From Liverpool to Fairfield, Cabramatta to Canley Heights, the South West offers a diverse trip away without leaving Sydney. With verdant nature surrounding the Georges River to thrilling adventure activities, plus vibrant eating hubs and a luxurious five-star hotel, a trip to the South West will captivate the whole family.
FRIDAY
12:00pm: Try something unusual at The Usual Cafe, Cabramatta
This trendy spot in the heart of Cabramatta offers lunch with a difference, levelling up classic brunch plates with decadent flavours. Try miso spanner crab scrambled eggs in your croissant, order the tangy yuzu French toast or go luxe with the wagyu burger with truffle aioli. Caffeinated drinks use Single O beans, juices are cold pressed by Wollstonecraft juice business Allie’s and organic loose leaf tea comes from Byron Bay company Mayde.
2:00pm: Check-in to The William Inglis Hotel
Make yourself at home at the South West’s first five-star hotel –The William Inglis, a boutique hotel inspired by the owners’ revered horse-racing history. Elegant and luxurious equine-themed rooms overlook the surrounding Riverside Stables and are each named after a winning Inglis family horse. Grab a pre-bottled negroni by The Everleigh Bottling Co. from the mini bar and take in the sights of the Warwick Farm racecourse down below.
4:00pm: Relax with a treatment at the in-house Inglis Day Spa
The hotel’s 24-hour health and fitness centre is home to the decadent Inglis Day Spa, where qualified therapists are ready to ease away the stresses of the week with a luxurious menu of beauty and wellness treatments. Choose the Inglis Signature facial that brightens and smooths using selenite crystals and serums, or go for a couples’ massage to unwind and relax together.
7:00pm: Wine and dine at the William Inglis Hotel’s restaurant and bar
With a menu centred around paddock-to-plate dining, The Newmarket Room is the hotel’s signature restaurant offering plush designer interiors as well as a lush al fresco dining space that looks over the striking gardens of the Riverside Stables. Choose your after-dinner drinks from 1867 Lounge’s extensive whisky selection, or grab a cocktail on the rooftop at the Chiltern Pool bar.
SATURDAY
8:00am: Brunch like a local at The Woods Pantry, Villawood
This popular cafe is perennially packed for a reason, with its Instagrammable brunch menu that leans on Middle Eastern inspiration for knafeh French toast and the Turkish salmon simmit. With Campos coffee and sunny outdoor seating, this is the perfect way to wake up.
10:00am: Explore Sydney Zoo
Meet the newest arrivals at Sydney Zoo, Western Sydney’s world-class animal haven. Feed the meerkats, spot the three new baboon babies or watch the African big cats, Asian elephants and Australian animals in their enclosures. Kids aged seven to 13 can join the Mini Zookeeper for a Day program.
1:30pm: Lunch at one of the venues at The Paper Mill Food precinct
This new dining hub offers four distinct eateries to choose from. Try Lebanese-style grilled chicken at Charcoal Joe’s; feast on locally sourced meat and market-fresh seafood cooked over the flames of a hand-crafted fireplace at Firepit; go for Neapolitan-style wood-fired pizza at Georgie’s; or order classic brunch dishes and luscious desserts at Shepherd’s Lane.
2:30pm: View the exhibitions at Casula Powerhouse Arts Centre
With seven galleries offering rotating exhibitions, a 326-seat theatre and three artist studios to explore, the Casula Powerhouse Arts Centre offers a range of interesting multi-disciplinary arts and culture events suitable for all ages. Located on the banks of the Georges River in a converted 1950s electrical plant, the arts centre also offers on-site eatery Bellbird Dining and Bar, with sustainable snacks and drinks on offer (40 per cent of their produce is picked from their own kitchen garden).
5:00pm: Relax in the rooftop pool
Take in the sweeping views and order a poolside cocktail as you laze in the 20-metre Chiltern Pool, located on the sky-high rooftop of the William Inglis hotel.
7:00pm: Try modern Balkan cuisine at Fabrika by Madera
Fabrika in Canley Heights offers Southeast European dishes served with modern flair. Most dishes are slow-cooked in the traditional Balkan earthenware oven, the sač, like slow-roasted lamb shoulder; chargrilled pork neck; and karadjordjeva, a deep-fried schnitzel and cheese roll stuffed with fries.
SUNDAY
9:00am: Have an authentic Chilean breakfast at La Paula
The oldest Chilean eatery in Sydney, La Paula has been serving South West Sydney for more than 30 years. Start the day with traditional beef empanadas and the addictive alfajores, shortbread biscuits stuffed with dulce de leche.
10:30am: Taste your way through Cabramatta with a Taste of Vietnam tour
Discover the rich history and diverse eating culture of Cabramatta with Taste Cultural Food Tours. The tour highlights the suburb's strong Vietnamese heritage and you'll get to taste it's most famous dishes, like banh mi, pho, Vietnamese coffee and more.
Climb, fly and jump through Western Sydney’s magnificent gum tree forests in this adventure park connected by more than 100 elevated obstacles, including self-guided rope courses, wobbling bridges, tunnels and cargo-nets and thrilling zip lines. The park is suitable for all ages over three and childrens’ courses are supervised by instructors.
5:00pm: Get tacos and tequila from El Topo Cantina
A Mexican fiesta awaits just a five-minute drive from the William Inglis hotel at El Topo Cantina, the South West sister venue to Bondi’s popular Mexican restaurant. With a playful menu of street food snacks, freshly made tacos and heartier chargrilled mains, plus cocktails and more than 40 different kinds of tequila, El Topo promises a fun night out.
