Welcome to New South Wales!
New South Wales (NSW) is Australia's most populous state. Its capital, Sydney is the country's oldest, largest and most cosmopolitan city, centred on its spectacular harbour. The state's coastal areas offer endless sandy beaches next to sleepy coastal communities. The Great Dividing Range stretches the length of the state from north to south, including the World Heritage listed Blue Mountains, much of its World Heritage listed Gondwana Rainforests, and Australia's largest ski resorts in the Snowy Mountains. West of the range are the plains and the outback, gold mining, history and rural communities all the way to the red dust. Along the way you'll find Australia's premier wine regions of Mudgee and the Hunter Valley, the rainforests of the North Coast and New England, and hidden natural wonders to discover.
New South Wales (abbreviated as NSW) is a state on the east coast of Australia. It borders three other states, Queensland to the north, Victoria to the south, and South Australia to the west. Its coast borders the Coral and Tasman Seas to the east. The Australian Capital Territory is an enclave within the state. New South Wales' state capital is Sydney, which is also Australia's most populous city. In June 2020, the population of New South Wales was over 8.1 million, making it Australia's most populous state. Just under two-thirds of the state's population, 5.3 million, live in the Greater Sydney area. The demonym for inhabitants of New South Wales is New South Welshmen.The Colony of New South Wales was founded as a British penal colony in 1788. It originally comprised more than half of the Australian mainland with its western boundary set at 129th meridian east in 1825. The colony then also included the island territories of Van Diemen's Land, Lord Howe Island, and Norfolk Island. During the 19th century, most of the colony's area was detached to form separate British colonies that eventually became the various states and territories of Australia. However, the Swan River Colony was never administered as part of New South Wales.
Lord Howe Island remains part of New South Wales, while Norfolk Island has become a federal territory, as have the areas now known as the Australian Capital Territory and the Jervis Bay Territory.