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Mittagong, Bowral, Robertson, Moss Vale, Berrima & Bundanoon


Discover the natural beauty, glorious gardens, antiques, art and heritage of the area all within a day’s drive from Sydney, Canberra and the Illawarra region.
The Southern Highlands is a playground for lovers of fine wine and hearty food.
Our towns and villages are connected by rural and semi-rural landscapes making the region a
stunningly picturesque place to visit. With a higher than average rainfall, much of the landscape is one of lush rolling green hills.

Must See & Do

  • Berrima Courthouse Museum
  • All Aboard Model Railway
  • Corbett Gardens in Bowral
  • Southern Highlands Wineries
  • Lake Alexandra

    Major regional festivals.
  • Bundanoon Highland Gathering
  • Antiques & Collectables Fair
  • Bundanoon Winterfest
  • Bowral Tulip Time
  • Book Fair


Fast Facts!

  • The Illawarra escarpment and Morton National Park provide a boundary for the eastern side of the region and wild Eucalypt bushland, with gullies and gorges bound the northern side of the Highlands.
  • The Wollondilly and Wingecarribee Rivers form part of the catchment for Warragamba Dam which is Sydney’s main water storage dam.


Mittagong - The Gateway to the Southern Highlands

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  • Mittagong is located 110 kms south west of Sydney in the Nattai River Valley between Mt Gibraltar, known locally as ‘The Gib’ and Mt Alexandra, both extinct volcanic peaks.
  • Population of approx 7,500.
  • Mittagong, like Bowral, enjoys an interesting streetscape with boutiques, cafes, restaurants and art galleries giving it that delightful country town feel, but a large shopping mall is only minutes from town.


Berrima - A truly unique, historic village

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  • An historic village offering the most wonderful array of food and experiences in a living history environment.
  • Established as a township in 1831, Berrima is a preserved Australian,Georgian, colonial town.
  • It is located in a picturesque valley on a bend of the Wingecarribee River.
  • The town is laid out like an English village around a village green. The centre of the village today is a living museum, with many of the original buildings, including the gaol, still provide a unique atmosphere within the town.
  • Berrima and surround districts were famous for bushranger activity in the late 1800’s.
  • Berrima is a favourite day trip destination for Sydneysiders and Canberra residents. It offers exquisite boutique shopping, antiques and great food.

Bundanoon, a "place of deep gullies".

  • Early industries included timber milling, sandstone quarrying and farming.
  • Today Bundanoon retains many of its early 20C buildings. It has a sleepy village, yesteryear charm about it.
  • It is home to the annual (April) Brigadoon Festival when thousands of visitors come to celebrate all things Scottish.
  • Bundanoon has its share of interesting craft shops, art galleries, cafes, restaurants, nurseries and picnic areas.
  • You can hire a bike, walk through nearby Morton National Park, enjoy picnic spots, native flowers and birds.
  • Take a walk to "Glow Worm Glen". See kangaroos and wallabies at dusk on the edge of town.
  • A 137km drive from Sydney and 15 minutes from Moss Vale, Bundanoon presents a charming scene with its avenue of English trees from the town approach to the main shopping strip.
  • Bundanoon is a bushwalkers paradise with fourteen suggested walks, most have vantage points with spectacular views across the valleys. Probably the most visited lookout is the one overlooking the Grand Canyon 3km from the town centre.

Bowral - Home to the Bradman Museum

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  • Bowral was originally named Wingecarribee by the pioneering, Oxley family, it was later renamed Burradoo then ‘Bowrel’. ‘Bowrel’, was the Aboriginal name for the township and is said to mean "high".
  • Bowral is a gorgeous country town situated in a valley at the foot of Mt.Gibraltar.
  • Due to the high altitude of the Southern Highlands, Bowral enjoys gorgeous autumns, as exotic European trees and shrubs change their colour in preparation for the winter months.
  • Bowral’s shopping precinct is like that of few other country towns with an eclectic variety of boutiques, bookstores, antique and craft shops, as well as two shopping malls.
  • The restaurants, coffee shops and cafes offer a huge variety of dining experiences from ‘fine dining’ to sidewalk, cafe style eating out.
  • As you might imagine, Bowral has many preserved 19C buildings including cottages, grand manors and churches making the streetscapes charmingly inviting.
  • Bowral is also home to the world famous Bradman Museum. The Bradman Museum and Oval is a ‘must see’ when visiting Bowral.
  • Population of over 10,400 residents.

 

 

 

 

 

 



 
 
What's On

 

diary-web'What's On' in the Southern Highlands & Illawarra region
 
 


SEPTEMBER & OCTOBER 2010

Walking on Sunrise – and don’t it feel good!
2nd Saturday every month.  6-9am

There’s a new reason to visit the popular Illawarra Fly Treetop Walk with the introduction of spectacular new Sunrise Walks.
Illawarra Fly Treetop Walk - www.illawarrafly.com
Ph: 1300 362 881


The Cockatoo Run – Illawarra Fly
On some Sundays and on an occasional Thursday the “COCKATOO RUN” brings tourists to the Illawarra Fly Treetop Walk  in a tourist package which includes transport from the railway station to the “FLY” and return for details go to www.3801limited.com.au   
 
 
Camden Festival
5 - 19 Septembe
r. Events include Cinema Under the Stars; Food, Wine and Music Festival; Kids Fun Day; SK8OPIA; Lions Fair and more. Ph: 4645 5029

