Southern Highlands Wine Region

Just a 90-minute drive from Sydney, the Southern Highlands Wine Region unfurls like a pastoral dream: rolling green hills, misty mornings, and a clutch of cellar doors tucked into heritage villages. This is cool-climate wine country at its most charming — think crisp chardonnay, elegant pinot noir, and a burgeoning food scene that matches the quality of the vino. The region’s four main towns — Bowral, Berrima, Moss Vale, and Robertson — each offer their own character, from antique-laden streets to artisan bakeries and truffle farms. Whether you’re a committed oenophile or just after a scenic escape, the Southern Highlands delivers a relaxed, sophisticated taste of country life.

Highlights & What to See

• Cellar-door hopping – Start at Tertini Wines for its modern tasting room and crisp rieslings, then head to Bendooley Estate, where the cellar door sits inside a spectacular book barn. Centennial Vineyards and Cherry Tree Hill are also standouts for their cool-climate reds.
• Bowral’s bucolic buzz – The region’s hub, Bowral, is perfect for a lazy morning: grab a coffee at the famed Bradman Museum & International Cricket Hall of Fame (yes, Sir Don’s hometown), then browse the antique shops and boutiques along Wingecarribee Street.
• Berrima’s historic charm – This preserved Georgian village is one of Australia’s oldest inland settlements. Wander the sandstone buildings, pop into the Berrima Courthouse (circa 1838), and don’t miss the artisanal produce at the Berrima General Store.
• Robertson’s pie and dairy – Known for the Robertson Pie Shop (a local institution) and the Robertson Cheese Factory, this tiny town is also the gateway to the wild, windswept Budderoo National Park.
• Seasonal events – Time your visit for the Southern Highlands Food & Wine Festival (March) or the tulip-blooming Corbett Gardens in Bowral (September–October).

Suggested Time to Spend

A weekend is ideal: two days let you explore a handful of cellar doors, linger in Bowral, and still have time for a walk in the countryside. If you’re on a Sydney–Canberra road trip, even an overnight stop works — arrive by lunch, visit two or three wineries in the afternoon, and enjoy a long dinner in Berrima or Bowral. For a deeper dive, three days allow you to add a hike in Budderoo National Park or a truffle-hunt experience (in season, June–August).

Nearby Areas Worth Combining

• Kangaroo Valley – A scenic 30-minute drive east; a lush, river-carved valley with historic Hampden Bridge, canoeing, and the Kangaroo Valley Pioneer Museum Park.
• Fitzroy Falls – Just 20 minutes south of Bowral, this dramatic waterfall in Morton National Park plunges 81 metres into a ferny gorge. Easy walking tracks offer spectacular views.
• Morton National Park – Extending south and east, this park offers superb bushwalking, lookouts, and the famous Pigeon House Mountain climb for experienced hikers.
• Mittagong – The northern gateway to the Highlands, with the quirky Mittagong Maze and Lake Alexandra Park — a good lunch stop en route from Sydney.
• Goulburn – An hour’s drive south, this historic inland city boasts the iconic Big Merino, a splendid cathedral, and the Rocky Hill War Memorial Museum.

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