Julia Morris: A funny thing happened on my way today…

hero media
Funnily enough, stand-up comedian, House Husband actress and Logies presenter Julia Morris is something of a travel expert, having spent the better part of her working life travelling around Australia’s far flung landscape. Here she shares the best and worst of her adventures with Steve Madgwick:

Any tawdry back-stage Logies’ goss that you can divulge?

I was only out until about 1am, which is when most of the parties started. My days of hanging out and fanging out are over – I get too excited about sleeping. There’s hardly any gossip anymore anyway because everything is leaked out by selfies.

You are a comedian, writer, actress, presenter etc – how do you describe yourself to people who haven’t met you?

Very down to earth – on every level… Oh, you mean my job description? I just turn up to entertainment, that’s all.

You must be on the road a lot for your various day jobs; do you enjoy travelling?

I do enjoy it – and I don’t travel just for my stand-up work either. I’ve lived in many, many different countries (UK, South Africa, Los Angeles, New Caledonia, Bali, Japan) so I’m not afraid of changing things around, learning about new places.

That sounds like a lot of long-haul flying – how do you handle that?

There are no bad bits of flying for me – except when people think the video in the back of the seat takes i-Phone pointing strength to make it work!

Is there a certain place in Australia that you’ve always wanted to see but haven’t yet?

To be honest, I’m one of the rare Australians who has travelled to the far-flung alcoves of this great nation. But I would like to see The Kimberley in greater detail – more than just the 48-hour turnover we have as performers coming in and out of places.

Need tips, more detail or itinerary ideas tailored to you? Ask AT.

AI Prompt

Is there a place in Australia you’ve been to that you wish you hadn’t – perhaps somewhere where your show didn’t get the best reaction?

I don’t think so. Having toured extensively as a stand-up for the best part of 28 years, I’ve been to so many places but each one brings up a certain kind of joy. Stand-up crowds just want a laugh and they don’t want you to be too up yourself.

All-time favourite place to stay in Australia?

Crowne Plaza at Terrigal (NSW Central Coast). I was a water aerobics instructor there during its early years and staying there makes me know I’m up on my beautiful Central Coast, docking back on my Mother Ship, in maximum luxury.

Where do you get your caffeine fix?

The airport cafes are my favourites – I use them a lot! There’s one place at Sydney airport, Trattoria Prego, that makes a sandwich out of this flaky pastry bread with little seeds on it. I wouldn’t pass through without going directly to it and buying one of those and a coffee.

I heard you were married in Las Vegas – why?

It just sounded fun. Dan’s from the UK and we had three countries where guests would have to come from so Vegas seemed like not only a half way point but a really fun point too. We did it on New Year’s Eve so we just had a massive party. Neither of us are gamblers, though, so I’m still not exactly sure how we ended up in Vegas.

What’s your ultimate holiday nightmare, real or imagined?

I’ve only just lived through it over the Christmas Holidays. I booked a holiday house online that looked amazing on the website. But it was possibly the dirtiest place I’ve ever been in. I couldn’t even turn a lamp off without going to the bathroom to wash my hands afterwards.

How is it travelling with your two young girls?

The girls have been looping around the planet since they were born – they are not going to appreciate their carbon footprint when I tell them the truth later. We have a real system in place, they are so used to flying now – and we don’t drug them! I like to joke when we get on the plane, and see people’s faces glaze over when they see they have to sit near to young kids; I say, “don’t worry, we’re going to drug them". They’re so well behaved after that people just assume we’ve drugged them anyway. It’s the only time they’re really sweet.

Weekly travel news, experiences
insider tips, offers, and more.

Where did young Julia go for school holidays?

Both my parents worked full time so we didn’t go too flash. We would go to my parent’s friend’s place at McMasters Beach (NSW Central Coast). We would pack up the car like we were driving somewhere forever away and then just drive for 10 minutes and then immerse ourselves in Central Coast beach life. Those were the best holidays ever. Laugh, eat and get out on the beach!

How do rate Melbourne (since moving there last year for House Husbands) against some of the other cities you’ve lived in: Sydney, LA etc?

