The best beaches are the hardest to get to, and Store Beach requires a kayak. You can rent your paddles from Manly Wharf and then it’s a short cruise around the coast to this hidden cove. What’s in Store? Gold sands and maybe a fairy penguin. You have to leave at dusk as the birds need the sandy bed.

Ever wanted to star in a cheesy Australian soap? Well, pack a costume change and get yourself to Palm Beach. It’s only an hour’s drive from Sydney and is the set of the iconic Home and Away. The beach is gorgeous and there are some lovely walks along the peninsula. You’d be barmy not to go to Palmy.

For the ultimate city beach experience, there is of course Bondi. It can get crowded and surfers take over a bit, but it’s the closest to the centre and there’s a good chance you’ll see Hugh Jackman. He’s often deployed as a shark deterrent. There’s also a saltwater swimming pool, scuba and surf schools, and plenty of coffee shops to fuel your people-watching.

Drive out of the city and within two hours you’ll be in The Blue Mountains, a stunning landscape of rocky valleys and rainforests clouded in a blue haze. Hike the trails around Three Sisters Rock and hold onto your hat for the Katoomba Scenic Railway. It’s the steepest track in the world. Basically, an angled lift.

Wareamah, or Cockatoo Island, has a rich history. It was the meeting place for Sydney’s First Nations peoples over 60,000 years ago. It later became a prison, housing an overspill of convicts from Britain. Most recently, it’s been used as a shipyard and you can access the instagrammable industrial relics and heritage buildings via public ferry.

Only an hour by car, Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park is a living gallery of Aboriginal rock paintings and cave art. It’s also a good spot for birdwatching. Kookaburras can often be heard laughing in the bush. Probably something the sea eagles said.