The Charles Ledger Alpaca Show
12 September

Moss Vale Showground
Contact through www.schalpa.com.au

Riverfest
12 September
Koshigaya Park, Campbelltown
Celebrate our environment and cultural diversity with entertainment, workshops and the Dry Riverbed Boat Race. Ph: 4645 4921

Camden Park House Open Weekend
18 - 19 September
. Sat12noon - 4pm, Sun 10am - 4pm Elizabeth Macarthur Avenue, Camden
Tour the historic mansion built in 1934 for John and Elizabeth Macarthur. Ph: 4655 8466

Day Out With Thomas the Tank Engine
18 - 19 September
. Thirlmere Rail Heritage Centre, Barbour Road, Thirlmere. Meet the full-sized Thomas the Tank Engine as he greets friends over two feature packed days. Take a steam train ride with Henry, the Green Engine, as well as face painting, mini train rides, jumping castle and more. Ph: 4681 8001  
www.nswrtm.com.au

Tulip Time Festival
21 September - 4 October
. Corbett Gardens, Bowral Ph: 1300 657 559 Featuring a massed display of over 100,000 tulips and 25,000 annuals in Corbett Gardens, Bowral, and private gardens open for inspection. Admission to Corbett Gardens apply - Adults $8, concession $5, groups over 20 persons $4-50.


Camden Festival
5 - 19 September
. Events include Cinema Under the Stars; Food, Wine and Music Festival; Kids Fun Day; SK8OPIA; Lions Fair and more. Ph: 4645 5029

The Charles Ledger Alpaca Show
12 September

Moss Vale Showground
Contact through www.schalpaca.com.au

Riverfest
12 September
Koshigaya Park, Campbelltown
Celebrate our environment and cultural diversity with entertainment, workshops and the Dry Riverbed Boat Race. Ph: 4645 4921

8 Walk Softly On This Land   
16 - Tues 21 September
Bowral & District Art Gallery, 1 Short St, Bowral Ph: 4862 2676
Official Opening: 6.30pm on Friday 17 September

Day Out With Thomas the Tank Engine
18 - 19 September
. Thirlmere Rail Heritage Centre, Barbour Road, Thirlmere. Meet the full-sized Thomas the Tank Engine as he greets friends over two feature packed days. Take a steam train ride with Henry, the Green Engine, as well as face painting, mini train rides & more.
Ph: 4681 8001 www.nswrtm.com.au

'TASTE' - Food, Wine and Music Festival
19 September
Camden Town Farm, Exeter Street, Camden. Sample culinary delights from local restaurants, produce growers and winemaker. Also enjoy live music and entertainment.
Ph: 4645 5029

Tulip Time Festival
21 September - 4 October
. Corbett Gardens, Bowral Ph:1300 657 559 Featuring a massed display of over 100,000 tulips and 25,000 annuals in Corbett Gardens, Bowral, and private gardens open for inspection. Admission to Corbett Gardens apply - Adults $8, concession $5, groups over 20 persons $4.50.

Some Enchanted Evening   
25 September
- October 9 Mittagong Playhouse, Cnr Old Hume Hwy, Mittagong Ph: 1300 657 559
Featuring the songs of Rodgers and Hammerstein - presented by the HTG
September 25 and October  2, 8 and 9 at 8pm September 26 and October 2, 3 and 9 at 2pm
$22 (adults), $18 (concession) & $65 (family = 2 adults & 2 kids/$5 per extra child)

Bowral Tulip Time Art & Craft Fair
30th September - 4th October
  9am til 4.30
Crafts, fabric sculptures, jewelry, alpaca products ceramics and much more. Ph: 0415541589
Memorial Hall, Bendooley St. Bowral

59th annual Goulburn Lilac City Festival
30 September - 4 October
Street carnival, demonstrations, exhibitions & displays music & live performances, children's activities,  plus more!  Ph: (02) 4821 1839

Robertson Open Gardens
2-17 October.
Formal & informal gardens, cool climate ornamentals, water features, wild flowers & native gardens. Art exhibition & workshops.
Ph: 4885 1080 www.robertson.nsw.au

Robertson Railway Fair
10th October.
Robertson Railway Station
Family day; model train displays, flower & plant stalls, photographic display & artefacts.
www.robertsonsrailway.com.au Ph: 4885 2823

Heritage Train Rides
3 & 10 October
. Steam Loco 3237
Two wonderful opportunities to see grand old locomotives still in service and to savour the sight, sound and smell of steam. View the arrival and departure of these historic trains.
Ph: 4885 2823

Spring into the Southern Highlands Community Festival
24 October
  9.30am – 4.30pm
Moss Vale Showground – Moss Vale
An extravaganza of activity, entertainment, amusement rides, food and fabulous market stalls!  Ph: 0412 880 125.
www.springintothesouthernhighlands.com.au

ADFAS Camden presents No 7 in the 2010 lecture series -
18th September
4.00 for 4.30 pm
Ferguson Gallery, Camden Civic Centre,
Oxley Street, Camden
Dr Kate Williams MA(Oxon) MA(Lond) PhD(Oxon) a respected feature writer for various well known English newspapers and magazines will present:
Royal Scandals: George III, his hedonistic children, and Princess Charlotte, the queen who never was.
In this richly illustrated talk she will explore the stories of some of the most notable royal scandals throughout the ages, lifting the lid on tales of cash for honours, spurned mistresses, ambitious courtesans, mistreated wives and truly eye-popping levels of spending. She will relate the story of Princess Charlotte, daughter of George IV – the queen who never was.
More information & bookings Ph: 4655 9724
or 4655 9781 E: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it