About
Spend long enough in Sydney and you notice the places actually worth seeing sit one or two hours outside the city — and that going alone is the hard part: no car, not enough people, no idea which route to pick. This is one answer to all three.
All five routes are day returns: out in the morning, back in the evening, no accommodation needed. Tick the destinations you want when you sign up; the most-voted route runs first and the rest get scheduled after.
The five routes
- Kiama — about 2h direct by train from Central. A charming South Coast seaside town known for its giant natural Blowhole, its white lighthouse and the coastal walk. No car needed, which makes this the easiest of the five.
- Blue Mountains — roughly 1.5–2h by car or tour. A World Heritage area with the Three Sisters, the scenic cableway and endless forest; good for both views and hiking.
- Wollongong & Grand Pacific Drive — about 1.5h. The drive crosses the Sea Cliff Bridge suspended over the water, with Pacific views the whole way; the town has good surf beaches and the Bald Hill paragliding launch site.
- Port Stephens — about 2.5h by car. The self-declared dolphin capital, with the vast Stockton dunes at Anna Bay for sandboarding and boat trips out to see dolphins.
- Central Coast — about 1.5h by car. An easy-going one for families and slow weekends: lakes, beaches and the Australian Reptile Park.
How it works
- Fill in the form below and tick the destinations you want
- We add you to the trip group on WeChat
- The group votes on a route and a departure time — the most-picked trip runs first
- We travel together by car or train, leaving from Central or a station near you
- Numbers are confirmed the day before, and we go once we have enough people
What to bring
- Shoes you can walk in all day — the Blue Mountains and Port Stephens especially involve walking
- Sunscreen, a hat and plenty of water; there is no shade on the coast or the dunes
- Swimmers optional — Kiama, Wollongong and the Central Coast all have swimmable beaches
- Fuel, tolls or train fares are split evenly; tickets (cableway, dolphin cruise) are on you. We post rough numbers in the group before we go