A day trip to the Southern Highlands from Sydney: What to see, eat & do

Just 90 minutes from Sydney, the Southern Highlands feel a world away, with quaint historic towns, stunning waterfalls and hikes, and incredible wineries and restaurants. Follow our day trip guide.

Highlights

Admire spectacular Fitzroy Falls
Taste cool climate wines at boutique vineyards
Savour lunch at Eschalot in Berrima
Shop for antiques at Dirty Janes and books at Bendooley Estate
Learn the story of a cricketing legend

Couple enjoying a day of shopping at Dirty Janes antique market, Bowral

Family looking at cricket museum, Bradman Museum, Bowral

Morning: Walks, waterfalls & local produce 

Get up early to make the most of your day trip to the Southern Highlands. Drive to the tiny village of Burradoo, which is home to the latest outpost of the Three Blue Ducks. Grab some sweet or savoury treats at the artisan Bakehouse to fuel up for the adventures ahead. You can also pick up a loaf of their famous sourdough to take home with you.

Three Blue Ducks, Burradoo - Credit: Kitti Gould

Continue on to Morton National Park and Fitzroy Falls, one of Australia’s most spectacular waterfalls. Plunging more than 80 metres over a cliff into the Kangaroo Valley below, you can admire it from the main lookout or follow short walking tracks to the East Rim and West Rim. Look out for colourful wildflowers in spring and abundant birdlife in the surrounding bushland.

Fitzroy Falls, Kangaroo Valley

After working up an appetite, it’s time to recharge. Make your way to the historic town of Berrima and the PepperGreen Estate cellar door. Their vineyard is on the slopes of nearby Canyonleigh, growing grapes for award-winning cool climate wines like rosé, pinot noir, riesling and tempranillo.

PepperGreen Estate, Berrima

Book in for lunch at Eschalot, one of the region’s best restaurants, where the focus is on locally sourced produce, including herbs and vegetables grown in their own garden. Try the chef's 'feed me' menu, which changes daily and showcases the best flavours of the Southern Highlands.  

Elegant dish made from the freshest and highest quality ingredients at Eschalot restaurant in Berrima, Southern Highlands in the Country NSW

Eschalot, Berrima

Afternoon: Books, antiques & boutiques

Make a pit stop at Bendooley Estate, one of the Southern Highlands most loved vineyards. The estate is home to a beautiful bookshop, housed in a barn that was once a hayshed. Here you will find thousands of new, second-hand, rare and antiquarian books, so allow a little time to browse. Before you leave, pop into the cellar door for a tasting or into the larder to stock up on delicious products like barbecue rubs, salad dressings and jams.  

Bendooley Estate, Berrima

Get back into the car (with your designated driver) and continue 10 minutes west into Bowral. Spend the afternoon exploring some of the lovely boutiques like Bespoke Letterpress, Barbara's Storehouse and HEM. Make sure you pay a visit to Dirty Janes, an incredible antique emporium home to 85 unique vintage sellers, with everything from furniture and homewares to jewellery and clothing on offer.  

Couple browsing for antiques at Dirty Janes antique market in Bowral, Southern Highlands

Dirty Janes, Bowral

Have a wander in Corbett Gardens, a beautiful park in the centre of town. If you’re visiting in September or October, you might be lucky enough to see the incredible display of colourful blooms during the annual Tulip Time Festival. There are over 75,000 tulips and 15,000 annuals on display each year.  

Tulip Time Festival, Bowral

If you’re more into cricket than florals, then check out the Bradman Museum. This state-of-the-art interactive experience was named after Sir Donald Bradman and tells the origins of cricket as well as celebrating the stories and people of the cricket world.  

Bradman Museum, Bowral

Evening: Farewell to the Highlands

Round off a stellar day with dinner at Bistro Sociale, an elegant French-inspired restaurant set inside the 1920s Berida Hotel. The chefs use classic European techniques paired with exceptional local produce to create a menu that’s both rustic and refined. Sit out on the terrace on a warm summer night or get a table by the roaring fire in winter.

Bistro Sociale, Bowral - Credit: Bistro Sociale

Getting there

From Sydney it’s an easy 1.5-hour drive to Bowral and one hour and 40 minutes to Bundanoon on the M31 motorway. The train from Central Station to Bowral takes one hour and 50 minutes, though keep in mind our day trip itinerary is planned around having a car for the day.

If you want to travel without a car, then you can easily travel between Bowral and Bundanoon by train and there are buses between Bowral and Berrima. In order to visit wineries, it’s a good idea to book an organised tour as many of these are located outside the towns.