The Southern Highlands is a cluster of historic country towns on the Southern Tablelands, around 90 minutes south-west of Sydney via the Hume Highway, and around 2 hours from Canberra. It’s a region with cool-climate gardens, Georgian sandstone streetscapes, excellent dining, cool-climate wineries, and some beautiful natural scenery in Morton National Park.
The region covers five main towns – Bowral, Berrima, Mittagong, Moss Vale, and Bundanoon – all within about 30 minutes of each other, which makes a multi-town weekend entirely doable.
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Why visit the Southern Highlands?
- Excellent restaurants and cool-climate wineries
- Historic Georgian architecture in Berrima
- Fitzroy Falls and Morton National Park
- Autumn colour (March–May) that rivals the Blue Mountains
- Boutique and antique shopping across multiple towns
- Accessible from both Sydney (~90 min) and Canberra (~1.5-2 hours)
- Cooler climate – a proper escape in summer when Sydney is hot and humid
Southern Highlands at a glance
| Distance from Sydney | Around 90 minutes (120 km) |
| Distance from Canberra | Around 2 hours (170 km) |
| Main towns | Bowral, Berrima, Mittagong, Moss Vale, Bundanoon |
| Best for | Couples, foodies, nature walks, history lovers |
| Ideal stay | 2 nights minimum; 3 nights to do it properly |
| Best time to visit | Autumn for colour; Spring for tulips |
How long should you stay in the Southern Highlands?
Day trip: Possible from Sydney, but you’ll only scratch the surface of one or two towns. A full day in Bowral and Berrima is a worthwhile day trip if you have no flexibility for a longer stay.
Weekend (2 nights): The sweet spot for most visitors. Enough time for Bowral, a half day in Berrima, a winery visit, and Fitzroy Falls.
Long weekend (3 nights): Ideal for exploring a couple of towns, adding Bundanoon for the glow worms, getting out into Morton National Park, and slowing down over long lunches at the wineries.
A week or longer: Suits those who want a proper escape; a slow-paced base in Bowral with day trips and long lunches.
Which Southern Highlands towns should you visit?
Bowral is the main hub of the Southern Highlands — the largest town and the most practical base for a weekend. It has the best spread of restaurants, cafes, and accommodation in the region, along with Corbett Gardens (home to the Tulip Time festival each spring), boutique and antique shopping along Bong Bong Street, and the Bradman Museum for cricket fans. Cool-climate wineries are a short drive away. If you’re only visiting one town, make it Bowral.
Berrima is one of Australia’s best-preserved Georgian villages, just 15 minutes from Bowral. The sandstone streetscape looks much as it did in the 1830s, with antique shops, galleries, the historic Berrima Courthouse, the Surveyor General Inn, and Bendooley Estate (home to the Berkelouw Book Barn). It’s small enough to explore in a half day — most visitors combine it with a Bowral stay.
Mittagong is the gateway town – the first you’ll reach coming from Sydney. It’s less polished than Bowral but worth a stop for the Information Centre and Paste, an excellent Thai restaurant on Main Street, in particular.
Moss Vale is a quieter, more local town about 10 minutes from Bowral. It’s the closest town to Fitzroy Falls (about 15-20 minutes away), making it a good base if you’re focused on the national park. The historic Throsby Park homestead and Leighton Gardens are worth a look.
Bundanoon is the southernmost of the main Highlands towns, a small village on the edge of Morton National Park, about 30 minutes from Bowral. The main draws are Glow Worm Glen (a short evening walk to see bioluminescent glow worms in a fern gully), the Bundanoon Hotel, and access to Morton National Park’s walking tracks. It’s the quietest and most nature-focused of the five towns.
Best things to do in the Southern Highlands
Berrima Historic Village
Berrima is one of Australia’s best-preserved Georgian villages – a quiet, historic pocket of the Southern Highlands where the main street looks much as it did in the 1830s. The Berrima Courthouse, Berrima Gaol, Harper’s Mansion, and the Surveyor General Inn have all survived in largely original form. Walk the main street, browse the antique shops, stop for a coffee at one of the cafes or pub lunch at the Surveyor General Inn.
Harper’s Mansion (managed by the National Trust) is worth a look inside if it’s open, the hours do change so check the National Trust website before you visit.
Cool-climate wineries
The Southern Highlands has a small but well-regarded wine region producing cool-climate varieties, particularly pinot noir, chardonnay, and riesling. The wineries are spread across the Bowral and Berrima area and most are easy to combine into a half-day drive. If you don’t have a designated driver, you can arrange private tours to take you around a selection of wineries.
