New South Wales is the most populated state, especially along the coast. It’s amazing that it has 126 national parks here. In Sydney, on the thirteenth floor of 59-61 Goulburn St, you get a free booklet with all the parks, fees, attractions, info how to get there, walking tracks descriptions etc. They can also give you more specific info and pick up more detailed maps of individual parks.
I already described Sydney on the webpage dedicated to this amazing city. You can find there as well section „Weekend around the city” where I described briefly attractions such as Blue Mountains, Royal NP, Ku - Ring - Gai Chase NP, Port Stephens, Hunter Valley and Jervis Bay.
On this webpage I will describe places located further away from Sydney.
Cape Byron is the most easterly tip of Australia mainland. It’s located on the state northern coast tip. Besides, it is a beautifully situated place next to Byron Bay town, which is a Mecca for young globetrotters. There are several reasons for it, but hippie style reputation is the main one. However Byron Bay became a bit commercialized, so real hippies practically moved on to nearby Nimbin. Despite this, the town has a easy going, calm, relax atmosphere. The place is also ideal for surfing, not only because perfect waves but also many dolphins who accompany surfers. I recommend sea kayak trip where there is a good chance to see these friendly mammals (3 hours, 65 AUD).
Northern and western part of state is wonderful empty outback. I have a few favourite places and one of them is Lightning Ridge. It is famous as the only place in the world where black opals are discovered. Already exploit underground pits were converted into apartments, hotels, or made mines available to explore for tourists (10 AUD). In the town there are several routes where you can see along many strange buildings built by locals, including bottle house, a castle, astronomer house, etc. It is unique, interesting town. Unfortunately we can’t see everything, sometimes there is a admission fee, and sometimes access is possible only during official tour. Anyway, we can have a gaze from outside, nobody can forbid us to watch. In the evening, I recommend go for a free of charge thermal pool in one of the natural artesian wells, open 24 hours with the bath at 52 ˚ C.
In the north-western corner of the state is Sturt NP located. It is on Strzelecki Desert edge, where there is dry land with sand and bush.
Slightly longer trip from Sydney (minimum 5 days return trip, more than 2500 km) is very attractive journey to the outback, this time in the western part of NSW. We took a map with marked unpaved roads, tools, spare wheel, food and plenty of drinking water.
First we went to the sandy Mungo NP, which is dominated by 33 kilometre long "Chinese Wall", formation made up of sand and mud. Wonderful sunsets and sunrises, peace and quiet, amazing colours, walking tracks through the dunes or on the dry lake bed. This place is discovered as the world's oldest archaeological ritual burials, 15 thousand years prior to the Egyptian pharaohs.
We continued travelled on unsealed tracks among the red soil with changing landscape. Until Kinchega NP with green vegetation along one of the longest rivers of the continent, Darling River. There are lots of birds, 2-meter lizards climb the trees, jumping in grass kangaroos and running away on plains emus. We camped next to the shallow lake with trees that looks like have roots up side down, but water level depends on the year – flood or drought.
The nearby mining town of Broken Hill also has a strange atmosphere, but there is nothing special. However in nearby Silverton, the ghost town, we can admire the landscapes similar to those from the movie 
MadMax II (it was shot here), and Mel Gibson's car is still standing in front of the bar. Besides, the artists painted the old VWs Beetles all across the area.
Nearby Mutawintji NP is more hilly and rocky than two previous parks. For a number of interesting walking trails do not forget to bring a large quantity of water, as in December during my five-hour walk temperatures reached 46 ˚ C in the shade. Here are a number of Aboriginal cave paintings.
Similar like in previous parks admission fee is 7 AUD per car, and camping costs just 5 AUD (equipped with toilets and water, sometimes BBQ grill). We are paying by filling envelope with money and details and putting into box - no control, but this shows our honesty.
White Cliffs town, just like Lightning Ridge, offers underground opal mines sightseeing. Some of them were converted for houses or hotels (B & B for around 40 AUD). The impressive and practical is the fact that during the day the house cools heat, and at night protect against cold, so inside temperature remains constant around 22˚C.
Another interesting journey can be to the Snowy Alps, near Mt. Kosciuszko (2228 m), the highest peak in Australian mainland. An interesting fact is that the highest mountain in Australia is actually Mawson Peak (2745m) which lies in Heard Island.
The area has many well-marked hiking trails. I went to the top of Kosciuszko from Threbo, the main ski resort. The easy walk to the summit took me around three hours, but you can also take a chairlift for more then half way. In
Kosciusko NP camping is permitted, which beautifully located lakes encourage for it.
From the summit I went by narrow trail to the north (little traffic), and behind Blue Lake I turned off trackless towards Snowy River. Walking along the stream I arrived to the first settlement after two days.
I haven’t met any person along the beautiful river area. 
However trackless hike through dense vegetation wasn’t easy, so sometimes it was easier to jump from stone to stone on the riverbed instead walk on the bank in the bush (and watch out for snakes).
If we are lucky we may hitchhike from Threbo to Sydney in one day. You can expect a lot of snow in period between May and September.
Ski resorts in Jindabyne, Perisher and Threbo hire ski equipment (skis, boots and poles from 55 AUD per day). One-day chairlift ticket costs around 100 AUD.
There are organized weekend trips from Sydney for 259 AUD (transfer from Sydney, two nights in a dormitory, two breakfasts, one dinner, transfers to the slopes). Equipment and ski pass are not included.
Country capital has nothing special to offer. One day Canberra sightseeing was completely enough for me. The most interesting is the parliament building, which is built inside a hill (the roof is still covered with grass).
Another interesting thing in the capital could be an annual tulips exhibition
– Floriade. Several million flowers can be seen between September and October.