With endearing villages, country landscapes, delicious food, and history and culture on tap, the Southern Highlands is the perfect base for a weekend escape.
From the quaint antique-lined streetscapes and honey farms of Bowral to the cool-climate wineries of Berrima, the NSW Southern Highlands abounds in country delights. The best part? The region is located just 1.5 hours from Sydney by car and less than two from Canberra, making an easy weekend escape for friends, families and couples.
Even though I pass through often, I never seem to run out of reasons to stop and explore what’s new – or still charmingly old.
New and OG things to do
The new Burradoo Park Farm. (Credit: Destination NSW)
New on the scene is Burradoo Park Farm, a working regenerative farm founded by Annie Cannon-Brookes, where learning how our food is grown is just as important as eating it. Opened in 2026, the property combines farm tours, hands-on educational experiences and a choice of Three Blue Ducks venues: The Farmhouse cafe and store, The Bakehouse and elevated paddock-to-plate restaurant Three Blue Ducks, in a restored 200-year-old farmhouse. Save room for the unexpectedly delicious gelati and sorbets championing vegetables as key ingredients.
Retford Park is a step back in time, another grand country estate adjoining Milton Park and built by Hordern’s father, Samuel; its Victorian Italianate homestead dates back to 1887. Newspaper heir James Fairfax bought the property in 1964 and transformed it into a gentleman’s estate, painting the exterior its signature ‘Portuguese Pink’, adding a striking Modernist pool pavilion and filling it with extraordinary art and antiques. In 2016, he gifted the estate to the National Trust. He’s still there, his ashes buried alongside some of his beloved dogs.
Hamish Ta-mé reveals the secrets of honey at Bowral Honey Farm. (Credit: Destination NSW)
Get hands-on with a lesson in honey. (Credit: Destination NSW)
And learn all about honey harvesting. (Credit: Destination NSW)
At Retford Park I meet Hamish Ta-mé, founder of Bowral Honey Farm and a beekeeper for more than 45 years, to learn about his industrious pollinators. Kitted out in protective white suits that suggest pandemic thriller (except for the open-mesh face masks), our group gets hands-on with the hives before tasting six different honeys, pressing each against our palates to discover how much the landscape influences what ends up on our toast.
Meals are made with organic produce at Hearth by Moonacres. (Credit: Moonacres)
Ngununggula, the Southern Highlands Regional Art Gallery, is here, too – it opened in 2021, but was 30 years in the making. Located in the estate’s former dairy with a modern pavilion added, the metal train tracks embedded in the floor give a glimpse of the building’s bovine history. New interior walls are set apart from the original brickwork, leaving the heritage fabric visible and creating additional display space. The gallery curates five exhibitions each year, but check your timing as it closes for two weeks for changeovers. Afterwards, Hearth by Moonacres next door is the perfect place to debrief over baked goods or a hearty meal, made using organic produce from Moonacres Farm in Robertson.
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Where to wine and dine
Berrima is home to cool-climate wineries such as Bendooley Estate. (Credit: Destination NSW)
At Bendooley Estate in Berrima, one of the many cool-climate wineries in the area, we stop for lunch beside the vines, trying the moreish blue swimmer crab linguine and beef brisket croquettes, all washed down with the estate’s own nebbiolo. After, I browse the shelves of the iconic Berkelouw Book Barn under its cathedral ceilings, discovering everything from contemporary titles and modern classics to antiquarian treasures and rare editions.
Experience a slice of France at Lucette. (Credit: Destination NSW)
Tucked down an arcade off Bowral’s main drag lives a little touch of France: Lucette. Opened in late 2025, this bustling, light-filled cafe-meets-bistro has the locals on board, dishing up sophisticated European dishes with sleek service. It’s the latest venture from the team behind Franquette Creperie over the road and one of the best restaurants in Bowral. If you can’t fit in dessert, try a Paris-style hot chocolate or the Cafe Gourmand, comprising a trio of small French sweet treats and coffee to finish.
The best places to shop
Get a hit of retail therapy at Dirty Janes. (Credit: Destination NSW)
For retro finds and antiques, Dirty Janes emporium and The Bronte Train are stacked with eclectic finds, and Lydie Du Bray’s new location at Welby brims with European antiques. Timeless Fashion & Furniture, a fundraising initiative of the Southern Highlands Community Hospice, is a world of chic vintage.
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Stay at the new Ardour Milton Park
Ardour Milton Park’s revamp includes the stylish Polo Bar. (Credit: Paul Bamford)
Ardour Milton Park Bowral offers a range of spa services at Èliva. (Credit: Paul Bamford)
Find refined dining
at Horderns Restaurant in Ardour Milton Park Bowral. (Credit: Destination NSW)
I could spend days getting lost in the Edwardian gardens of Milton Park, a sprawling 10-hectare country estate on the outskirts of Bowral on Gundungurra Country. Massive elms and Australia’s oldest weeping beeches shade lawns while meandering paths lead through towering rhododendrons and manicured hedges to a sunken garden. But this isn’t just a garden; there’s a wellness sanctuary over yonder, just next to the tennis court, and a swimming pavilion not far away.
The elegant Federation-era home at its heart – which was built in the early 1900s as a country retreat for Anthony Hordern, of historic department-store fame – is now a refined hotel. Recently relaunched as Ardour Milton Park Bowral after an impressive $10 million refurbishment, it’s where I now get to indulge my highfalutin fantasies of being part of the landed gentry, even if only for a few days.
Hotel guests and day visitors can dine at Horderns Restaurant to savour local produce elevated by classic techniques, or book into Èliva Bowral for a spa treatment.
Linger over a meal at Horderns Restaurant. (Credit: Destination NSW)
Rates start from $539 for a night in a Garden Terrace Room, including breakfast for two and access to lounges, the gym, swimming pool, tennis courts and gardens.
