10 ALTERNATIVE THINGS TO DO IN NEW SOUTH WALES

This former volcano that shoots up out of the Pacific Ocean is the home to an insect that was originally thought to be extinct. The Lord Howe Stick Insect was discovered on the rock in 2001. The insect can measure up to 15-centimetres long, and 27 were found here living in a colony under one bush. It's one of the rarest creatures in the world.

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Get ready to swim, wade, jump and abseil when you go canyoning in the Blue Mountains. Over the years, the national park's powerful streams have created one of the the most complex and spectacular canyoning systems in the world.

Cited as one of the best spots to catch Australian Bass, people come from all over the world to fish in this idyllic spot. During the warmer months the river is teeming with the species.

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If you think you have seen everything there is to see - have you seen a pink slug? Mount Kaputar is home to creatures that can't be found anywhere else in the world. The bright pink slugs can measure up to 19 centimetres, which exist alongside not one, but three cannibal snail species.

Tour one of the world's oldest caves. The Jenolan Caves that are found in the foothills of the Blue Mountains comprise almost 40km of underground passageways, which are believed to be 340 million years old.

It's a facial and sightseeing session all in one! Visit the world's largest blowhole. Reaching heights of up to 25m, the Kiama blowhole has been attracting visitors for 100 years. it relies on certain weather conditions, but if you're there at the right time chances are that you will see it drench bystanders. There is a second blowhole just a few minutes’ drive from it, which due to a narrower opening is more reliable than the Big Blowhole.

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Looking for a workout? Then put on your trainers and hike up the Giant Stairway, This metal walkway, which clings to the rockface, will take you from the Jamieson Valley, up to one of Australia’s most picturesque viewpoints. It's worth the 800 steps, trust us.

Once you finish the great climb of the Giant Stairway, you reach the Three Sister rock formation, a picturesque natural rock formation, that rises out of the Blue Mountains. There is also a train available if you want to take a short cut.

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Every weekend during the summer there is a concert outside on the lawn in front of Taronga Zoo. Take a blanket, pre-order a picnic blanket, and head to a concert under the stars overlooking Sydney Harbour.

Around 20,000 humpback whales are said to migrate from the colder waters of Antarctica to Queensland to breed from May until November. Head a little south to Jervis Bay, and you can spot bottle nose dolphins, which is home to 80 to 120 of the species all year round.

Photography: Destination New South Wales