New South Wales is home to Sydney, which is the busiest gateway into the Australian continent. Travelers from the United States of America can apply for an Electronic Travel Authority subclass 976 to visit Australia. It is similar to a visa, except the process is much cheaper, faster and can be done entirely online. Other countries eligible for this visa include Canada, Brunei, Hong Kong and Japan. US travelers should visit http://travel.state.gov/ for more information.

Health and Safety

Sydney and other large towns do have some regular occurrences of crime, although this rarely happens with tourists. If visiting Sydney, stay vigilant at night, and never walk alone. If visitors are clubbing in the state’s capital, stay away from unruly patrons, as fights and brawls are not uncommon.

Like other parts of Australia, the sun can be extremely strong in the summer months throughout New South Wales. Visitors must take the necessary precautions to protect against the sun’s harmful rays. Wearing long sleeved shirts, sunscreen and hats while at the beach or sightseeing in the state is recommended. In addition, it is important for tourists to rehydrate themselves regularly.

There are several types of animals that should be avoided in New South Wales. The funnel web spider is a very dangerous character and aggressive too. One bite from this spider can make adults extremely sick, and certainly has enough venom to make a child’s bite fatal. Western brown snakes and other serpent species are also found throughout the state.