Just 90 minutes from Sydney by car or an easy day trip by train, the Southern Highlands is often skipped over for the Hunter Valley or barely a bathroom stop along the way to Canberra. But pull off the M31 and you’ll be treated to character-filled small towns, rolling hills that are home to vineyards and gardens, roaring waterfalls and picturesque national parks.
We’ve been down here numerous times now, yet still feel like we’ve barely scratched the surface.
If you’re thinking of a day trip or weekend away down to the Southern Highlands, here’s a few places we’d recommend visiting. These towns are packed with charm, unique shops, local galleries and plenty of good eats from local suppliers.
Bowral
Where is it? 75km from Wollongong, 118km from Sydney, 171km from Canberra
What’s there to do? Browse the local shops, visit nearby wineries, check out the Bradman Museum
The largest of the Southern Highlands towns, Bowral has a vibrant main street that’s perfect for shopping and eating your way along. Just be careful if the weather’s not too good as you may end up spending or eating a lot more than you plan; there’s plenty of places to stop along Bong Bong Street. Cricket fans will be delighted (us, not so much) to find the Bradman Museum is just a short stroll from the main drag.
Nearby, there’s quite a few vineyards with cellar doors where you can try the local, cool-climate wines. We’ve been to Centennial Vineyards and Artemis Wines (which, okay, is technically in Mittagong, but it’s just an eight-minute drive away), along with the now-closed Tertini Wines.
Want to make your visit to Bowral a getaway? Consider these accommodation options:
- Berida Hotel: Book direct with the hotel | Agoda | Booking.com | Expedia
- Links House Hotel Bowral: Book direct with the hotel | Agoda | Booking.com | Expedia
- Peppers Craigieburn Bowral: Book direct with the hotel | Agoda | Booking.com | Expedia
✅ We’ve been here for day visits, but haven’t stayed overnight.
Berrima
Where is it? 86km from Wollongong, 131km from Sydney, 163km from Canberra
What’s there to do? Eat your way through the local bakeries, learn about the historic buildings in town, stroll the Berrima River Walk
Good things come in small packages, and that’s certainly the case with Berrima. From end to end, it will probably only take you about 10 minutes to walk along the main strip of Old Hume Highway. Along the way, though, there’s plenty of excuses to stop. Fresh baked goods from Baked in Berrima, bits and bobs for your kitchen in Mrs Oldbucks Pantry, along with a gallery, clothing shop and ceramics store to make this the quintessential small village.
For a bit of fresh air, and a chance to spot platypus with overseas visitors itching for a glimpse Australian wildlife, we added the Berrima River Walk to our itinerary. The 3km return walk is relatively flat and follows the river for 1.5km before you’ll need to turn around. While we didn’t spot any platypus here, the walk itself is quite beautiful and we saw plenty of kangaroos hopping through the paddock across the river. If you’re keen to spend more time trying to spot one, there’s also a campsite here.
Want to make your visit to Berrima a getaway? Consider these accommodation options:
- Berrima Bakehouse Motel: Book direct with the hotel | Agoda | Expedia (You can’t get much closer to the fresh-baked goods than this!)
- Various holiday homes on sites like Airbnb, Booking.com, Stayz and VRBO
✅ We’ve been here for day visits, but haven’t stayed overnight.
Moss Vale
Where is it? 68km from Wollongong, 130km from Sydney, 161km from Canberra
What’s there to do? Golf at multiple courses, visit multiple wineries within 15-20 minutes of town,
Scattered around the area you’ll find wineries, walking trails, bistros and a less tourist-filled strip compared to nearby Bowral and Berrima. But Moss Vale still offers plenty of charm. Leighton Gardens turns into a vibrant, colourful space in the spring months, and the Post Office Cafe is a great place to grab a coffee with a splash of history; it’s housed in a building that dates back to the 1800s.
Want to make your visit to Moss Vale a getaway? Consider these accommodation options:
- Dormie House: Book direct with the hotel | Agoda | Booking.com | Expedia
- Peppers Manor House: Book direct with the hotel | Agoda | Booking.com | Expedia
✅ While it’s been a little while, we’ve been here and stayed overnight at Dormie House.
Mittagong
Where is it? 71km from Wollongong, 114km from Sydney, 176km from Canberra
What’s there to do? Sample the wine at a local cellar door, take a stroll along one of the local trails, check out Sixty Foot Falls,
Separated from Bowral by just a few kilometres, Mittagong sits along Old Hume Highway and you’ll pass through it after exiting the M31. But before you do, it may be worth checking out what’s on the north side of the motorway. Here, you’ll find Nattai Gorge. It’s got scenic walks and viewpoints. Great ways to work up an appetite before heading into town for a meal at the 130-year-old Mittagong Hotel or a thirst for a tasting at one of the local wineries. If you’re all wine-ed out, or if it’s not your thing, there’s also the Eden Brewery. While we’ve not been ourselves, the place has great reviews.
Want to make your visit to Mittagong a getaway? Consider these accommodation options:
- Mittagong Hotel: Book direct with the hotel | Agoda | Booking.com
- Fitzroy Inn Historic Retreat: Book direct with the hotel | Agoda | Booking.com | Expedia
🔜 We’ve driven through, but haven’t properly been to Mittagong.