I never rate my cities against each other – because it allows me to have full love for every single city. I can’t turn my back on my own city though; every time I fly into Sydney, over that sexy old coat hanger, it makes me think “ohh, my city!". But now Melbourne is my city too – every city we live in we embrace like locals, as soon as possible.

What’s the tackiest souvenir you’ve ever bought?

I have a special gift in tacky souvenirs. I have a salt and pepper shaker which is a woman’s bust – it’s amazing. But there’s no such things as tacky – if it gives you joy and reminds you of a place then there’s always room for it in your home.

Absolute travel splash-out in Australia (time and money no object)?

The full top half, from Cairns and Port Douggy, all the way over to, and including and tickling, Broome. Just pop into Katherine, get Darwin involved, especially the wave machine pool.

That’s a long way – will you be doing the driving?

No, I think I’d have to be in some kind of a private plane situation, wouldn’t I. Never been in one but that’s how I see it.

Want to see more stories from Australian Traveller in your Google search results?

  1. Click here to set Australian Traveller as a preferred source.
  2. Tick the box next to "Australian Traveller". That's it.
hero media

Art, wine & fireplaces: 8 reasons Bowral is the ultimate winter getaway

(Credit: Destination NSW)

    Carla Grossetti Carla Grossetti
    The Southern Highlands earns its title as Australia’s top country town in the cooler months, and it’s worth every minute of the 90-minute drive from Sydney.

    Many Sydneysiders head to the Southern Highlands in spring for the tulips. It’s one of the most stunning spring carnivals in Australia. But the ones in the know come to Bowral in winter.

    The first thing you notice at this time of year is the quality of the light. It catches the tangled limbs of the gums and tints the fields, farms and forests a pretty shade of Granny Smith green. And then, a world-class art museum, an impressive network of walking trails, great shops, cosy restaurants and bars and luxury accommodation take centre stage, making Bowral a place you want to linger as the mercury drops.

    Just 90 minutes south of Sydney, a Bowral winter getaway is the coolcation city folk desperately need. Here are eight reasons to pack a good coat and head for the Southern Highlands.

    1. Check in

    aerial of Ardour Milton Park Bowral in winter
    Check in to the gorgeous Ardour Milton Park Bowral. (Credit: Destination NSW)

    Ardour Milton Park Bowral rises like a hologram in the hazy green light as you turn onto Horderns Road. A $10 million refurbishment of the grand 1910 estate was completed in early 2026, and the beautifully restored hotel now includes 44 guest rooms washed in sage green, cobalt blue and dusty blush. The dining room at Horderns Restaurant continues with a botanical theme – earthy banquettes, floral touches throughout – and a menu that moves with the seasons.

    After enjoying slow-braised Cowra lamb and a second glass of red, move to the Polo Bar, which has a fireplace and views across the estate gardens. Build a grazing board from the dedicated Charcuterie Room and take it outside while the light lasts. If the sky clouds over, use this as your cue to enjoy a next-level spa experience at Èliva.

    2. Hunt for treasure

    couple exploring Dirty Janes bowral
    Find vintage treasures in Dirty Janes. (Credit: Destination NSW)

    Winter is the perfect season to lose an afternoon inside Dirty Janes Bowral. Over 1600 square metres of covered space houses 90 individual sellers of everything from mid-century furniture to industrial lighting, antique silverware, vintage clothing and objects whose previous lives you can only imagine. Enjoy a bit of off-the-cuff banter with your fellow fossickers in between searching for that must-have military jacket or vintage silk scarf.

    Around the corner, find the Instagram-famous front door of FoundAntiques, though the real finds are deeper inside. Bring cash, wear comfortable shoes and leave some room in the boot.

    kids posing with donald bradman statue in bowral's The Bradman Museum
    Learn about an Aussie legend at The Bradman Museum. (Credit: Destination NSW)

    Ngununggula – meaning ’belonging’ in the language of the Gundungurra First Nations people – is the region’s first dedicated regional gallery, housed inside the sustainably transformed old dairy building at historic Retford Park. The onsite White Cottage Gallery and restored grounds of the former Fairfax estate reward a slow wander. Find a spot to sit in the courtyard filled with rivulets of winter light and enjoy the plaintive call of a currawong carrying across the heritage-listed grounds. It’s one of the best things to do in Bowral.

