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Southern Highlands
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Explore Australia’s Southern Highlands for cool-climate gardens, historic Berrima, regional food, country towns and escarpment walks near Sydney.

The Southern Highlands is a cool-climate upland region of New South Wales, lying between Sydney and Canberra and rising above the coastal plain. Its landscape combines rolling pasture, eucalyptus forest, sandstone escarpments, waterfalls and carefully tended gardens. The region is centred on the towns of Bowral, Mittagong and Moss Vale, with the historic village of Berrima to the north and smaller rural settlements extending across the surrounding Wingecarribee Shire. Elevation brings crisp winters, occasional frost and a markedly different atmosphere from Sydney, making the highlands a popular destination for gardens, food, walking and weekend escapes.
Read more about Southern Highlands
Bowral is the region's best-known town and a useful base for exploring the area. Its broad streets, independent shops, cafés and mature trees reflect a long-established pastoral community, while the Bradman Museum and International Cricket Hall of Fame recalls the childhood of celebrated Australian cricketer Sir Donald Bradman. Nearby Mittagong has a more industrial and quarrying history, with Mount Gibraltar and the Gibbergunyah Range providing elevated walks and views. Moss Vale is a practical centre for the southern part of the highlands, surrounded by farmland, gardens, cellar doors and country accommodation.
Berrima offers a concentrated view of colonial-era architecture, with sandstone buildings and a village street shaped by nineteenth-century transport routes. Elsewhere, the region's heritage appears in churches, homesteads, railway buildings, former mills and pastoral landscapes. Garden culture is particularly strong: spring brings colour to Bowral's Corbett Gardens and private or semi-public gardens across the district, while autumn foliage is a notable feature of several towns and rural estates. The local climate also supports cool-climate produce, orchards, vineyards and a growing craft-beverage scene.
The eastern edge of the highlands is defined by the dramatic escarpment of the Illawarra, where Fitzroy Falls and Belmore Falls plunge towards the coast through protected bushland. Morton National Park provides walking opportunities and lookouts, although conditions can change quickly on exposed tracks and access arrangements vary by site. The western and central districts feel more pastoral, with farm gates, antiques, markets and country roads linking small communities. A car allows visitors to combine these contrasting landscapes, while the railway corridor offers a slower route through the principal towns.
The Southern Highlands suits travellers who prefer a varied regional itinerary rather than a single urban attraction. A day might move from a historic village to a garden, cellar door or long lunch, then continue to an escarpment lookout or forest walk. Seasonal events, garden visits and local produce give the region changing points of interest throughout the year, but its enduring character lies in the balance between accessible country towns, working rural landscapes and the forested edge of the plateau.

When is the best time to visit Southern Highlands?

Best: December–February · 24–25°C
Average daytime high and rainfall by month
MonthHigh (°C)Rainfall (mm)
January (best)2591
February (best)2586
March2381
April1976
May1571
June1366
July1261
August1466
September1771
October2076
November2281
December (best)2486

Getting to and around Southern Highlands

How to get there

The Southern Highlands is reached most directly by road via the Hume Highway from Sydney or Canberra, with exits serving Mittagong, Bowral and Moss Vale. NSW TrainLink services on the Southern Highlands Line provide rail access from Sydney through the principal towns, although journey times and service patterns should be checked before travel. Sydney Airport is the main international gateway and lies outside the region; Canberra Airport, also outside the region, can be useful for some domestic itineraries. Berrima, the waterfalls and many rural properties are not directly served by long-distance rail, so a car, taxi or organised tour is often needed for those visits.

Transportation

The railway connects the main settlement corridor, but services are less frequent than in metropolitan Sydney and do not reach every attraction. Local bus coverage is limited, particularly in rural districts, while taxis and private-hire vehicles may need to be arranged in advance outside town centres. Driving is the most flexible option for combining Berrima, gardens, cellar doors, farm shops and Morton National Park. Roads can be narrow or winding near the escarpment, and wildlife may be active at dawn and dusk. Cycling is possible on selected quiet roads, but hills, traffic and limited shoulders require careful route planning.

Best attractions in Southern Highlands

The Southern Highlands offers a varied collection of attractions spread across a compact but distinctly rural region. Bowral combines the Bradman Museum and International Cricket Hall of Fame with Corbett Gardens, independent galleries, cafés and seasonal garden interest. Berrima provides a walkable heritage experience through its sandstone buildings, courthouse precinct and historic village streets. Around Mittagong and Moss Vale, visitors can find gardens, country estates, cellar doors, farm shops and small museums reflecting pastoral and industrial histories. The eastern escarpment is the region's major natural draw: Fitzroy Falls, Belmore Falls, Mount Gibraltar and parts of Morton National Park offer lookouts, walking tracks and forest scenery. Access and conditions vary, so national-park notices should be checked before setting out. Families may prefer short walks, gardens and town attractions, while outdoors-focused visitors can plan longer bushwalks and cycling routes. The appeal lies in the contrast between cultivated landscapes and wild escarpment country, with enough heritage, food and nature to build an itinerary across several towns rather than relying on one central attraction.