There’s too much to squeeze into one weekend, but no matter. I need an excuse to play lady of the manor again soon.
How to get to the Southern Highlands
The Southern Highlands are a 1.5-hour drive from Sydney and less than two hours from Canberra. Driving is the fastest way to get there and makes it easier to get around, though good public transport options are available, too. NSW TrainLink operates regional coaches departing from Sydney’s Central Station to Bowral Station and take between two and three hours. You can also take a direct train from Central Station to Bowral Station or Moss Vale on the Southern Highlands Line (roughly 1.5 hours).
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Christine Aldred is a travel writer and avid wanderer. She loves delving under the surface of places she visits to uncover their histories, tales and culinary highlights, and sharing the finds. She’s somewhat obsessive about taking photos, is a chronic over-packer and spends way too much time online.
The Artesian Spa Capital of Australia offers the perfect destination to escape the grind and reset.
The world moves more slowly in Moree, and that’s how it should be. Here, country charm and heritage buildings fill the town’s wide streets. While the surrounding farmland mixes with lush riverways to create a fascinating landscape.
But the biggest pull? Moree is known as the Artesian Spa Capital of Australia. It’s truly a place to slow down and disconnect, all an easy train ride from Sydney.
Soak in Moree’s artesian water
Dive in to Moree’s artesian waters.
Moree is not your typical wellness retreat, replacing pretence with casual and easy. Blessed to be sitting above the Great Artesian Basin, it feeds the town (and surrounding villages) with hot, mineral-rich water. Loaded with minerals like calcium, magnesium, potassium and sulphur, this water is believed to help with skin health, joint function and tissue repair.
And the town’s crown jewel, Moree Artesian Aquatic Centre, has reopened after extensive upgrades. This state-of-the-art aquatic centre offers accessible facilities with multiple artesian baths of varying temperatures between 38 and 41°C.
Feel like exploring a little further? About an hour’s drive from Moree, the village of Boomi also offers public access to this same artesian water. Pop into Boomi Artesian Pool to make the most of a 25-metre cold pool, a wading pool and a hot artesian spa pool.
Just an hour west of Boomi, you’ll also find Mungindi Hot Artesian Pool, another relaxing place to rejuvenate for the afternoon in the mineral-rich water.
Moree’s best stays
Stay right by Moree Artesian Aquatic Centre.
There are several motels within walking distance of the aquatic centre, so you linger longer in its therapeutic waters. A day pass not enough? Really soak in the benefits of Moree at three local stays with their own artesian baths.
Gwydir Thermal Pools Resort boasts five artesian pools for motel and caravan park guests, ranging in soothing temperatures from 34 to 39 degrees. And that includes a 25-metre lap pool.
The Phoenix, Artesian Spa Resort & Accommodation features outdoor artesian thermal pools and six indoor artesian spas, all 34 to 42°C, plus regular pools for guests staying in their accommodations.
While the Artesian Spa Motel matches 46 comfortable budget rooms set across five acres of landscaped grounds, with direct access (for guests) to its own natural artesian hot thermal pool.
Moree’s location at the crossroads of the Newell and Gwydir Highways makes it the ideal resting place for those road tripping through country NSW. With plenty of accommodation options, including farm stays, quaint bed and breakfasts and affordable motels.
Delving into nature around Moree
Find plenty of natural beauty in and around Moree. (Credit: Destination NSW)
Beyond the baths, find calm in Moree’s nature. Soak up the impressive Gwydir River from the peaceful Tareelaroi Weir Recreation Area. Popular with locals, this scenic spot is perfect for fishing, kayaking and picnics. Delve into local history at the Terry Hie Hie Picnic Area – a significant Gamilaroi cultural site. The picnic area is still used today as a ceremonial gathering ground, with educational signage sharing the history of the Gamilaroi People and the mission which used to reside here in the early 20th Century. Follow the Yana-y Warruwi Walking Track to explore the area’s box pine forest.
Combine nature and culture at the Jellicoe Park Open Spaces Aboriginal Art Trail along the scenic Mehi River Walk. Find artworks from local Indigenous artists across a range of different mediums, like carved logs, engraved and painted sandstone and scar tree paintings.
A taste of Moree
Sit down for a tasty meal after a game of golf. (Credit: Destination NSW)
Taste the best of local cafes as you wander past the Art Deco architecture of Moree’s tree-lined main streets. Join the locals each morning at Brooker Trading Co as they line up for their morning java. Stay for classic breakfast dishes like eggs benedict and Dutch pancakes, or arrive later in the day for a hearty lunch menu. Inside a gorgeous Art Deco building, 61 Balo is another tasty breakfast option, with pet-friendly service. The recently renovated Cafe Omega is another popular stop for fresh, hearty meals – the chicken burger is a particular crowd pleaser – all served with a smile.
Get inspired as you wander the CBD’s Mural Trail, stopping at some of Moree’s six art galleries along the way. Bank Art Museum is a must-see, housed in the town’s heritage bank building and home to a collection of First Nations art, plus a changing calendar of touring exhibitions.
Step inside the gorgeous Bank Art Museum Moree. (Credit: Destination NSW)
Get active with a round on the beautiful riverside course at Moree Golf Club (and refuel afterwards at the delicious onsite restaurant) or a game of bowls at Moree Services Club’s state-of-the-art facility. Visit on the last weekend of September to join (or watch) Run the Plains, Moree’s annual two-day running festival.
Known as ‘white gold’ country, Moree is Australia’s most productive agricultural region. Visit from April to September to join a cotton farm tour and get to know one of Moree’s major exports.
However long you choose to stay, there’s plenty to soak in around Moree.
