8 unforgettable ways to propose in NSW

Get down on one knee on stage 

If you’ve ever wanted to be on the receiving end of a standing ovation, this might be the performance that does the trick. Opera Australia’s A Not So Modest Proposal helps brave proposers bring their question to life on stage at the Sydney Opera House. As the performance draws to a halftime pause, you’re invited on stage to pose the question under lights, in front of a crowd ready to erupt. It’s the ultimate grand gesture and will hold up to an eternity of retelling. 
 

Where to celebrate: If you’re confident the answer will be in the affirmative, make a reservation at Aster, the InterContinental’s exclusive new rooftop bar. 

A Not So Modest Proposal, Sydney Opera House - Credit: Opera Australia

Pop the question while floating mid-air 

Popping the question in a hot air balloon as you drift dreamily through a sunrise sky is one sure-fire way to secure your betrothed. Balloon Aloft facilitates proposals above some of NSW’s most romantic countryside, from Mudgee and Byron Bay to the Hunter Valley and Camden Valley. Any exclusive or VIP flight can include a complimentary ‘marry me’ banner and bottle of sparkling.  

Where to celebrate: For Byron proposals, keep the joy aloft with lunch at Frida’s Field. Or head to the Logan Wines cellar door in Mudgee to sip and snuggle. 

Hunter Valley Hot Air Ballooning, Hunter Valley

Propose with the motor running 

Begin the first day of your next chapter by taking your dream partner for a drive in your dream car, through a dreamy NSW landscape. Prancing Horse’s luxury driving experiences start with choosing a destination: The Tweed, Kiama or the Southern Highlands. Then you select from the Prancing stable: Ferrari, Lamborghini, Porsche, McLaren? Then, you’ll take that fine piece of engineering and your soulmate on a winding drive through a sunset-painted landscape. Lean into hairpin turns under canopied hinterland roads and open into fifth along stretches of coast before finding that perfect moment to take the knee.  

Where to celebrate: In the Tweed, raise a glass at Bistro Livi in Murwillumbah, or in the Southern Highlands, head to Bendooley Estate for a cosy fireside celebration. 

Prancing Horse Drive Experiences, Kiama - Credit: Erik Rosenberg 

Feel the love at the highest peak 

You’re about to experience a high point in life, so it seems apt to make a grand proposal at altitude. It’s a four-to-six-hour round trip to the summit of Mount Kosciuszko, Australia’s highest peak, but you’ll only need to keep the Champagne hidden and cold for half that time. You could book a sunset, full moon or meteor shower guided hike, however, in these moments, three really is a crowd, so it’s best to go solo to enjoy the wildflowers, mountain vistas and romance with just you and the person you’ve chosen to spend eternity with.  

Where to celebrate: You’ll outdo yourself with a cosy stay at The Eastern’s stylish ‘Oak’ or ‘Cedar’ cabins, where your second bottle of Champagne can be chilled and waiting. 

Kosciuszko National Park, Kosciuszko - Credit: Tourism Snowy Mountains

Say it at high speed 

Rev up your relationship by throwing your loved one on the back of a 1700cc V Twin cruiser. If you can guarantee they’ll know what that is, you can be confident you’ve already won their vote for a lifetime with you. Launch your campaign with the help of Byron Bay Motorcycle Tours, either on a chauffeured scenic ride, self-ride tour or by hiring a bike and doing it your way. You can cruise the hinterland, wind-in-hair, catching glimpses of the stunning bay from lofty St Helena, before returning to the Cape Byron Lighthouse at Australia’s most easterly point for the grand finale. Call to arrange a tailored ride to suit your proposal. 

Where to celebrate: Pre-empt a yes vote and book dinner at the impeccable Rae’s on Wategos, which you can even walk to from the lighthouse. 

Byron Bay Motorcycle Tours, Byron Bay - Credit: Byron Bay Motorcycle Tours

Create a memorable moment atop an outback camel 

There truly is something magnificent about a proposal for eternal partnership set against a remote desert sunset. The outback town of Silverton has a long history of cameleers and while these days camel trains carry travellers rather than supplies, these nonchalant creatures remain a Broken Hill fixture. If you both love a little bit of quirkiness, the iridescent red soil of Australia’s desert, and each other, proposing on a sunset camel tour with Silverton Outback Camels will be very you. Afterwards, camp on site, stay at the cottage or head back to town.  

Where to celebrate: Here you are, engaged in the outback. So, it’s fitting your celebratory drink stays on-theme and takes place at The Original Silverton Hotel. 

Silverton Outback Camels, Silverton 

Show them a ring beneath a starry sky 

What could be more romantic than the two of you gazing upwards at the celestial bodies of the cosmos? At Australia’s first Dark Sky Park in the Warrumbungle National Park pitch your tent and your offer of everlasting love beneath the diamond-studded Milky Way. Dark Sky Parks provide a night sky uninterrupted by artificial light and city distractions, but your earnest proposal will still snatch the attention away from the stars.  

Where to celebrate: Given you will be camping; you might need to pack your favourite pre-mixed cocktail to share under the stars. But if you’re returning to the city the next day, be sure to stop at Mudgee’s Pipeclay Pumphouse for a celebratory meal.

The night sky filled with bright stars over the Dark Sky Park, Warrumbungle National Park 

Surprise them after a day’s ride 

If your intended is onto you, employ some diversion tactics by taking them on a full-day’s ride in the breathtaking Snowy Valleys. After cycling the entire 21-kilometre sealed track of the Tumbarumba to Rosewood Rail Trail, they won’t suspect a thing and your sleight of hand won’t be revealed until you produce that little box. You needn’t ride the full length and where you stop to drop your knee is entirely up to you, but the rolling green hills and restorative valley air makes for a moment that will be etched in both your memories ever after.  

Where to celebrate: Let them change out of their riding lycra and freshen up before taking the celebration onwards to Courabyra Wines.   

Tumbarumba to Rosewood Rail Trail, Tumbarumba