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Best landmarks in Southern Highlands

Berrima's sandstone courthouse, gaol and historic village buildings form the Southern Highlands' clearest architectural landmark group, preserving the character of an important colonial road settlement. In Bowral, the Bradman Museum and International Cricket Hall of Fame is both a sporting landmark and a visible expression of the town's connection with Sir Donald Bradman. Corbett Gardens is another recognisable Bowral place, associated with the town's long-running garden culture and seasonal displays. Mount Gibraltar, between Mittagong and Bowral, is a prominent elevated feature with lookouts over the highlands and remnants of quarrying history. To the east, Fitzroy Falls and Belmore Falls mark the escarpment edge, where streams cut through sandstone country before descending towards the Illawarra. Retford Park near Bowral represents the architecture and landscaped grounds of a major pastoral estate, while railway buildings and civic structures in the principal towns recall the transport-led development of the nineteenth century. Together these places express the region's main visual themes: sandstone, gardens, pastoral wealth, railways and forested escarpments.

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Explore Southern Highlands on the map

Plan your trip on one map. See where the top cities, national parks and sights are, and book hotels and experiences in a few clicks.

Best restaurants in Southern Highlands

Dining in the Southern Highlands reflects its cool climate, agricultural surroundings and weekend visitor economy. Bowral, Mittagong and Moss Vale have the broadest selection of cafés, bakeries, pubs and contemporary restaurants, while Berrima is known for historic settings and country-style dining. Menus often draw on regional vegetables, orchard fruit, lamb, beef, trout and locally produced cheeses, although the exact local sourcing varies between establishments. Farm shops, cellar doors and seasonal markets provide opportunities to buy preserves, baked goods, wine and other produce for a picnic or self-catering meal. Historic inns and rural estates commonly offer long lunches and relaxed dining, while town cafés cater for breakfast and afternoon tea. Australian coffee culture is well established, and booking is sensible for popular weekend restaurants, particularly during garden events and autumn travel. The region's food identity is best understood as a combination of Southern Tablelands produce, cool-climate agriculture and polished country hospitality rather than a single signature dish.

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Best bars in Southern Highlands

Evening life in the Southern Highlands is centred on pubs, wine bars, restaurants and historic inns rather than a large nightclub scene. Bowral has the widest choice of places for a drink after dinner, with Moss Vale and Mittagong offering additional pubs, cafés and small venues. Berrima's heritage buildings provide a distinctive setting for an early evening meal or drink, while cellar doors and breweries in the wider region contribute to a growing interest in local wine and craft beverages. Live music and community events appear periodically, but schedules are seasonal and should be checked locally. Rural accommodation often means that evenings are quiet once restaurants close, making the region more suited to conversation, dining and stargazing than late-night clubbing. Visitors should arrange transport before sampling regional drinks, as distances between towns and limited late-night public transport make driving after drinking inappropriate.

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Best nightclubs in Southern Highlands

Evening life in the Southern Highlands is centred on pubs, wine bars, restaurants and historic inns rather than a large nightclub scene. Bowral has the widest choice of places for a drink after dinner, with Moss Vale and Mittagong offering additional pubs, cafés and small venues. Berrima's heritage buildings provide a distinctive setting for an early evening meal or drink, while cellar doors and breweries in the wider region contribute to a growing interest in local wine and craft beverages. Live music and community events appear periodically, but schedules are seasonal and should be checked locally. Rural accommodation often means that evenings are quiet once restaurants close, making the region more suited to conversation, dining and stargazing than late-night clubbing. Visitors should arrange transport before sampling regional drinks, as distances between towns and limited late-night public transport make driving after drinking inappropriate.

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Best shops in Southern Highlands

Shopping in the Southern Highlands is spread through the main town centres rather than concentrated in a single regional mall. Bowral has the largest selection of independent clothing, homeware, book, gift and design shops, alongside cafés and galleries suited to a leisurely town visit. Mittagong and Moss Vale offer a more local mix of practical shops, antiques, interiors, vintage goods and small specialist businesses. Berrima focuses on heritage-village shopping, with galleries, craft outlets, food products and locally themed gifts in historic surroundings. Farmers' markets and farm-gate sellers are useful for regional fruit, vegetables, preserves, baked goods, wine and other produce, although locations and dates vary. Garden-related goods, ceramics, textiles, artwork and books make more distinctive souvenirs than generic Australian merchandise. Retail hours can be shorter outside the main towns and may vary at weekends, so visitors seeking a particular independent shop or market should check current arrangements before making a dedicated trip.

