This Christmas, avoid the frenzy of last-minute Christmas shopping and give loved ones an unforgettable experience with tickets to one of the many blockbuster events taking place across Sydney and New South Wales.

As Australia's home of sports, arts, culture and food and wine events, Sydney and regional New South Wales will host a sensational schedule of events in 2016, providing a jam-packed list of stocking fillers to choose from this year.

Whether it's a world class opera performance, exclusive art exhibition or action-packed sporting carnival, tickets to New South Wales' stellar line-up of 2016 events are sure to make the fussiest friends and family happy this Christmas.

Blockbuster stocking fillers include:

For Mum:

• Treat her to world-class opera, sparkling wine, fine dining, sunsets and a real spectacle, all on the harbour's edge at Handa Opera on Sydney Harbour. The 2016 performance of Puccini's epic fantasy, Turandot, will run from 24 March – 24 April with tickets starting at $70. Buy a gift voucher for 2 tickets for the opera at the Sydney Opera House or on Sydney Harbour for $340 and save up to 50% on the best available tickets at opera.org.au/gift
• For fashion-lovers, the Powerhouse Museum's Collette Dinnigan: Unlaced showcases Dinnigan's signature lace and feminine designs with the exhibition running until 28 August 2016. See the exhibition, and get a glass of champagne and a strawberry tart at the café for $30 per person
• Take Mum to watch the stars of world tennis in action at the Apia International Sydney.Running from 10 – 16 January at Sydney Olympic Park, tickets start from $29 for adults.

For Dad:

• As part of the HSBC Sevens World Series, Sydney 7s is set to be a blockbuster 2016 event providing two adrenaline-filled days of rugby and carnival fun from 6 – 7 February. Tickets start from $30 and a number of domestic travel packages are currently available
• Take Dad to the spiritual home of Australian motor sport for the Liqui-Moly Bathurst 12 Hour. With tickets starting from $12.74 see Mount Panorama erupt with this international endurance race taking place over 12 gruelling hours from 5 – 7 February
• Foodies will savour the opportunity to hop on board the F.O.O.D Train, an exciting new event in the Orange F.O.O.D Week program from 15 – 17 April. Priced at $890, this all-inclusive event offers a whole weekend of paddock to plate experiences and the chance to feast at some of the finest dining venues in the Orange district.

For the whole family:

• Batman fans and Wonder Woman admirers will love The Art of the Brick: DC Comics, a contemporary art exhibition featuring large-scale LEGO® sculptures of super heroes and super-villains. Showing exclusively at the Powerhouse Museum from 21 November 2015 – 1 May 2016, tickets are priced at $26 Adult, $22 Concession, $16.60 Child and $64 Family. Free for children under 4 years
• Discover the story of Australia's leading explorers, from Douglas Mawson and Charles Kingsford Smith through to modern day adventurers Jessica Watson and Dick Smith, in the interactive exhibition at the Australian Museum, Trailblazers: Australia's 50 greatest explorers. On display from 28 November 2015 to 18 July 2016, tickets are priced at $23 Adult, $5 Child and $50 Family (2 adults and 2 kids).

For artistic souls:

• Treat a culture lover to a Sydney International Art Pass ($33) providing entry to two outstanding Sydney-exclusive art exhibitions as part of the Sydney International Art Series:  The Greats, Masterpieces from the National Galleries of Scotland on now until 14 February 2016 at the Art Gallery of NSW and Grayson Perry – My Pretty Little Art Career from December 10 until 1 May 2016 at the Museum of Contemporary Art (MCA). Add to the stocking a limited-edition fine china plate ($34.95) and cup ($29.95), or silk scarf ($350) designed by Grayson Perry especially for the MCA
• Sydney Festival's exclusive, influential German stage drama Woyzeck is one of many contemporary Sydney Festival performances that would make the perfect gift this Christmas. Tickets to all performances are available from only $49. Sydney festival runs from 7 – 26 January.

For lovers of music:

• A ticket to Australia's largest music festival, the Tamworth Country Music Festival, will have country music fans in their element this Christmas. With over 2,800 gigs to choose from and tickets starting from just $15, there is sure to be a little bit of everything for everyone from 15 – 24 January 2016
• Located in beautiful Byron Bay, Australia's famous blues and roots music festival, Bluesfest, showcases performances by the biggest names in blues, roots, folk, contemporary and soul music in a fun and relaxed five day festival. Taking place over the Easter long weekend from 24 – 28 March, tickets to this award-winning event are the perfect gift to share with a fellow music fan with many ticket options to suit everyone, including three-day passes for two people starting from $760.

Other great events for gift ideas include:

• Riverboats Music Festival (19 – 21 February)
• 2016 Australian X-Tri Championships & MultiSport Festival (27 – 28 February)
• Longines Golden Slipper Carnival (12, 16, 19 March)
• 12th Annual Sydney Comedy Festival (18 April – 15 May)
• Thredbo Jazz Festival (1 – 3 May)
• Narooma Oyster Festival (2 May)
• World Grand Masters Hockey World Cup 2016 (2 – 13 May)
• Sydney Writers Festival (16 – 22 May)