NSW -Southern Highlands Tips, Accomodation
 

We are planning to spend about 2 or 3 nights in the Southern Highlands at the end of October / first week of November after being in Canberra . We will have a car and will be driving back to Melbourne .

We have been to the Highlands before but only on day trips from Sydney and not in our own car .This way any purchases can be easily loaded up .

I particularly liked Berrima .The haberdashery shop there , the name of which I cannot recall , was simply extraordinairy and I intend to go back and marvel at its stock .I also really liked browsing the antique shops and galleries .

I would be very pleased to receive - any suggestions about places to see / visit ;and
recommendations for accomodation ;and
restaurants / places to eat whether for breakfast ,lunch or dinner .

We like good quality accomodation but are not locked into any price range for this trip as it is so short .

Thanks .

John

Be sure to stop in Goulburn and see the Big Merino (sheep)!! LOL
If you were going to Narooma I'd have a few reccs, but not the highlands. That's NeilOz's territory, so he should be jumping in soon.
Sally in Seattle

Hi JohnFitz,


Bowral has some lovely "Country Manor/ Country House" accommodation options. I've not stayed in any of these for some years as I have friends in Bowral, but have a look at :

Milton Park - www.milton-park.com
The restaurant here "Hordern's" gets 14/20 in the Good Food Guide this year.

Links House - www.linkshouse.com.au
(Adjacent to Royal Bowral Golf course).

Peppers Manor House - (Sutton Forest) http://www.peppers.com.au/Manor-House.
Their Restaurant, "Katers" scores 14/20 in the current SMH Good Food Guide.

Berida Manor used to be good, but it's looking a bit tired on its website. http://www.beridamanor.com.au

The Briars - between Bowral & Moss Vale. An old Inn, now has separate accommodation and a good bistro style restaurant. It's a nice casual place for a bite. http://briars.com.au/

Berrima:

There used to be a really good restaurant in Berrima - The Journeyman. It closed at the end of June and a new one is opening in Bowral - might be open when you get there, I think they were aiming for late September.

Eschalot - www.eschalot.com.au (15/20) reads well.

There's a wonderful bookshop just outside Berrima:
www.berkelouw.com.au/about/berrima

I'll ask my friends about some restaurant recommendations for you -they're closer to the scene as I don't get down there often enough these days - and you know how quickly places & people in the hospitality industry can change.

... and my friends have recommended these in the "eatery" category (and endorsed The Links & Milton Park as good accommodation venues).

Bowral: The Elephant Boy Cafe
www.elephantboycafes.com

Mittagong: Esco Pazzo
http://www.thesouthernhighlands.com....ng/restaurants

Berrima: The Magpie Cafe
www.magpiecafe.com.au

We had a great lunch the other day in a cafe called "Bite me" in Moss Vale - on the Bowral road.

Many thanks,as that is all wonderful information . I shall enjoy following it up and will keep you posted after the excursion .

Funny you mention Milton Park as friends we stay with in Sydney and who own Simpsons of Potts Point , bought ( years ago ) Samuel Horderns Silver Ghost Rolls Royce circa 1910 and have a photo of it in front of the house at the time he imported it to Australia . It is the most extraordnairy car and they have driven it across the Gobi Desert and other rallys around the world .

Hi Bokhara2,

Don't suppose you have any reccos for cheap places to stay? Pubs with rooms, perhaps?

Hi afterall,

There are quite a few motels, caravan parks, cabins etc throughout the towns of the Southern Highlands. You might find something suitable here:

http://www.thesouthernhighlands.com..../accommodation

Can't make any recommendations as I mostly stay with friends in Bowral or Moss Vale.