hero media

The 8 cosiest places in Mudgee to book on Airbnb

Curl up by the fire at these stylish stays in beautiful, vine-filled Mudgee.

Retreat to the country to unwind among Mudgee’s rural beauty and incredible wineries. Here, in the NSW town and her bucolic surrounds, cooler weather beckons with an array of cosy stays. From generous riverside barns to sweet, woodland cabins and downtown terraces, you’ll find the perfect Airbnb to settle in and warm up.

1. Highgrove Cottage

Highgrove Cottage mudgee airbnb
Relax on the verandah with a drink in hand at Highgrove Cottage. (Image: Airbnb)

You had us at a hot tub on the deck. Add wine, and we’re all in. This hilltop cottage offers 360-degree views across Mudgee, complete with vine-threaded undulations, which you can absorb from that aforementioned hot tub.

But the two-bedroom Highgrove Cottage is also a stylish stay complete with a full kitchen, chic design, cosy touches of timber floors and indoor fireplace, and a separate studio for additional guests. It’s gorgeous inside, but you’ll struggle to draw your eyes from the muted tones of the rural landscape beyond.

Best for: A couple of couples happy to share a hot tub
Location:
 Eurunderee, Mudgee

2. Gawthorne’s Hut

Gawthorne’s Hut mudgee airbnb
Go for a romantic off-grid interlude at the triangular-shaped Gawthorne’s Hut.(Image: Airbnb)

All the way up there for design-led cosiness, this triangular-shaped Gawthorne’s Hut has been voted ‘Best Unique Stay’ by Airbnb’s host awards and has been featured in architecture publications. It’s no surprise this one-bedroom wedge of a stay has snagged so much adoration with its luxe, off-grid design being the stuff of eco-dreams.

While it’s not suitable for kids or infants, it is very suited to cosy lock-ins with a king bed, air-con, kitchenette and floor-to-ceiling windows showcasing sweeping Mudgee valley views.

Best for: Architecture boffins looking for a romantic off-grid interlude
Location:
 Mudgee

3. Wilgowrah Church

Wilgowrah mudgee airbnb
Settle into this 1920s country church turned Airbnb in Mudgee.(Image: Airbnb)

You’ll love going to church in this heritage-listed deconsecrated abode. Keeping true to its original form, but with stylish, modern design updates, this gorgeous 1920s country church has been tenderly restored to welcome couples. Just six kilometres from Mudgee, you’ll be close to town and wineries, while feeling transported to a bygone era.

There’s a cosy fireplace to huddle around as you admire the cathedral-style ceilings and textural brickwork, as well as an outdoor firepit, air-con and full kitchen at your disposal.

Best for: History buffs who like a quiet space.
Location:
 Mudgee

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

AI Prompt

4. Resteasy at Sunset Cabin

Resteasy at Sunset Cabin mudgee airbnb
Resteasy at Sunset Cabin has an outdoor tub to soak in under the stars. (Image: Airbnb)

An almost rustic rural retreat for those looking to deep-dive into their surrounds, Resteasy at Sunset Cabin is a one-bedroom stay that offers all the charm of a bush shack, while ensuring guests are abundantly comfortable.

There’s a claw-foot bathtub outside for soaks under the stars, a firepit, barbecue, coffee machine and electric fireplace. It’s cosiness all wrapped up in corrugated iron walls with mountain views waiting to be revealed in the misty morning.

Best for: Laidback country charm
Location:
 Frog Rock

5. Thistle Hill Mudgee

Thistle Hill mudgee airbnb
Settle into the luxury Thistle Hill Mudgee lodge with your crew. (Image: Airbnb)

Agrarian beauty abounds at this stunning homestead set among pinot noir vines and olive trees. Sleeping six, you can settle into the luxury Thistle Hill Mudgee lodge with your crew and lean into rural living, from catching yabbies in the dam and wandering the 100 acres to sipping morning cups of tea while listening to local birdlife.

In winter, an inviting indoor fireplace crackles into life, and you can huddle around the fire pit come evening, while in summer a private pool beckons for refreshing dips. All this, and you’re just 10 minutes’ drive from Mudgee.

Best for: Groups and families looking to lock in and unwind
Location:
 Mudgee

6. Black Springs

Black Springs mudgee airbnb
Bed down at this bush-surrounded retreat in Black Springs. (Image: Airbnb)

Consider your cabin goals reached at this idyllic, bush-surrounded retreat. Set on 33 acres, Black Springs is located only 10 minutes from Mudgee, but huddled amid tall trees in this charming cottage, you’ll feel wonderfully secluded from the outside world.

Inside the studio, country vibes are well maintained with elegant but sympathetic styling in heritage tones of cool green and warm wood. Snuggle fireside, sink into a warm bath, and watch resident wildlife, such as kangaroos, mooch about from the porch.

Best for: Lumberjack lovers
Location:
 Budgee Budgee

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

7. The Black Shed

Black Shed mudgee airbnb
The rustic-luxe Black Shed presides over a working vineyard. (Image: Airbnb)

Leaning into a rustic-luxe aesthetic, the architecturally designed Black Shed presides over a working vineyard and out to the attention-stealing vistas of Lawsons Creek and Mount Buckaroo. The cosy checklist is all here, from indoor wood-burning fireplace, timber finishes and artful styling, to full-kitchen, bathtub and barbecue.

Sleeping up to five across two bedrooms, you can bring your four-legged friend or children, or both, but do be aware farm animals do free-range on the property. Only five kilometres away from Mudgee, exploring town is a cinch.

Best for: Snug family time
Location:
 Milroy

8. The Gully

The Gully mudgee airbnb
Be surrounded by towering pines at The Gully. (Image: Airbnb)

This hidden away hut is straight from the set of a rom-com, where the protagonists cosy up under the moon in a clawfoot bath, of course. Hemmed by towering pines and gums, and rustically timber-clad, The Gully also has strong Hansel and Gretel overtones.

Inside, however, there’s no wicked witch, just cottage-luxe styling and beautifully restored original features. Stoke the wood-burning fire, enjoy a drink on the porch and make use of the full kitchen.

If you don’t feel like cooking, grazing boxes and breakfast hampers can be arranged. With no wi-fi, all entertainment will be analogue, but that’s all the better for romance, we think.

Best for: Cabin romance
Location:
 Budgee Budgee

For more inspiration, read our ultimate travel guide to Mudgee before you book.

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.
Lara Picone
Working for many of Australia’s top publications, Lara Picone has had the distinct pleasure of writing, editing and curating content about the finer things in life for more than 15 years. Graduating from Macquarie University with a Bachelor of Arts in Communication, her editorial foundation began at Qantas: The Australian Way magazine, before moving on to learn the fast-paced ropes of a weekly magazine at Sunday Magazine and picking up the art of brand curation at donna hay magazine. Pivoting a near-problematic travel lust into a career move by combining it with storytelling and a curious appetite, her next role was as Deputy Editor of SBS Feast magazine and later Online Editor of SBS Food online. She then stepped into her dream job as Editor of Australian Traveller before becoming Online Editor for both International Traveller and Australian Traveller. Now as a freelancer, Lara always has her passport at-the-ready to take flight on assignment for the Australian Traveller team, as well as for publications such as Qantas Magazine, Escape and The Weekend Australian. As ever, her appetite is the first thing she packs.
View profile and articles
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.

    The 8 Cosiest Mudgee Airbnb stays | Australian Traveller