Village Hopping in the Southern Highlands

Tucked within a tumble of hills a couple of hours south of Sydney, the villages of Bowral, Berrima and Moss Vale can be linked together to create a scenic detour off the Hume Highway. Swing through for a long lunch and a sticky-beak, or camp overnight to explore the sights. You’ll quickly see why the towns of the NSW Southern Highlands are adored by locals and visitors alike.

Bowral: gardens, galleries and gourmet goodies

Hopping off the Hume Highway at Mittagong brings you to beautiful Bowral, where you’ll discover an elegant mix of old and new. Nearly 200 years of colonial history is illustrated through stately homes, boutique shop fronts, and Australia’s oldest cinema (which celebrated its centenary in 2015), as well as an array of immaculate public and private gardens. At the heart of town, Corbett Gardens is a must-visit any time of year, but is particularly striking when century-old European trees paint the grounds in autumn colours, or in spring when thousands of tulips and bulbs come into bloom.

Lovers of art and antiques can easily spend an afternoon browsing Bowral’s cottage art gallery and sculpture garden, or poking around the vintage wares at Dirty Jane’s Emporium. The gallery of local illustrator Alan Walsh is a highlight, whose distinctive style has been used by brands such as Coca-Cola and Mercedes Benz. Another name famous to Bowral is legendary batsman Sir Donald Bradman. Spend an hour or two in the Bradman Museum and International Cricket Hall of Fame, then let the kids burn off some energy in the nearby cricket-themed park complete with barbecue and picnic facilities.

If you’re after a gourmet experience, Bowral has no shortage of cafes, pubs, tea rooms and delis, serving modern Australian and international cuisines. Cool climate wines are a Southern Highlands specialty, and Centennial Vineyards is a bit of a Bowral institution, with a French Provincial cellar door open for tastings daily, and over 80 acres of vines decorating the hills. Speaking of scenery, for the best views over the town, head up to Bowral Lookout, Mittagong Lookout and Jellore Lookout to be utterly wowed at golden hour.

Berrima: stroll down memory lane

If Bowral is where modern and colonial times effortlessly converge, Berrima is where time stands still. This is considered mainland Australia’s best example of a preserved Georgian village, and to stop here for lunch or an overnight stay is to be whisked back to the mid-1800s. Development in Berrima was frozen for the best part of 100 years when the railway bypassed the town in 1867, however the Old Hume Highway saw heavy truck and vehicle traffic come through from the 1950s onwards. In 1989, residents were thrilled when the new freeway bypassed the town, once again restoring the quiet, old-timey charm that makes Berrima such a unique destination.

There’s at least 30 historic points of interest and original sandstone buildings to explore, housing an array of cafes, restaurants, galleries, museums, pubs, accommodation and speciality shops. The Surveyor General is Australia’s oldest continually licensed inn with the Bush Ranger’s Bistro serving popular pub fare, or for an upscale meal, book a table at chef-hatted Eschalot. Harper’s Mansion is a grand National Trust double-storey house set on two acres of gardens, and is open for tours on weekends and public holidays. You can also guide yourself through the Berrima Court House and learn about the notorious characters that were trialled there and hung at the Berrima Gaol. If you’re feeling brave, why not go on a ghost tour by night?

Nature and history coexist in Berrima, and the picturesque Wingecarribee River that winds through town is one of the best places in New South Wales for platypus spotting. The River Walk departs from the camping and picnic area, and as well as providing easy access to platypus habitat, the walk features interpretive signage which highlights the history of merchant German seamen who were interned in Berrima during WW1.

Moss Vale: from paddock to picnic table

The Southern Highlands is a renowned food bowl, and in Moss Vale there’s a variety of ways to experience the region’s farm-fresh offerings. Set on an old dairy farm, Mount Ashby Estate is a total charmer, capturing the early Australian country atmosphere with a French provincial twist. The winery’s La Palette Cafe boasts a three course paddock-to-plate menu while a charcuterie plate can be enjoyed at the cellar door. If experiencing a working cattle farm tickles your fancy, the Pines Pastoral offers walking tours (by appointment) of their environmentally-friendly 700 acre property, where travellers can wander through lush green pastures to see Black Angus Cows and their calves, which are raised all year round.

For a low-key picnic surrounded by nature, turn your camper into a hamper with goods from the Railway Street Farmers Market, Exeter General Store, Maughers Meats and Highlands Handmade, then it’s a quick jaunt to Cecil Hoskins Nature Reserve. A declared wildlife sanctuary, the picturesque wetlands are bustling with 90 species of birds as well as platypuses and kangaroos, while summer evenings are the best time to hear a percussion of frogs join the symphony. Enjoy the short, easy walks around the reserve, then it’s back to town to wash it all down with a tasting paddle at the Southern Highlands Brewing Co. Taphouse.

Fifteen minutes south of Moss Vale brings you to the majestic Morton National Park, a wonderland of spectacular waterfalls and remnant rainforest that is well worth the extra detour. Fitzroy Falls is your best bet for a quick and easy (and stunning!) side trip before heading back to continue your southbound journey on the Hume Highway, however you can easily spend a whole day here exploring the walking trails, waterfalls and lookouts over Kangaroo Valley.

Get out there

The Southern Highlands is a year-round destination, boasting four distinct seasons and a tonne of things to see and do no matter when you visit. You can bush camp at Berrima Reserve beside the beautiful Wingecarribee River (bookings essential) or for powered sites and cabins consider Mittagong Caravan Park or Moss Vale Caravan Park⁠. Don’t forget to hop on the CamperMate app to see what’s around, from campgrounds and RV facilities, to traveller-reviewed attractions. There’s also an array of unique B&Bs and boutique accommodation if you’re looking to break up your trip with something a little bit special.