If there’s one thing we wish we had in Australia, it’s a proper autumn. Nothing beats seeing beautifully coloured leaves that mimic flames in the breeze as they catch the sun on those crisp, blue-bird days.
But, there are a few places where we can get a taste of this right here in New South Wales, including the Southern Highlands. An easy 90-minute drive from Sydney, the region sits at a higher elevation than the city. This means a bit more variation in the weather from season to season.
In the area, there’s quite a few deciduous trees. The combination of that and the weather makes for a pretty impressive display each autumn as the leaves changes into brilliant yellows, oranges and reds. In Southern Highlands towns like Bowral, Mittagong and Berrima, there’s plenty of parks, nature reserves and even residential streets where you can see nature’s autumnal show.
We headed down there for a drive recently to find the prettiest trees we could. If we had to pick one spot to recommend, it would be Lake Alexandra. But here’s a few other spots to see beautiful autumn colours in the Southern Highlands.
Southern Highlands Botanic Gardens
Where is it? 1 Old South Road, Bowral
How to get there: Driving is the easiest option, but you can take Berrima Bus Services operates service 815 from Bowral where there are trains running to Sydney.
When can you go? 9am-5pm, every day
Pet friendly? Only in the unfenced area, where they must be on a lead.
A relatively young garden compared to others in New South Wales, the Southern Highlands Botanic Gardens opened in 2013 and is growing an array of deciduous trees like oak, birch and maple.
While most of the trees here are still young, they did have a lovely display of colour and were a great way to start our day. In fact, one of the most beautiful maples we saw all day was here. It couldn’t have been more than three or four metres tall, but its brilliant red leaves were simply stunning.
According to the gardens’ website, the area is still very much in development. So, we imagine the 15-hectare area will only get more beautiful as years pass.
✅ We’ve been here!
Lake Alexandra
Where is it? 20 Queen St, Mittagong NSW 2575
How to get there: Driving is easiest, or you can take a train from Sydney to Mittagong. The lake is an 18-minute walk from Mittagong Station.
When can you go? Anytime.
Pet friendly? Yes.
Hands down, our favourite spot of the day, Lake Alexandra is a tranquil spot to visit, no matter what season. But, in autumn, it truly dazzles. The man-made lake is just a few minutes outside Mittagong and is surrounded by a nice variety of deciduous trees.
One particular strip of maples along the eastern side of the lake near Arthur Street is nothing short of spectacular. They all seemed to change colours as slightly different times, providing a kaleidoscope of reds, yellows and greens.
The walk around the lake itself is about 800m, and completely paved. It’s perfect if you’ve got a pram, wheelchair or walking frame.
If you are looking for something a bit more rugged, there is an off-shoot from the paved track to Forty Foot Falls. Note that we didn’t take this walk as we were short on time, but the signposts said it was about 3.4km each way.
✅ We’ve been here!
Corbett Garden
Where is it? Wingecarribee St, Bowral NSW 2576, Bowral
How to get there: You can drive and park for free (1P) on the streets nearby. There are also lots with 2P within a short walk away. It’s also a five-minute walk from Bowral Station, where you can get trains to Sydney.
When can you go? Anytime
Pet friendly? Yes.
Right in the heart of Bowral, Corbett Gardens is an ideal spot for a wander if you’re in the area without a car. While we did visit a bit late in the season, there wasn’t quite as much to see here compared to the other spots, but it’s location was hard to beat. It’s maybe 100m from the main drag, Bong Bong Street.
There’s a few large trees here that still had some leaves left, so we imagine it’s truly something to see during the peak.
✅ We’ve been here!
Wineries
The Southern Highlands is home to about 60 vineyards, each offering their own take on wines in this cool-climate region.
Grape leaves aren’t evergreen and turn a brilliant yellow before they brown and fall off the vine for the winter. Along with that, many of the wineries in the area have small gardens or trees surrounding them. Add the two together, along with a matching glass of red, and you’ve got a beautiful backdrop for wine tasting.
🍷 We’ve been to wineries in the Southern Highlands, but not during autumn.
Accessibility for autumn leave viewing in the Southern Highlands
The beauty of all of these spots is that they’re completely accessible, so everyone can enjoy the leaves.
- Lake Alexandra Reserve: There is a paved cycleway around the entire lake, so you can take prams and wheelchairs on the entire walk. There are also benches along the route for breaks, as needed.
- Corbett Gardens: In the middle of Bowral, it’s easy to get to and is paved throughout.
- Southern Highlands Botanic Gardens: While the paths are fine gravel, they should be fine for prams and wheelchairs. (Note: We haven’t tried ourselves with any wheeled devices, but did walk around the entire park and found it quite solid and flat.)
Best time to visit the Southern Highlands for autumn colours
We recommend visiting in mid- to late-April. We went the first week of May and, while we still did see plenty of colourful leaves, we also say plenty of trees that were already bare.
The Southern Highlands Botanic Garden hosts an annual autumn weekend and plant fair in late-April, which could be the perfect event to time your trip with. In 2026, there was live music, food stalls and plants for sale. Considering the gardens themselves aren’t all that large (although they are pretty!), it’s something that can make the experience a bit more of an event.
Want to make your Southern Highlands trip this autumn into a getaway? Search for hotels in the area:
Other places near Sydney to see autumn leaves
Already been to the Southern Highlands in autumn, or looking for other options? Here’s some other spots you can consider checking out:
- Blue Mountains
- Orange
- Mudgee
- Canberra
