| Southern Highlands & South Coast Contrasts | Short Escape
 This short break offers dramatic contrasts - from the rolling green hills and picturesque towns of the Highlands to the delightful beaches and pounding surf of the nearby South Coast.
Take the Hume Highway (Route 31) out of Sydney and travel southwest to Mittagong. Known as the ‘Gateway to the Southern Highlands’, this is also the access point for spectacular Wombeyan Caves. The Southern Highlands offers rolling green countryside, a pleasantly cool climate and a collection of quaint villages.
The highlight of genteel Bowral is the excellent Bradman Museum, which showcases both cricket and the legend, and the town is full of cafes and crafts shops. From here, take a journey back in time to delightful 1820s Berrima, where you can visit historic buildings, ride on a Cobb & Co stagecoach, and shop for arts, crafts and antiques. Moss Vale, Sutton Forest, Exeter, Bundanoon and Robertson (where filming for "Babe" took place) are some of the other charming Highlands towns and villages.
Before heading towards the coast, call in at the Morton National Park Visitor Centre at Fitzroy Falls, from where you can take some short bushwalks, then head down the steep winding road to the lush dairy-farming region of Kangaroo Valley. The Pioneer Settlement Reserve here is worth a look, and you can hire canoes or take a swim in the river.
At the historic town of Berry, join the Princes Highway and travel to Kiama. The town is famous for its blowhole, but Kiama also has some excellent beaches, cafes and waterside strolls. Beyond here, turn off the highway to visit the lush green world of the Minnamurra Rainforest Reserve before driving to Wollongong, where there’s plenty to see and do! For the most scenic route back to Sydney, take the coast road from Wollongong to Stanwell Park - where you will be rewarded with superb views back down the coast.
Where to Stay
Time required: 2-3 days minimum | | |
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