It’s easy to see what made the Southern Highlands such a sought-after destination for early European settlers. Compared to the rough-and-ready colony established in Sydney, the Highlands offered a gentler landscape and more temperate climate; all in all, the region powerfully evoked colonists’ European homes. Blessed with fertile soils as well, the Southern Highlands became an important agricultural region in the nineteenth century and it soon boasted a sizable population spread across a number of towns - including Bowral, Moss Vale, Mittagong and Bundanoon - and villages such as Berrima and Exeter. By the 1860s, the much anticipated rail line between Sydney and the Southern Highlands had opened. The Southern Highlands became an increasingly popular destination for Sydney-siders seeking a refuge from the city. Arguably, little has changed. The Southern Highlands remains one of the most picturesque regions in New South Wales and continues to serve as a haven for those seeking relief from city life.

It’s difficult to think of another region in NSW that offers the range of property available across the Highlands. The towns of Bowral, Mittagong, Moss Vale, Bundanoon, Berrima, Exeter and Robertson all contain some extraordinarily fine examples of period architecture that range in size and scale. Freestanding Victorian cottages, Californian bungalows and Federation mansions are all located in the region, as are great range of contemporary architect designed homes. While the region has a significant number of prestige properties, it also offers many opportunities for people seeking their first homes and a number of new residential estates have been established in the region in recent years.

In some parts of regional NSW you’re hard pressed to find fine food. Fortunately the opposite is true of the Southern Highlands. Bowral is one of the key regional centres for food lovers as it offers a huge range of cafés, patisseries and restaurants. More broadly, a wide range of cuisines are represented throughout the towns and villages of the Highlands. It’s hard to pick favourites, but when it comes to selecting a venue that will impress out-of-towners, then consider Peppers Manor House at Sutton Forest or Ranleagh at Robertson. It serves a deluxe high tea with silver service. Of course, the Highlands also have an abundance of wineries that offer cellar door wine tasting and sales. Both and Centennial Vineyards and Southern Highland Wineries come highly recommended.

Families with school aged children have excellent educational opportunities in the Southern Highlands. Public primary schools are located throughout the district - some have been educating local children for over 100 years. Both Bowral and Moss Vale are home to public secondary schools. There’s also a proud record of independent schooling in the region. There are numerous Catholic schools catering to primary school students such as St Michaels Mittagong, St Thomas Aquinas Bowral and St Pauls Moss Vale. A number of independent secondary schools have attracted international students; Chevalier College; Frensham Girls’ School; St Pauls International College and Oxley College among them. A TAFE campus is located in Moss Vale, as is a campus of Wollongong University.

The Southern Highlands has a rich cultural history and the region is filled with significant landmarks. Some of NSW’s most impressive colonial and Victorian architecture can be found here, with Berrima recognised as the best-preserved Georgian township on the Australian mainland. People are also drawn to the Highlands by its stunning natural landscape which includes rugged heathland and rare temperate rainforest, some of which is preserved in Morton National Park.

The Southern Highlands offers superb shopping. The rule that applies to the region’s residential districts also applies to its retail precincts: that’s quality, quality and more quality. Bowral’s main street epitomises the kind of shopping experience you’ll find throughout the Highlands. It’s filled with boutiques, delicatessens and specialty stores. You can also find plenty of shops that provide you with essential items. All the major supermarkets - Woolworths, IGA, Harris Farm, Aldi and Big W operate – and larger items are also available from Harvey Norman, Good Guys, Dick Smith, Adairs, Vast Furniture, Fantastic Furniture and Bed Shed. Given locals’ love of their gardens, it’s no surprise that thee are plenty of gardening shops and nurseries. Numerous towns in the Highlands function as service hubs, offering post offices, banks and the like.

The spectacular natural environment of the Southern Highlands presents incomparable opportunities for sport, fitness and recreation and many people head to local parks and bushland to walk, jog and run. Locals and visitors also sing the praises of the Illawarra Fly Treetop Walk. It’s a 500 metre long, 25 metre high elevated tree top walk that takes you into temperate rainforest while offering you views out to the Pacific. Of course, two of NSW’s most unspoilt rivers flow through the Southern Highlands; the Wingecaribee and Wollondilly flow through the western part of the region and provide amazing opportunities for canoeing, kayaking and fishing. Swimmers have a number of options, with pools located in Bowral, Mittagong and Moss Vale. Netball, softball, basketball, hockey, cricket, tennis, rugby and athletics are all played widely in the Highlands and competitions often cater for children as well as adults. Golfers have access to a number of courses, including those at Mittagong, Bowral, Moss Vale, Mount Broughton. There’s a great selection of Pilates, gym and yoga classes in the district. And then there are the spas - locals recommend Solar Springs Health Retreat.

The Southern Highlands are about 100 kilometres from Sydney at its nearest point; it takes approximately 90 minutes to drive to the CBD. Wollongong is about 40 minutes’ drive away and Campbelltown is approximately 40 minutes away as well. The region is served by the Southern Highlands rail line which has stations at Bowral, Burradoo Moss Vale, Mittagong, Bundanoon and Robertson. The line also provides links to Goulbourn, Canberra and Melbourne. Berrima Coaches operates a number of routes to nearby towns and villages and a bus service operating from Bowral provides connections to Nowra, Albion Park and Wollongong.