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Southern Highlands essentials

Currency and Payment
The currency is the Australian dollar (AUD), as throughout Australia. Cards and contactless payments are widely accepted in Bowral, Mittagong, Moss Vale and established visitor businesses, although a small amount of cash remains useful for some market stalls, rural sellers or places affected by weak mobile coverage. Bank branches and ATMs are concentrated in the larger towns, so plan ahead before travelling into rural areas. Payment practices, tipping expectations and prices are governed by Australian national conventions rather than a separate Southern Highlands system.
Safety
The region is generally suited to independent travel, but normal precautions apply in town centres, car parks and accommodation. Bushwalkers should check track conditions, carry water and stay behind barriers near cliffs and waterfalls, where wet rock and sudden weather changes create genuine hazards. Drive carefully on rural roads, especially at night when kangaroos and other wildlife may cross. Mobile reception can be inconsistent in forested or remote areas. During periods of fire danger, follow NSW restrictions and local warnings, and never assume that a scenic bush route remains open.
Emergency Situations
For ambulance, fire or police emergencies anywhere in the Southern Highlands, dial 000 in Australia. The operator can connect callers with the appropriate service and may ask for a precise location, which is particularly important on bush tracks or near escarpments. For non-urgent police matters, contact the NSW Police Assistance Line on 131 444. Check current national park notices and local emergency information before remote walks; mobile coverage may be unreliable, so tell someone your route and expected return when travelling beyond settled areas.
Do's and Don'ts
Do respect private property, farm gates, wildlife and marked walking routes, and leave rural and national-park environments as you found them. Do observe signs at lookouts, waterfalls and heritage buildings, and ask before photographing people or private gardens. Do not enter paddocks or historic structures that are closed to visitors, and do not collect plants, rocks or Aboriginal cultural material. Australian dining and pub etiquette is generally relaxed, with tipping optional rather than compulsory; service charges may nevertheless apply where clearly stated. Keep noise low in small communities, especially near country accommodation.
Local Tips
The main towns have different characters: Bowral is strongest for gardens, cricket heritage and town-centre dining, Mittagong for access to northern landscapes and industrial history, and Moss Vale for the southern highlands and surrounding rural properties. Berrima is best explored on foot, while escarpment walks deserve a separate block of time rather than a hurried stop between towns. Autumn and spring are popular, so accommodation and dining can fill quickly. Regional produce, antiques and garden visits are often easier to enjoy on weekdays, when parking and visitor services are less pressured.
Eve, your Evendo local guide

From Eve

Local phrases worth knowing

You don't need to get them perfect. A few words go a long way, and locals appreciate the effort.

6 phrase groups · English, local and pronunciation

Basics
EnglishLocalSay it
HelloG'day[guh-day]
GoodbyeSee ya[see yah]
YesYeah[yeh]
NoNah[nah]
Please/You're welcomeNo worries[no wurr-ies]
Thank youThanks mate[thanks mate]
Excuse me/SorrySorry mate[sorry mate]
How are you?How ya goin'?[how ya goin'?]
Fine. And you?Good, and you?[good, an' you?]
Do you speak English?You speakin' English?[you speakin' English?]
I don't understandI don’t get it[I don’t get it]
Eating & Drinking
EnglishLocalSay it
I'd like to see the menu, pleaseCan I see the menu, please?[can I see the menu, please?]
I don't eat meatI’m a vegetarian[I'm a vege-tarian]
Cheers!Cheers![cheers!]
I would like to pay, pleaseCan I get the bill, please?[can I get the bill, please?]
Emergencies
EnglishLocalSay it
Help!Help![help!]
Go away!Piss off![piss off!]
Call the Police!Call the cops![call the cops!]
Call a doctor!Get a doctor![get a doctor!]
I'm lostI’m lost[I'm lost]
I'm illI’m sick[I'm sick]
Shopping
EnglishLocalSay it
I'd like to buy...I wanna buy...[I wanna buy...]
I'm just lookingJust browsing, thanks[just browsing, thanks]
How much is it?How much?[how much?]
That's too expensiveThat’s a bit steep[that’s a bit steep]
Can you lower the price?Can ya do a better price?[can ya do a better price?]
Time & Numbers
EnglishLocalSay it
What time is it?What’s the time?[what's the time?]
It's one o'clockIt’s one o’clock[it’s one o’clock]
Half past (10)Half past ten[half past ten]
MorningMorning[morning]
AfternoonArvo[arvo]
EveningEvening[evening]
YesterdayYesterday[yesterday]
TodayToday[today]
TomorrowTomorrow[tomorrow]
1One[one]
2Two[two]
3Three[three]
4Four[four]
5Five[five]
6Six[six]
7Seven[seven]
8Eight[eight]
9Nine[nine]
10Ten[ten]
Transport & Directions
EnglishLocalSay it
Where's a/the...?Where's the...?[where's the...?]
What's the address?What’s the address?[what's the address?]
Can you show me (on the map)?Can you show me on the map?[can you show me on the map?]
When's the next (bus)?When’s the next bus?[when's the next bus?]
A ticket (to ....)A ticket to...[a ticket to...]

