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Aboriginal rock art and spring wildflowers are the highlights of this 12,000-ha (39,640-acre) park overlooking Broken Bay and the Hawkesbury River. There are great views over the Hawkes-bury from the path leading from Pearl Beach to tiny Patonga, accessible by ferry from Palm Beach.

The picnic area at this small beach is dotted with little huts that provide picnic tables and shelter from the wind. On the weekends it’s packed with groups of 20-somethings enjoying barbecues and beer. Bronte also boasts a great ocean pool and a fabulous row of cafés.

Sydney may be a bustling city, but the peace and quiet of the bush is just a short train ride away. There are 24 national parks in and around Sydney (see Parks & Gardens), and all offer excellent bushwalks of varying experience levels. Take a guided tour with the NPWS and learn all about native animals and bush foods.

Sydney’s Central Park is a gorgeous 220-ha (543-acre) expanse of playing fields, horse-riding facilities, ornamental lakes and ponds, cultivated gardens, sports grounds, cycle and jogging paths and light bushland with beautiful paperbark trees. It is the largest open space in the central area and a popular destination for barbecues and picnics.

This harbour beach is wonderful for small children. There’s plenty of shade, a playground, a shallow tidal pool, and a great view of yachts moving to and from the marina opposite. After your swim, satisfy your hunger across the bay at The Spit with a satisfying plate of fish and chips.

If you walk between the cliffs that separate Bronte and Clovelly, you’ll pass through Waverley Cemetery, where Aussie poet Henry Lawson (see Henry Lawson (1867–1922)) rests. Due to its backwater, Clovelly’s waters are very calm, making it wonderful for laps and snorkelling.

In the heart of the CBD; also has a gym. Indoor.

This beach in the southern suburbs was immortalized in Puberty Blues . Still a grommet (young surfer wannabes) training ground, it hasn’t lost any of its teen appeal. Grab a chiko roll and get into the spirit.

See where the world record breaker got her start. Outdoor, saltwater.