Sydney’s gobsmackingly gorgeous harbour needs no introduction. While the harbour hums with activity, its eight idyllic isles are surprisingly quiet. Mid-week, you may even have their million-dollar views all to yourself.

That’s not the case come New Year’s Eve, though. Five islands – Fort Denison, Shark and Clark to the east of the Harbour Bridge, and Cockatoo and Goat to the west – are open to the public. They provide front-row seats (at a hefty price) for one of the world’s most spectacular fireworks displays. Here’s how you can enjoy Sydney’s historic harbour islands all year-round.

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Published in lonelyplanet.com. Copyright Lonely Planet. Photo: Glen Pearson/ Lonely Planet.

It's not just flat-pack furniture and television dramas that the Scandinavians do so well – their diet is also a winner.

Gastronomy and healthy eating don't usually figure in the same sentence. Yet both foodies and health experts are singing the praises of the New Nordic Diet, which is based on seasonal berries, cold-climate vegetables, wild meat and fat-rich fish. "Like the Mediterranean diet, the Nordic diet is rich in omega-3 fats and mono-unsaturated fats, low in saturated fats and high in fibre and lean proteins," says Sydney-based dietitian Geraldine Georgeou.

Nordic food first came to international attention thanks to ground-breaking Copenhagen restaurant Noma, whose co-founders, René Redzepi and Claus Meyer, eschewed fine-dining staples like foie gras in favour of fresh and foraged local ingredients. Now, Meyer has collaborated with University of Copenhagen professor Arne Astrup on OPUS, a five-year research project on the New Nordic Diet to investigate whether it has the potential to prevent weight-related diseases, and to develop food, health and lifestyle strategies for reducing obesity.

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Published in Sunday Life. Copyright SMH.