State car number-plates declare’ New South Wales- The Premier State’. In one sense it simply means ‘ The First State’ but in another it means ‘The Best State’- the state whose capital city is regarded as one of the most beautiful cities in the world. The truth is that, while Sydney remains the oldest and largest city in Australia, the state continues to enjoy its ‘premier’ position. It is, by any definition, a remarkable city. Starting over 200 years ago as a penal colony at the end of the earth, it has dragged itself up by the bootstraps. The beauty of its setting and the mildness of its climate make it a near-perfect place to live.
The beauty of New South Wales extends beyond simply having Sydney as its capital. Although it takes up only 10% of Australia it has a diversity of landform, climate and vegetation which is richer and more complex than any other state, with tropical rainforests in the north, Alpine ski slopes in the south, seemingly endless beaches on the east coast and deserts in the west.