The Southern Highlands sit 1.5 hours south-west of Sydney via the Hume Highway, yet they feel like a different country — cooler, slower, full of proper old country towns, Federation architecture, cream teas and countryside that changes genuinely with each season. Bowral is the hub, but the real value is in the surrounding villages. This guide covers all of them.
TL;DR: Weekend trip from Sydney. Base yourself in Bowral, drive out to Robertson, Kangaroo Valley and Berrima on Day 2. Best in September (Tulip Time) and Autumn (March–May). Budget A$200–A$350/night for accommodation in the region.
Getting There
From Sydney: 1.5 hours via the Hume Highway (M31). Exit at Mittagong or Bowral. Approximately 130km.
By train: NSW TrainLink runs from Central to Bowral in 2 hours, A$8.80 each way (Opal). Services run every 1–2 hours. Good option if you’re not planning major day trips to Kangaroo Valley.
Driving the region: The Southern Highlands roads are mostly two-lane but in good condition. Allow 20–45 minutes between major towns. A car is essential for Robertson, Kangaroo Valley and Fitzroy Falls.
Pre-Trip Checklist
- Book accommodation at least 4 weeks ahead for Tulip Time (last 2 weeks of September)
- Tulip Time Festival: The Tulip Time garden display at Corbett Gardens is open daily during the festival, free entry. The main festival days are the first and second Sunday of the festival run.
- Book a table at Milton Park Country House Hotel if celebrating something special (miltonpark.com.au) — A$75–A$95 for afternoon tea, A$55–A$80 for mains at dinner
- Check weather — Highlands can be 6–10°C colder than Sydney, year-round. Pack accordingly.
- Fitzroy Falls: the main lookout walkway is paved and accessible. The valley floor walk is Grade 4 and requires proper footwear.
- Find accommodation in Bowral or Mittagong
- Compare travel insurance for the canyon and gorge walks near Kangaroo Valley
Bowral: What to Do
Bowral is the region’s largest town and most developed tourist centre. It’s busiest on weekends but still fundamentally a country town.
Tulip Time Festival (September Checklist)
The Southern Highlands Tulip Time Festival runs over two weekends in mid-to-late September. It’s Australia’s largest tulip festival — Corbett Gardens fills with 70,000+ tulips across 40+ varieties.
- Corbett Gardens: The main display garden. Open daily during festival, free entry. Located on Bendooley Street, Bowral.
- Best viewing time: Weekday morning (Tuesday–Thursday, 9–11am) to avoid the crowds
- Festival market: Bowral Showground. Approximately A$10–A$15 entry
- Spring Gala Day: Local arts, produce markets, food stalls. Usually the second Sunday of the festival
- Book a garden accommodation for the season if possible — some B&Bs have private garden displays that rival Corbett
- What to wear: It will be 14–18°C in September, bring a warm layer for morning visits
- Photographs: Best light on the tulips is 8–10am (soft morning) or 4–5pm (golden hour)
Year-Round Bowral Highlights
- Berkelouw Books and Café (Horderns Road, Bendooley) — a bookshop in a heritage property with 500,000+ books across multiple rooms. Café attached, A$18–A$28. A genuine destination, not a token attraction.
- Dirty Janes Antique Market (Bowral) — 200+ stalls across a large warehouse complex, open weekends. A$6 entry. Good for vintage, antiques, mid-century homewares.
- Bradman Museum and International Cricket Hall of Fame — opens 10am, A$25 adult. Worth it if you have any interest in cricket; extraordinary collection.
- Bowral Tulip Time Market (weekly Saturday market in season, Corbett Gardens precinct)
Fitzroy Falls and Morton National Park Checklist
Fitzroy Falls sits 35 minutes south-west of Bowral in Morton National Park. The main falls are 81 metres high — one of the tallest waterfalls accessible by short walk in NSW.
Entry: Free (national parks area, no entry fee for the day use area)
Car park: Fitzroy Falls Visitor Centre, Nowra Road — free parking
Fitzroy Falls Walks
- East Rim Walk (2.3km return, 1 hour, easy) — paved walkway along the east rim to the main lookout. Best views of the falls.
- West Rim Walk (2km return, 45 minutes, easy) — different perspective on the valley, good for morning light
- Belmore Falls extension (add 30 minutes by car) — 23 minutes further south, two-tier waterfall with a beautiful swimming hole at the base in summer
- Fitzroy Falls to Yarrunga Creek (8km return, Grade 4, 3–4 hours) — goes to the valley floor. Steep descent, serious footwear required. Outstanding rainforest.
Fitzroy Falls checklist:
- Check the visitor centre for current track conditions (some close after heavy rain)
- Fitzroy Falls Visitor Centre: open daily 9am–4pm. Interesting display on local wildlife and geology.
- Water flows are best in winter and spring (June–October)
- The viewing platform is close to the cliff edge — hold children’s hands
Robertson: The Babe Pig Village Checklist
Robertson is 40 minutes from Bowral (via Kangaloon Road) and is the lush green highland where the film Babe was shot. The rolling green hills and ancient volcanic soil make it genuinely beautiful in a completely different way to the rest of the Highlands.