    Add Bowral Honey Farm for a hands-on harvest experience, then continue into town to the Milk Factory Gallery to admire eclectic works by local artists in a converted industrial space. The Bradman Museum also knocks it out of the park. Australia’s largest dedicated cricket museum sits beside the heritage-listed Bradman Oval, where a young Sir Donald Bradman first picked up a bat.

    4. A taste of France

    table spread at Lucette bowral
    Enjoy a taste of France at Lucette.

    For a taste of France without the airfare, husband-and-wife team Julien and Romy Besnard – of long-loved Franquette Crêperie – have opened Lucette, a French cafe-bistro with Paris-born chef Guillaume Dubois at the helm. Dubois brings serious pedigree from Michelin-starred kitchens in France and Sydney’s former two-hatted Monopole, and it shows. Start your day with pastries for breakfast and bookend it with boeuf bourguignon for dinner. The chocolate mousse, freckled with Guerande Salt, is the kind of dish that will make you feel smug about the decision to drive south. Join the Sydneysiders dressed in charcoal coats, boots and black tights who’ve already worked this out; the whole scene is worthy of splicing it into an Instagram reel.

    Francophiles should also be across Julien’s Bowral Brasserie – led by Frenchman Julien Viel, who also found his way to the Southern Highlands and stayed.

    5. Indulge in a tipple

    Centennial Vineyards bowral in winter
    Spend time amongst the local vines. (Credit: Destination NSW)

    The drive to Centennial Vineyards passes through a beautiful woodland idyll, the countryside a fuzz of green all around. Inside the Barrel Room, a tasting flight of cool-climate pinot noir, chardonnay and reserve shiraz viognier flaunts how well the Southern Highlands does winter.

    This is a region that takes its cool-climate wines seriously, and the pinot noir is one of the stars – a gentle, easy-drinking style with red cherry aromas. Follow your tutored cellar door tasting with another glass of wine in the Terrace Bar, which overlooks the vineyard and manicured grounds.

    6. Blend your own gin

    Millsheds Distillery & Bar
    Pop into Millsheds Distillery & Bar. (Credit: Mattia Panunzio)

    Millsheds Distillery & Bar is somewhat of a local secret. The award-winning small-batch operation produces gin, vodka and liqueurs using Australian botanicals and has picked up silver medals at both the London Spirits Competition and International Wine & Spirit Competition. Beyond the tasting paddle, the hands-on blending masterclass – where you design and leave with two bottles of your own custom gin – is the experience to book, while the terrace bar that wraps around the courtyard is a fine place to settle in afterwards.

    7. Go for a walk at dawn

    Switch your phone off sleep mode and set your alarm to early. Mt Gibraltar rises to 864 metres just east of Bowral’s main street and offers the best views in town. You will pass a raggle-taggle bunch of hikers on the way up to the summit, all making the same quiet pilgrimage into the crisp high-altitude air. On a clear morning, the bony ridges of the ranges come into sharp relief against the light. The return loop takes roughly 90 minutes. A flat white in Bowral tastes considerably better after completing one of the scenic walking trails.

    8. Cosy up by the fireplace

    Aspinalls Whisky Bar & Lounge at the Berida Hotel
    Get cosy in the Berida Hotel’s whiskey bar.

    A cosy bar is the perfect complement to winter in Bowral, and there are a few worth committing to. Aspinalls Whisky Bar & Lounge at the Berida Hotel is built for long, languorous evenings. Take a seat beside the fireplace laden with gnarled logs and work your way through a few whiskies and bar bites like Rangers Valley beef tartare, or salt cod and potato croquettes.

    At Hickory’s within Peppers Craigieburn, well-dressed waiters in denim and leather move quietly between tables, and the cosy fireplace in the adjoining guest lounge attracts an Escape to the Country crowd.

    Start planning your Bowral escape at visitsouthernhighlands.com.au.