Berrima Travel Guide: Historic Village, Antiques & Southern Highlands Charm

Berrima is one of Australia’s best-preserved Georgian villages: a quiet, historic pocket of the Southern Highlands just 15 minutes from Bowral and 90 minutes from Sydney. The town works particularly well as a half-day or full-day trip for heritage sandstone buildings, antique shops, a legendary old pub and excellent cafes.

Staying overnight gives you a quiet village to explore after the daytrippers leave and makes dinner at Eschalot or a slower visit to nearby Bendooley Estate easier.

Next Escape is your guide to real places and real experiences, with practical, independent travel advice based on first-hand visits: the places we’ve explored, the restaurants we’ve eaten at and the walks we’ve done. This page may contain affiliate links; if you book or buy through them, Next Escape may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.

Yes – particularly if you’re already visiting the Southern Highlands. Berrima is small and can be explored in a half day, but it’s unlike anywhere else in NSW. The Georgian sandstone streetscape is like stepping back in time, the atmosphere is relaxed, and the combination of history, antiques and good food makes it a satisfying stop. It’s a great option paired with Bowral for a long weekend trip.

If you are choosing between Bowral and Berrima as your base for a weekend, see our Bowral or Berrima: Where Should You Stay? comparison guide.

• Heritage sandstone buildings dating from the 1830s
• Antique, boutique and homewares shopping
• Relaxed, unhurried village atmosphere
• Historic courthouse and gaol
• Easy to combine with Bowral, Mittagong or a Southern Highlands road trip
• Surveyor General Inn, one of Australia’s oldest continuously licensed hotels

Distance from Sydney	1 hour 30 minutes (driving), 131 km
Distance from Canberra	1 hour 45 minutes (driving), 163 km
Distance from Bowral	15 minutes (driving), 9 km
Best for	History lovers, couples, slow travel
Known for	Georgian architecture, Surveyor General Inn, Berrima Courthouse
Ideal stay	Half day to full day, or overnight
Best time to visit	Autumn and spring; quieter on weekdays
Useful links	Check Stayz for cottages, houses and studios, both in the town of Berrima and in the surrounding countryside. Harper’s Mansion on the National Trust site.

• Half day: Enough to walk the main street, visit the Courthouse, browse the shops and stop for lunch or coffee.
• Full day: Ideal if you want to explore at a slower pace, visit Harper’s Mansion and linger over a long lunch.
• Overnight: A lovely option if you want the village to yourself in the early morning and evening, or to enjoy dinner at Eschalot.
• Combined with Bowral: This is the most popular approach: base yourself in Bowral and spend a half day in Berrima as part of a longer Southern Highlands trip. For a broader itinerary around both towns and the surrounding region, see our Southern Highlands weekend guide.

Explore Harper’s Mansion and hedge maze

Harper’s Mansion is a beautifully preserved Georgian home built in the 1830s, managed by the National Trust. Set in garden grounds right on the main street, the furnished rooms give a real sense of how families lived here. The lovely, well-maintained grounds also include a hedge maze.

Important note: Harper’s Mansion is not open every day and the opening hours do change from time to time so it’s good to check the National Trust site before visiting.

Follow the Berrima Heritage Walk

Berrima is a small town and is easily walkable. If possible (from your accommodation in Berrima or the Information Centre in Mittagong), pick up an “Explore Berrima” leaflet which includes a map and short overview of some of the key spots in town. Two highlights are:

• Berrima Courthouse – one of the finest examples of Georgian colonial architecture in Australia. Completed in 1838, the Courthouse heard criminal and civil cases until 1900. It now operates as a museum open to visitors.
• Berrima Gaol – established in 1839 and closed in 2020. It is currently closed to general visitors while redevelopment plans are underway.

Local history: During WWI, Berrima Gaol held around 330 German prisoners of war, including officers from the SMS Emden, the warship that had terrorised Allied shipping across the Indian Ocean. Allowed to roam 3 km outside the walls each day, they spent their time building a jetty, boats and a bridge on the Wingecarribee River, and held regattas that the locals also attended. The remains of their projects can still be seen if you head to the park and signposted river walk at the end of Oxley Street.

Shop Berrima’s main street

Berrima’s main street is lined with antique shops, galleries and small boutiques, all housed in heritage sandstone buildings. It’s a great place to browse without any pressure, the village is small enough that you can cover everything on foot in an hour or two.

Planning tip: Weekdays are significantly quieter than weekends – if you prefer a relaxed browse without the crowds, a midweek visit is worth considering.

Visit Bendooley Estate and Berkelouw Book Barn

Located just a few minutes’ drive from Berrima, Bendooley Estate includes a restaurant, cafe, wine tasting, cottage accommodation and an absolutely massive bookshop, Berkelouw Book Barn. The cafe is an ideal spot for a long lunch on a sunny day with outdoor seating under trees and umbrellas.