History of Southern Highlands

First Peoples and Gundungurra Country

The Southern Highlands lies within the traditional Country of the Gundungurra people, whose cultural knowledge and connections extend across the highlands, river catchments, forests and escarpments of south-eastern New South Wales. Neighbouring Aboriginal communities, including the Tharawal, also have longstanding connections with areas towards the Illawarra. Colonial descriptions often overlooked or distorted these continuing relationships. Today, the region's landscape should be understood not simply as pastoral scenery but as Country shaped by Indigenous custodianship, movement, story and resource knowledge. Visitors should follow signage and local guidance at culturally significant places and recognise that Aboriginal heritage remains part of the region's present as well as its past.

Colonial Routes and Early Settlement

European expansion into the highlands accelerated in the early nineteenth century as roads were pushed south-west from Sydney towards the inland. Berrima was surveyed in the 1820s on the route that became an important connection across the southern tablelands, and its courthouse, gaol and sandstone buildings reflect the administrative and commercial ambitions of the colonial period. Pastoral settlement followed, with large holdings occupying grasslands and exploiting the region's relatively cool climate. The roads and inns established during this era helped create the settlement pattern that still links Berrima, Mittagong, Bowral and Moss Vale.

The Railway and the Growth of the Towns

The railway transformed the Southern Highlands in the second half of the nineteenth century. The line south from Sydney reached Mittagong in the 1860s and was extended through Bowral and Moss Vale towards Goulburn soon afterwards, strengthening trade, travel and communication. Railway access encouraged town growth, brought building materials and agricultural goods to wider markets, and made the highlands more accessible to visitors seeking a cooler climate. Surviving railway buildings, town layouts and the continuing Southern Highlands rail corridor provide visible reminders of the period when rail replaced slower road journeys as the region's principal long-distance connection.

Quarries, Iron and Industrial Mittagong

Mittagong developed an industrial identity alongside the pastoral economy. Local iron ore deposits and associated works were exploited during the nineteenth century, while sandstone and other quarrying activities supplied materials for buildings and infrastructure. The Fitz Roy Iron Works, established in the 1840s, was among Australia's early attempts to produce iron, although its operation was limited by technical and economic difficulties. Industrial activity left traces in the town's landscape and helped distinguish Mittagong from the garden and pastoral image more commonly associated with Bowral. This history is an important reminder that the highlands was shaped by extraction and manufacturing as well as farming.

Pastoral Prosperity and Country Estates

From the nineteenth century onwards, sheep, cattle and agricultural production underpinned the region's economy, while wealthy pastoral families built substantial houses and established gardens. Estates such as Retford Park near Bowral express this social history through architecture, grounds and collections, although the broader story also includes workers, small farmers and changing patterns of land ownership. The highlands' fertile soils and cool climate later supported orchards, nurseries, vineyards and specialist food production. Country-house culture and agricultural enterprise continue to influence the region's visitor economy, but they form only one part of a more complex rural history.

Sir Donald Bradman and Modern Regional Identity

Sir Donald Bradman was born in Cootamundra and grew up in Bowral, where his early cricket was played on local grounds. His rise to become one of the most celebrated batters in international cricket gave Bowral a cultural association known well beyond New South Wales. The Bradman Museum and International Cricket Hall of Fame records his career within the wider history of cricket and the town's sporting life. Bradman's legacy has become a prominent element of modern Southern Highlands identity, alongside garden tourism, heritage conservation, food production and the region's role as a popular rural destination within reach of Sydney.

Southern Highlands in Photos

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Evendo: Your Ultimate Travel Guide to Southern Highlands, Australia

Discover the best of Southern Highlands with Evendo, a 100% free app-based travel guide that covers attractions, landmarks, restaurants, and more.

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