Top Oz Tours offers a great range of New South Wales tours and experiences. You can browse the options here.
The Southern Highlands offer a slice of serenity akin to the English countryside.
This compact region is conveniently located one-and-a-half hours’ drive from both Sydney and Canberra, and just an hour from the Illawarra Coast. The rolling green hills are dotted with historic villages, and the clean country air will exhilarate and inspire you to explore. The heart and soul of the area is the popular town of Bowral — the childhood home of cricket legend Sir Donald Bradman, and now home to the Bradman Museum. Other charming villages include Mittagong, historic Berrima, Moss Vale, Bundanoon, and Exeter.
There are so many amazing reasons to spend some time in the Southern Highlands. Love nature? You’re close to three national parks and two state forests. Is fine food and wine your thing? You have cellar doors and local providores to discover around every bend in the country road. Want to get cultural? Follow the gallery trail or bliss out at Berkelouws — the Southern Hemisphere’s largest book barn.
If you need more convincing, here are eight great things to do in the Southern Highlands.
1. Enjoy a local tipple or two
There are over 60 vineyards in the region, which produce a range of grape varieties including chardonnay, sauvignon blanc and pinot noir. Visit Joadja Estate — the oldest winery in the Southern Highlands. The rustic cellar door and picturesque setting are a delight. While you’re in the ‘hood’, continue on to Joadja Distillery — which does a uniquely Australian malt whisky. In Berrima, stop by Bendooley Estate and enjoy a glass of one of their fine drops in front of the welcoming fireplace. If you’re not a wine-lover, check out the boutique beers and ciders brewed at Eden Brewery or Southern Highlands Brewing. Please note: Joadja Estate is currently closed for renovation and will reopen in late 2026.
2. Follow a cafe trail
The Southern Highlands could well be Australia’s caffeine-consuming capital based on cafes per capita. With around one hundred barista-operated coffee outlets across the region, you’re spoilt for choice for a good brew. Bowral, for example, boasts an astonishing 33 different spots to order a latte! Check out the cafe trail on Destination Southern Highlands’ website and sample some great bean juice during your stay.
3. Tuck into an award-winning meat pie
You can’t beat a freshly baked meat pie, and pie-lovers will be overjoyed to hear that the Southern Highlands boasts more bakehouses per square kilometre than anywhere else in Australia! Treat your taste buds to a flaky feast at award-winning Gumnut Patisserie in Mittagong.
4. Step back in time in Berrima
The small village of Berrima — established in 1831 — is one of Australia’s best-preserved towns of days gone by. Sellers of antiques and old wares line the Georgian-era streetscape, while an immersive audio visual presentation and evening ghost tour brings the dramatic past back to life at the old Berrima Courthouse (circa 1838). The heritage listed Post Office dates back to 1886 and replaced what was originally a tollhouse.
5. Admire gardens galore
The Southern Highlands’ cool climate grows gardens bursting with wondrous floral displays. The region is famous for its annual Tulip Time festival in September and Open Gardens season in October, but just wandering along quiet village backstreets will reveal cottage gardens to rival Downtown Abbey. Think lilacs, daffodils, and peonies flowering in glorious profusion.
6. Get back to nature on a bushwalk
Inhale the scent of eucalyptus as you trek to the area’s three highest waterfalls — Belmore, Carrington, and Fitzroy Falls. Climb the short track to the top of towering Fitzroy Falls and try to spy the mountain parrots that inhabit the lush forest. Another option is to hit the trails around Mount Gibraltar — the highest point in the region — or tackle the steep two-kilometre Erith Coal Mine track in Morton National Park (you can cool off at the end under concealed cascades). To get a different perspective of the landscape, head underground at spectacular Wombeyan Caves.
7. Shop for treasures of yesteryear
Shopping for antiques and period paraphernalia is big business in the Southern Highlands. The top spot to indulge in some retail treasure hunting is Dirty Janes in Bowral. This warehouse-size venue houses over 75 independent vendors of antique furniture, vintage clothing, kitsch homewares, and much more.
8. Do a tour
There are lots of interesting guided experiences on offer in the Southern Highlands, and wine tours are understandably popular. Check out the various itineraries offered by The Highlands Tour Co and Kenny Escapes Winery Tours. Bowral Historical Walking Tours runs a 90-minute weekend exploration of its namesake heritage streetscape with a knowledgeable local guide. For something a bit different, contact local butchery Maugers Meats. They conduct semi-regular tours of their working farm.
For more travel inspiration, visit www.visitsouthernhighlands.com.au.
Browse our range of New South Wales tours and experiences here.
Do you have any suggestions to add to our list of great things to do in the Southern Highlands? We would love to hear from you. Join the conversation on our Facebook page.
Cover image: Destination NSW. Additional images: Bigstock
About the writer
Susan Hinchey is a freelance travel writer who, even as a teenager growing up in country New South Wales, knew she wanted to see the world. A couple of years out of high school Susan embarked on an eight-week European Contiki tour. Since then she has visited Alaska, Canada, Thailand, Vanuatu, Fiji, Greece, parts of North America, and Britain several times. Susan’s go-to getaway is a camping trip anywhere along the Australian coast. Her favourite travel moments have included sailing the Mediterranean and visiting Denali National Park in Alaska.
Travel essentials
You can book many aspects of your holiday on the Top Oz Tours & Travel Ideas website, including flights, hotels, car hire, travel insurance, and more. When you purchase a product or service using the following links from our partners, we receive a small commission. It does not affect the price you pay, and it enables us to continue to provide readers with amazing travel inspiration.
Flights
Compare airlines, flights, and fares in one place with Booking.com. They don’t charge any credit card fees and you can always see exactly what you’re paying for in the price breakdown. You can book one-way, round-trip, and multi-city flights, and change your travel dates with ease when you opt for a flexible ticket option (an additional cost applies). It all adds up to a great flight! Search for flights with Booking.com
Hotels
If you’re looking for a great deal on your next hotel or homestay, look no further than Booking.com. Their mission is to make travel affordable and accessible to more people, and to deliver seamless accommodation experiences that complement your holiday. Search for hotels and homestays with Booking.com
Car hire
Discover Cars is an award-winning (World Travel Awards) car rental comparison website, which helps customers find, compare, and hire cars at the most competitive prices globally. Search for hire cars with Discover Cars
Day tours & experiences
Search and book day tours, guided experiences, and attraction tickets and passes worldwide with Top Oz Tours and Viator. There are no booking or credit card fees when you book through us, and you’ll have access to the widest choice of activities and most competitive prices. Browse day tours and experiences
Multi-day tours & trips
Top Oz Tours has joined forced with Tour Radar to bring you a fabulous range of multi-day tours and trips from the world’s leading operators. Travel with like minded people and get the best possible price on the holiday of your dreams. Browse multi-day tours and trips
Travel insurance
World Nomads aims to be a part of every traveller’s journey by providing a reassuring range of travel insurance services. Benefits include coverage for emergency medical and evacuation or repatriation, lost baggage, trip cancellation, and more than 150 adventure activities. Get an insurance costing
