DESTINATIONS / SOUTHERN HIGHLANDSSouthern Highlands Travel Guide
The Southern Highlands are the quieter, gentler alternative to the better-known day trips — rolling green countryside, historic villages, cool-climate wineries and gardens, about 90 minutes south of Sydney. It's where Sydneysiders go for a slow weekend rather than a packed itinerary. If your idea of a good day is a country drive, a long lunch, a cellar door and a wander through a heritage village, this is the corner of New South Wales for you.
Getting there
The Southern Highlands sits roughly 90 minutes from central Sydney by car, or around two hours by train to Bowral or Mittagong. The region's elevation means noticeably cooler weather than the coast year-round.
Top things to see and do
Bowral - the region's main town, home to the Bradman Museum and International Cricket Hall of Fame, Corbett Gardens, and a strong cafe and antique-shopping scene. See the Bradman Museum.
Berrima - a beautifully preserved 1831 colonial village, home to Australia's oldest continually licensed inn and the historic Berrima Gaol.
Fitzroy Falls, Morton National Park - an 80-metre waterfall reached via an easy walking track, with a visitor centre covering the area's Aboriginal cultural history. Details at NSW National Parks.
Mount Gibraltar Reserve - the highest point between Sydney and Canberra, with three lookouts connected by an easy loop track.
Southern Highlands cellar doors - a growing cool-climate wine scene around Sutton Forest and Moss Vale, well suited to a slower-paced tasting day.
For seasonal events including the Tulip Time Festival each September, see Visit NSW's Southern Highlands guide.
A slow day in the country, properly done
Knowing what's out there is one thing. Having someone who knows the timing, the stories and the spots that don't make the guidebooks is another. Our Sydney City tours take you through the icons and the hidden corners, at a pace that suits you.
The villages
Bowral, Berrima, Mittagong, Bundanoon — the highlands towns are full of heritage buildings, antique shops, cafes and country charm. Berrima is one of the best-preserved Georgian villages in the country. These towns are made for unhurried wandering, and the pleasure is in the pace rather than ticking off a list.
Cool-climate wine
The Southern Highlands' elevation makes it a cool-climate wine region, which means it does different things from the Hunter — elegant cool-climate whites and sparkling among them. The cellar doors here are smaller and less crowded than the bigger regions, which is part of the appeal. A relaxed afternoon of tasting without the crowds.
SOUTHERN HIGHLANDS AT A GLANCEDRIVE FROM SYDNEY
90 minutes to 2 hours
VILLAGES
Bowral, Berrima, Mittagong, Bundanoon
WINE
Cool-climate whites and sparkling
SWEET SPOT
Autumn colour and winter fires
Gardens and countryside
The highlands are known for gardens, especially in the cooler months when the cold-climate plants come into their own. The landscape itself — green, rolling, dotted with grand country properties — is a large part of why people come. This is scenery to drive slowly through, not past.
Best time to visit
Spring (September-October) is the highlight of the calendar, with Tulip Time transforming Corbett Gardens and the wider region's gardens in full bloom. Autumn brings its own colour, and winter has an open-fire, village charm all its own.
Good to know
This is a region best explored slowly - villages are small, distances between them are short, and the pace rewards a full day rather than a rushed half-day stop.
See Bowral, Berrima and Fitzroy Falls without the round trip planning: explore Southern Highlands private tours with Ultimately Sydney.
Common questions about visiting Southern Highlands
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Roughly a 90-minute to two-hour drive south of Sydney, which makes it an easy day trip or a slow weekend.
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Autumn for the colour - the highlands do a proper European-style autumn, rare in Australia - and winter for fireplaces and long lunches. Spring brings the gardens out and summer is mild and green.
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Heritage villages like Bowral and Berrima, cool-climate cellar doors, celebrated gardens and rolling countryside made for a slow drive and a long lunch.
Escape the city for a day
Rated excellent by 328 travellers, with 18 years of local knowledge. Our private Southern Highlands tours are unhurried by design — built around the villages, wineries and countryside you want to see, at the pace a country day deserves.
Other destinations
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Sydney City | In the city
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Blue Mountains | 1.5–2 hrs west of Sydney
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Hunter Valley | 2 hrs north of Sydney