Germany’s ancient forests. The moss-covered rocks, abundant ferns and heartwood trees found in this more temperate area of NSW are quite unlike other bushland areas of the state, even thickly forested regions like the Blue Mountains. You’ll find this picture-perfect woodland scene on a trail leading off the Macquarie Pass track, just west of the country town of Tongarra.

Perched on the slopes overlooking Lake Llyell, just north of Katoomba, this traditional Japanese onsen offers a truly authentic bathhouse experience, right down to the fine details. The classically designed buildings are all constructed using traditional techniques, and you can even stay overnight in a Japanese-style dwelling on site. Using the naturally mineralised waters drawn from local underground springs, the heated baths are infused with herbal treatments, just as they would be in Japan.

While they may not be quite on the same continent-covering scale as their South American cousin, these rainforests an hour outside Coffs Harbour are still a remarkably biodiverse habitat rich with wildlife and greenery that could easily be mistaken for the Amazon. If you take the Crystal Shower Falls trail, one of Dorrigo National Park’s most popular walking tracks, you’ll discover pristine falls much like those found in the Amazon Basin, as well as some of the most colourful birdwatching found anywhere in the state.

There are the beach towns Australia is known for, but then there are the wild green islands, the rugged national parks full of secret swimming holes, the big cities brimming with culture and great food... we could go on forever.