Personal note: Even if you don’t have a booking for lunch, it’s worthwhile calling in for a browse through the bookstore and a glass of wine in the shady garden.

For a village of its size, Berrima has a surprisingly good food offering – from bakeries and cafes for a casual lunch to the Surveyor General Inn for a classic pub meal. There’s also more upscale dining available at Eschalot and PepperGreen Estate. Book ahead on weekends, especially in autumn when the Southern Highlands is at its busiest.

• Pub meal with history: The Surveyor General Inn
• Wine & dine experiences: PepperGreen Estate
• Fine dining: Eschalot

Surveyor General Inn

The Surveyor General Inn has been continuously licensed since 1834, making it one of the oldest hotels in Australia. The sandstone building is beautiful from the outside, and stepping inside feels like stepping back in time. It’s worth stopping in for a drink regardless of whether you’re staying for a meal – the heritage atmosphere alone is worth the visit.

If you do stay for lunch or dinner, the Inn offers a bistro menu featuring Australian pub classics (chicken parmigiana, steaks, fish & chips) as well as lighter options like salads and poke bowls. With generous servings and friendly staff, this is country hospitality at its best.

PepperGreen Estate

PepperGreen Estate has a cellar door in Berrima offering hosted wine tasting experiences, as well as breakfast and lunch menus. The restaurant has a range of wine and dine packages, including 2 and 3 course options. The restaurant does book out on weekends, so it’s worth booking in advance.

Eschalot

Offering Modern Australian fine dining focused on local, seasonal produce in an 1850s homestead, Eschalot is a good reason to stay overnight rather than visit as a day trip. Options include a chef’s “Feed Me” menu, incorporating the signature dishes and best produce available, and an à la carte menu with dishes designed to share.

Eschalot is open Thursday to Sunday, with lunch and dinner sittings varying by day.

Berrima is a small village, so accommodation options are limited compared to Bowral. Most visitors base themselves in Bowral (15 minutes away) and visit Berrima as a day trip. That said, staying in Berrima overnight has its appeal: the village is at its most atmospheric in the early morning and evening once day visitors have gone, and you can have dinner at Eschalot without needing to drive home afterwards.

As well as the options below, Stayz has a large range of cottages, houses and studios, both in the town of Berrima and in the surrounding countryside.

Oakwood Guesthouse

A stylish, well-appointed one-bedroom guesthouse right in the heart of Berrima village. It’s a quiet, peaceful retreat with a kitchenette, terrace, and designer touches throughout. The guesthouse is perfect for couples wanting a comfortable base to explore the Southern Highlands.

Personal note: We stayed here on our last visit and loved it. It’s a great location, beautifully set up, and exactly the kind of place that makes you want to slow down and stay an extra night.

Berrima Bakehouse Motel

This is the only motel accommodation available in the heart of Berrima. An affordable 3-star motel, the rooms are clean, spacious and quiet.

• Summer: warm days, good escape from Sydney’s heat, though the Southern Highlands can be busy over the Christmas and New Year period.
• Autumn: stunning foliage, crisp air, perfect for walking and photography. Peak season – expect more visitors on weekends.
• Spring: mild temperatures, gardens in bloom, lovely for exploring on foot.
• Winter: cold but quiet. Fewer visitors, cosy pub lunches, atmospheric misty mornings.

Berrima is a small village that is ideal for a day visit or overnight stay but doesn’t have the dining variety or accommodation depth for a multi-night stay. For that, Bowral is the better base. Berrima also isn’t an activity-heavy family destination. Its appeal is that it is quiet, unhurried, and heritage-focused.

Driving from Sydney – 1 hour 30 minutes (130 km).

Driving from Canberra – 1 hour 45 minutes (163 km).

From Bowral – 15 minutes by car. There is no regular public transport between Bowral and Berrima, so a car is essential if combining the two.

Train from Sydney – Train to Bowral station (approx. 2 hours from Central), then a 15-minute drive. A car is strongly recommended for exploring the wider Southern Highlands.

Berrima is best explored on foot as the village is compact and everything is within easy walking distance. Parking is available along the main street and near the Courthouse.

Most cafes and shops close by late afternoon, so plan your visit for the morning or early afternoon rather than arriving late in the day.

Next Escape is your guide to real places and real experiences, with practical, independent travel advice based on first-hand visits: the places we’ve explored, the restaurants we’ve eaten at and the walks we’ve done.

More about us →

Missed a spot? If there’s a destination, hotel, restaurant or sight we’ve missed (or you think we should revisit), just let us know.

NSW regions to explore

• Central Coast
• South Coast
• Country NSW
• North Coast
• Hunter Region
• Southern Highlands
• Shoalhaven

Get inspired for your next escape

• Beach Escapes
• Country Escapes
• Family-Friendly Holidays
• Romantic Getaways
• Food & Wine Getaways
• Group-Friendly Destinations
• Solo Traveller Destinations
• Weekend Escapes From Sydney
• Weekend Escapes From Canberra
• Road Trips