Three of our favourites in the area are:
Artemis: wine tastings and weekend lunch (wood-fired pizzas and cheese boards) in a gorgeous outdoor setting. Book ahead for lunch — it gets busy on weekends.
Centennial Vineyards: good selection of wines with tastings, grazing boards, wine tasting paddles and a family-friendly terrace. There’s also a restaurant for a more substantial lunch. Worth checking their events calendar — concerts and festivals can make parking difficult.
Bendooley Estate: just outside Berrima, combining wine tastings, a cafe, a restaurant, and the Berkelouw Book Barn (an enormous second-hand bookshop that’s worth the stop on its own). Great for a long, relaxed afternoon.
Antique and boutique shopping in Bowral
Along the main street of Bowral, Bong Bong Street, you’ll find antique stores, clothing boutiques, homewares shops and several excellent cafes and restaurants. While there are chain stores that you’d find in most large Australian towns and cities, there are also plenty of independent stores stocking local products. It’s also worth exploring the side streets off Bong Bong Street, where you’ll find some excellent stores like Dirty Janes and Ferris Wheel.
There are plenty of great places to take a break on your walk – Dolly’s Donuts or Gumnut Patisserie for something sweet, and Sonoma Bakery or The Press Shop for coffee. If you walk further down Bong Bong Street, Italo is a great spot for a casual lunch, coffee or afternoon pastry.
You can also combine this with a walk through Corbett Gardens – a small, well maintained garden in the town centre. This garden is quiet throughout the year but then transformed during the Tulip Time festival in September/October when 75,000 tulips are in bloom.
Fitzroy Falls, Morton National Park
Fitzroy Falls is an 81-metre waterfall in Morton National Park, about 20 minutes from Moss Vale. The lookout walk is easy and suitable for all fitness levels, and the views from the cliff edge are beautiful. The visitor centre covers local Aboriginal culture and wildlife.
Entry is $4 per vehicle per day. Allow around 1-2 hours for the main lookouts, longer if you want to tackle the West Rim walking track (3.5 km harder walk), which offers additional waterfall views or the East Rim and Wildflower walking tracks (6.7 km return).
Bowral Cherry Tree Walk
This 5km paved route begins at the Vietnam Veterans War Memorial in Rivulet Park and winds alongside Mittagong Creek and through Bowral’s suburbs. It’s flat, pram-friendly, and dog-friendly (on leash), with ample parking at the start near Bowral Swimming Centre.
As the name suggests, this walk is fantastic in spring when the cherry trees blossom (typically late September to October), but it’s also lovely in autumn as the leaves change colour. It’s a great option if you want a longer walk without heading out of town for a bush track.
Important note: The walk is flat, paved and great for kids, however there are several places where you need to cross a road and there are no pedestrian crossings. These are quiet streets, however it’s worth being aware of if you have kids on their bikes or scooters who may zoom ahead.
Mount Gibraltar Reserve, Mittagong
The “Gib” is a distinctive rocky outcrop visible from around the Southern Highlands. The reserve has walking tracks through bushland with views over the tablelands, good for an hour’s walk if you’re based in Mittagong or passing through. The main lookout has sweeping views towards Bowral and the surrounding hills.
Where to eat in the Southern Highlands
The Southern Highlands has an excellent restaurant scene concentrated mainly in Bowral and Berrima. Both towns have published destination guides on Next Escape — see the Bowral guide for the full list of restaurants and cafes, and the Berrima guide for Berrima’s best spots. Below is a summary of the highlights.
In and around Bowral:
- Lucette: gorgeous French bistro, open for breakfast and lunch daily and dinners Thursday to Sunday nights. Book ahead.
- Franquette Creperie: paper thin crepes with a fantastic topping selection and excellent coffee, open all day every day.
- Bistro Sociale: located within the Berida Hotel for upscale European dining and seasonal menus.
- Italo: located at the Mittagong end of Bong Bong Street, casual Italian-inspired lunch or breakfast spot with great pastries.
- Harry’s On Green Lane: indoor seating among the bookshelves, or outdoor dining in the plants, Harry’s excellent food matches the setting, with dishes like risottos, market fish, and slow-cooked lamb.
- Centennial Vineyards: wine tastings, grazing boards in a large, family-friendly setting with a sunny terrace. On-site restaurant for a more formal meal.
- Artemis: outdoor lunch (wood-fired pizza and cheese boards) at a beautiful hillside winery. Book ahead.