- Robertson Pie Shop — open daily from 8am, pies A$7–A$10. The chunky beef and vegetable pie is the benchmark. Queue on weekends.
- Robertson RAS Show (annual, usually August) — quintessential country show, animals, produce, sideshows. A$12 adult entry.
- Carrington Falls (15 minutes from Robertson) — 50m waterfall with a beautiful swimming hole in summer. Walk to the top lookout (800m return) or swim at the base (3km return, Grade 3).
- Robertson Nature Reserve — temperate rainforest, lyrebirds common in the gully sections. Free walking tracks.
- Cheese and produce shops on the main street — Robertson’s volcanic basalt soil produces exceptional dairy
Kangaroo Valley Checklist
Kangaroo Valley is arguably the most beautiful part of the Southern Highlands — a lush green valley surrounded by sandstone escarpments, accessed via a spectacular descent down Barrengarry Mountain Road.
Drive from Bowral: 35 minutes via Fitzroy Falls Road.
Drive from Sydney: 2 hours direct via Moss Vale Road.
Things to Do
- Hampden Bridge — Australia’s oldest surviving suspension bridge (1898), still open to pedestrians. Walk across and look down at the Kangaroo River below.
- Paddleboarding and kayaking on the Kangaroo River — Kangaroo Valley Safaris hire SUPs (A$40/hour) and kayaks (A$35/hour) from the bridge area
- Kangaroo Valley Glowworm Tunnel — 45-minute walk into Morton National Park, Grade 3. The old railway tunnel has resident glowworms visible at dusk.
- Bendeela Camping Area (inside Morton NP) — excellent camping on the river, A$17/night. Platypus and kangaroo sightings are common.
- Pioneer Settlement Museum — 3 hectares of 1800s farm buildings, open weekends 10am–4pm. A$8 adult.
- Kangaroo Valley Village (the pub) — historic pub, A$24–A$38 for a meal, excellent beer garden
Kangaroo Valley Drive
The road down into the valley (Fitzroy Falls to Kangaroo Valley via Barrengarry Mountain Road) is one of the best short scenic drives in NSW. Take it slowly, stop at the Barrengarry Lookout.
Berrima: Australia’s Most Intact Georgian Town Checklist
Berrima sits 10 minutes north-west of Bowral and is genuinely Australia’s most intact early colonial town — every building on the main street dates to the 1830s–1840s. It was bypassed by the railway in the 19th century and essentially frozen in time.
- Berrima Courthouse (1838) — still operational, and open for tours on weekends. Free entry. A$5 guided tour.
- Berrima Gaol — the oldest continuously operated gaol in Australia. Limited external viewing only.
- Harper’s Mansion (National Trust) — beautifully preserved 1830s homestead. A$8 adult, tours on weekends.
- White Horse Inn (1832) — atmospheric old pub, A$24–A$38 mains. Eat in the original coaching-inn dining room.
- Berkelouw Books (10 minutes away in Bowral) — many people combine Berrima with Berkelouw on the same morning
Exeter and Bundanoon Checklist
Sutton Forest and Exeter
- Milton Park Country House (Sutton Forest) — afternoon tea is one of the best in regional NSW. A$75 per person. Book ahead: miltonpark.com.au
- Exeter General Store and Café — excellent coffee, breakfast. A$16–A$24. Open 8am–3pm weekdays.
Bundanoon
- Bundanoon Gully Trail (Morton National Park entry from town) — 3km walk to the top of Gingenbullen Mountain, views over the Southern Highlands
- Brigadoon Scottish Festival (April) — celebrates Bundanoon’s Scottish heritage. Pipe bands, highland games, local food.
- Village pub for a quiet Sunday afternoon drink
Seasonal Guide: What’s Best When
| Season | Highlights | What to Do |
|---|---|---|
| Summer (Dec–Feb) | Warm, green; occasional storms | Swimming at Fitzroy Falls base; farmers markets; longer daylight |
| Autumn (Mar–May) | Best foliage, cool days; Berkelouw and winery days | Kangaroo Valley drives; Robertson; Exeter cream teas |
| Winter (Jun–Aug) | Cold (2–10°C), frosty mornings, cosy pubs | Fireside dining; log-fire accommodation; Fitzroy Falls at full flow |
| Spring (Sep–Nov) | Tulip Time; wildflowers; best weather | Corbett Gardens; Carrington Falls swimming; outdoor markets |
Where to Stay
| Accommodation | Location | Price/Night | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Peppers Craigieburn | Bowral | A$280–A$420 | Luxury; pool; spa |
| Links House | Bowral | A$250–A$380 | Boutique, beautiful; best breakfast in Bowral |
| Milton Park Country House | Sutton Forest | A$350–A$550 | Country estate; the gold standard |
| Kangaroo Valley Cabins | Kangaroo Valley | A$180–A$280 | Bush setting; excellent base for valley walks |
| Bundanoon YHA | Bundanoon | A$45–A$110 | Budget; clean; near national park trails |
Find all Southern Highlands accommodation and compare prices.
Useful Links
- Search flights to Sydney or Canberra if flying from interstate
- Book Southern Highlands tours — horse riding, winery, guided walks
- Plan your Southern Highlands weekend with AI
Prices and hours current as of 2026. Always verify before visiting.
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