The road to nowhere on the ultimate NSW road trip

WHAT better way to show a tourist the NSW sights than a road trip. You can go dolphin-spotting and slip-sliding along the way...just try not to get lost!

Port Stephens

WHAT better way to show an English tourist the sights of NSW than a road trip.

Of course, it wouldn't be a proper road trip if there wasn't an element of adventure. We've been driving down a winding, gravel track surrounded by wild bushland and perched between a vertiginous gorge and a rocky ridge for more than two hours.

We haven't passed another vehicle, the petrol gauge is worryingly low, and it's getting increasingly difficult not to recall every road-trip horror movie we've seen.

It's my fault. As navigator, I was the one who decided to forgo the map in the hope of taking the scenic option.

We're definitely somewhere within Yengo National Park.

What we don't know is if we'll ever find our way out.

And to think it all started so smoothly.

Embracing the spirit of adventure, we'd decided to embark on a driving holiday through the state.

The first few nights we spent at Manly Beach, the perfect introduction for a British tourist with its laid-back atmosphere, white sandy beaches - in the middle of a huge city - stylish restaurants and chilled bars that line the promenade. It provided the perfect place to recover from jet lag.

Refreshed, we left Manly and Sydney's sprawling suburbia and followed the Pacific Highway towards Port Stephens, dubbed "the dolphin capital of Australia".

Even at a leisurely pace, it takes less than three hours to reach our hotel, Peppers Anchorage Resort. The hotel's airy rooms have private verandas from which we breathe the sea air.

With its tranquil inlets, 20-plus sandy beaches and sub-tropical climate, Port Stephens is a popular weekend destination for Sydneysiders and we while away the days beachcombing and book reading on the secluded beaches of Zenith and Wreck.

For an adrenalin kick, we drive over to the magnificent Stockton Bight sand dunes and eschew quad-biking in favour of sandboarding. It's a hotter, sandier version of snowboarding that involves sitting on a board and launching yourself off the peak of a dune. But the climb to the top is exhausting and after four runs we're done.

A trip to Port Stephens wouldn't be complete without catching a glimpse of the local bottlenose dolphins and if you visit between May and November you may even catch migrating humpback whales too.

For $120 each, we treat ourselves to a private charter. Sailing past deserted islands and exploring crystal-clear creeks, it's an exhilarating experience - and one that makes us feel like millionaires for 90 minutes. But alas no dolphins, so the next day we board one of the dolphin-spotting cruises that depart daily from nearby Nelson Bay (about $22).

It's not as luxurious, but still a joy to watch schools of dolphins swim alongside the boat.

After bidding adieu to Port Stephens with dinner at The Point restaurant at Soldiers Point, a fantastic location to watch spectacular sunsets, we drive on towards the Hunter Valley.

It's a two-hour drive inland on a route reminiscent at times of the Wild West, with dusty roads forging through small townships.

As we approach wine country, the view morphs into neat vineyards, with Tuscan-style villas sitting prettily atop rolling hills while kangaroos graze.

There are more than 140 cellar doors to visit in the Hunter, one of the oldest wine regions in Australia, and we find experts on hand to talk us through wines for free in the hope we'll leave clinking with bottles.

Our accommodation is Spicers Vineyard Estate, a five-star guest house located on a private vineyard. There are only a handful of rooms at this peaceful retreat, each decorated in Mediterranean terracotta colours. The subdued lighting, chilled music and panoramic views make it impossible not to sit back and enjoy the easy life.

And why rush in the Hunter Valley? We amble along, picking and choosing wineries at random, which all adds to the fun.

An area that revels in gastronomic delights, we're spoilt for choice for eateries, but a favourite is Shakey Tables at Hunter Country Lodge, with its colourfully eclectic decor and tastebud-popping cuisine.

Wine supped and bellies full, we move on towards the Blue Mountains, a million hectares of mountainous terrain named after the blue haze of oil emitted from the forest of gum trees beneath.

To keep things interesting we forgo the highway in favour of the historic Old Great North Road, an example of 19th-century convict road-building - aka the scenic route.

It should have only added 45 minutes on to a two-hour journey.

But at some point the wrong turn is taken and we find ourselves in Yengo National Park, and apparently on the road to nowhere.

We do make it to the Blue Mountains, finally. Four hours later than expected, and having boarded a car ferry and travelled through remote forests and plains that wouldn't look out of place in Jurassic Park.

As we arrive, the mountains are shrouded in a dense mist, so we call it a day and hit the pillow at the cosy Kubba Roonga Guesthouse in Blackheath, the small town so called because of its wild, moor-like scenery.

Pulling back the curtains the next morning we're greeted with sunshine. Surprisingly, given the previous day's events, we eagerly get back into the car but this time it's a mere 15-minute drive to the tourist hub of Katoomba.

The view at Echo Point induces an awed silence among us tourists as we look down upon a vast green blanket of trees, rugged cliffs and sandstone plateaux, including the famous Three Sisters rock formation.

If you're feeling adventurous you can walk over for a closer look via The Great Stairway, though it looks more like a rickety bridge.

We take the Skyway ride, sold as the "walk on air" experience because of a glass floor that allows you to look down on the valley beneath you, across to Scenic World's Top Station.

From here, the short but near vertical railway takes us into the depths of the valley where we wander the bush walkways.

The thick canopy of trees blocks the sunlight, leaving a chill in the air, and a mist creeps along the cliff's crevices. In search of warmth, we hop aboard the cableway that takes us back to the top and to Blackheath.

Our adventure almost over, we pack our suitcases into the car one last time. The road trip's been exhilarating for this English tourist, eye-opening and not a little exhausting at times, but lessons have been learned.

As we take the turn that will take us back into the heart of Sydney, the map this time is firmly clenched in hand.

Staying there:
Peppers Anchorage Port Stevens, www.peppers.com.au
Spicers Vineyard Estate, www.spicersgroup.com.au
Kubba Roonga Guesthouse www.kubbaroongaguesthouse.com.au

Doing there:
Dolphin-watching and sandboarding in Port Stephens; Table Shakey in Hunter Valley; Echo Point in the Blue Mountains.

When to go:
May to November if you want to see migrating humpback whales off Port Stephens.

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