- Paste: in nearby Mittagong for brilliant Thai food and excellent cocktails.
Personal note: Lucette was a particular highlight on a recent visit. The atmosphere is relaxed, service is excellent and the wine list is extensive. Our meal was delicious, especially the duck parfait, perfectly cooked steak and crispy steak frites.
In and around Berrima:
- Eschalot: one of the region’s best fine dining restaurants, set on the main street of Berrima. Book ahead.
- Bendooley Estate Cafe: relaxed outdoor lunches under trees and umbrellas on the estate grounds. Good for a long afternoon with a glass of wine and a browse of the Berkelouw bookshop.
- Surveyor General Inn: one of Australia’s oldest continuously licensed hotels, serving generous pub meals in a historic setting.
Where to stay in the Southern Highlands
Most accommodation is concentrated in and around Bowral, with a smaller selection in Berrima and Bundanoon. Check the full destination guides on Next Escape for a full list, additional details and photos (Bowral guide and Berrima guide). Below is a summary of the highlights.
- Berida Hotel: a gorgeous boutique hotel located just on the outskirts of Bowral.
- Peppers Craigieburn: a beautiful, rambling “country manor” style hotel just a few kilometres outside of Bowral.
- Imperial Hotel & Motel: 4-star motel at one end of Bong Bong Street, in walking distance of restaurants, cafes and shopping.
- Bendooley Estate Cottages: self-contained accommodation on the Bendooley Estate near Berrima. A good option if you want a quieter, more rural stay with the restaurant and bookshop on your doorstep.
- Oakwood Guesthouse: A stylish, well-appointed one-bedroom guesthouse right in the heart of Berrima village.
Personal note: Peppers is a great choice for concerts and festivals at the nearby Centennial Vineyards – be sure to book in advance as it’s always booked out when there is an event on nearby!
2-day Southern Highlands itinerary
Day 1 — Bowral
- Morning: Drive from Sydney, arrive mid-morning. Coffee and crepe (if you skipped breakfast before setting out!) at Franquette Creperie.
- Late morning: Walk Bong Bong Street, including antique shops, Dirty Janes, and a wander through Corbett Gardens.
- Lunch: Italo or Harry’s on Green Lane.
- Afternoon: Head out to a winery – Centennial Vineyards or Artemis.
- Evening: Dinner in Bowral at Lucette.
Day 2 — Berrima and Fitzroy Falls
- Morning: Drive to Berrima (15 min). Walk the main street – Berrima Courthouse, antique shops, Harper’s Mansion (if open). Coffee at Berrima Bakehouse.
- Lunch: Bendooley Estate cafe.
- Afternoon: Drive to Fitzroy Falls (around 30 minutes from Berrima). Walk to the main lookout plus the East or West Rim track. $4/vehicle entry.
- Late afternoon and evening: Return to Bowral. Dinner at Bistro Sociale.
Extending your trip
If you have additional days available, we suggest:
- Do the Cherry Tree Walk in Bowral or walk the Mount Gibraltar Reserve.
- Drive to Bundanoon for a walk around the town, visit the pub and check out the glow worms after dark at Glow Worm Glen.
- Check out the Bradman Museum in Bowral (for cricket lovers).
Best time to visit the Southern Highlands
Autumn is the most popular time to visit, and for good reason. The European trees across the Highlands turn amber, gold, and red from late March through May. April is typically the peak for colour. It’s stunning, but busy on weekends. Book accommodation well ahead and consider a midweek visit if you can.
Spring is Tulip Time season in Bowral, when Corbett Gardens fills with over 75,000 tulips. The gardens are beautiful and the atmosphere is festive, but the crowds and accommodation prices are both at their peak. If you’re specifically visiting for the festival, plan ahead (several months ahead for accommodation during peak tulip weekends).
Winter is underrated for the Southern Highlands. The cool climate (and occasional frost) means you get proper winter weather, open fires, and the full country escape atmosphere without the crowds. Restaurants are still excellent, wineries still open, and prices are generally lower. Pack warm layers.
Summer is actually a good time to visit if you’re escaping Sydney heat – the Highlands sits at higher elevation and is noticeably cooler.
Local travel tips for the Southern Highlands
- Visit multiple towns in one trip: The compact distances make it easy to experience multiple towns in one weekend.
- Book accommodation and key restaurants well ahead, especially during busy times (like the Tulip Time Festival) and weekends.
- Take layers: even in summer it can get cold at night.
