area profile towns & villages |
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Towns and Villages
Bowral
Nestled in the shadow of Mt Gibraltar, Bowral is the commercial centre of the Southern Highlands. Founded in the 1860’s is soon became a summer retreat for wealthy Sydney residents who have left a legacy of stately mansions and spacious grounds of manicured gardens containing European deciduous and evergreen trees, exotic plants and flowering annuals.
Tulip Time, held every September/October is one of Australia’s leading floral festivals. Corbett Gardens, located in the centre of town boast a huge array of Tulips and colourful springtime bulbs, shrubs and trees. At this time of the year many local private gardens are open to the public including Milton Park (reputed to be one of the best gardens in the world). The area is blessed with an English climate with four distinct seasons. The colours of Autumn and Spring are spectacular and attract large numbers of visitors particularly on weekends.
Bowral was cricketing legend Sir Donald Bradman’s home-town. The Bradman Museum situated on Bradman Oval is the showpiece of the Highlands sporting venues and has been host to international competition.
Mittagong
Gateway to the Southern Highlands from Sydney. Historically Mittagong was the first settlement in the District. Iron was first smelted here. The Joadja Kerosene Shale, Box Vale Coal Mine, and the first supply of fresh milk and butter to Sydney by the Fresh Food & Ice Co. All these enterprises operated out of Mittagong in bygone days.
Today the town invites you to explore it’s history, scenery, small waterfalls, bushwalks and its famed "Waratah" flowering in November. Enjoy a picnic at peaceful Lake Alexandra, feed the ducks and take a peaceful stroll around the Lake - no more than 250 metres from Mittagong’s Main Street.
Moss Vale
This is the first major town when arriving in the Southern Highlands from the South, on the main Southern Railway Line with direct access to the South Coast via the Illawarra Highway. Lush pastures surround the town. Rural holding in the area specialising in dairy herds mainly Holstein Friesian, a variety of beef studs and sheep properties. Weekly cattle sales are held in the modern indoor Council Saleyard Complex. Leighton Gardens, a magnificent park in the centre of Moss Vale’s Main Street is one of the District’s highlights - a pleasure to visit and relax in. Moss Vale Golf Course is considered one of the best country courses in New South Wales, with an 18 Hole Championship layout.
Berrima
Berrima is the much loved small colonial town which is a living example of early colonial architecture dating back to the 1830’s. Built around the idea of an “English Village Common” Berrima today captivates all who visit. Here you will find many businesses housed in superb colonial architecture that are a pleasure to pursue. Craft shops, antiques, galleries, nurseries, produce stores, eateries, restaurants, coffee shops and much, much more ensure that Berrima is a “must-see” destination for all the family.
Robertson
Sitting at the top of the Macquarie Pass, Robertson; The Green Heart of The Southern Highlands is also the Eastern Gateway to the Southern Highlands from Wollongong, the Illawarra, the Coast and Sydney for those coming down the eastern coastline. An incredible site to behold, the 180 KLM long winding escarpment stands majestically between the coastal plain and the mountainous highlands. Almost always green, Robertson's landscape of rolling hills and livestock filled paddocks makes the home of the movie 'Babe' a wonderful place to visit. Scenic drives that can include the breathtaking Belmore Falls, Carrington Falls, and Fitzroy Falls make it popular with visitors who use it as a holiday destination or a stopover during extended tours. The rich red soil of the area has made it the largest potato growing area in New South Wales.
Villages
The atmosphere, character and old world charm of the villages which surround the major towns create an aura of peace, tranquillity and seclusion in the quaint country lanes, rolling hills, mist, birds and trees allowing one to reflect on the more leisurely pace of bygone days.
Yerrinbool
With a population of under 2,ooo, Yerrinbool is one of the smaller villages of the Southern Highlands.
Sutton Forest
In 1819, Governor Macquarie decided that there should be a permanent settlement in the south so he granted land to nine other settlers besides Charles Throsby. Six men accepted these grants including 70 year old Charles Wright and settled on land four miles from Throsby Park. Macquarie himself named Sutton Forest while visiting the district in 1820. Today many of the old buildings, cottages and homes of the last century can still be viewed. These include All Saints Church, and the Public School.
Exeter
7 km north of Bundanoon and 720 m above sea-level, is a quiet highlands settlement which is known as 'Little England' because of its trees, private gardens and climate. Apart from a gold mine, which operated in the 1880s, the main industry - and the one which did so much to transform the appearance of the village - was horticultural nurseries. The famous firms of Yates, and Searles, had extensive seed-raising nurseries on both sides of the railway line from the 1890s. Between them these companies provided the majority of the seed stock used by farmers and gardeners in the cities for many years.
Bundanoon
This village is the southern gateway to the 130,000 hectare Morton National Park which features numerous scenic walks and picnic spots, breathtaking views and waterfalls, magnificent sunsets, an abundance of native flora and fauna and for the truly adventurous, the nocturnal delights of Glow Worm Glen. Each year in April, Bundanoon become “Brigadoon” for a day, hosting one of the largest highland gatherings in New South Wales. It is a non-stop day of Scottish entertainment - massed pipe bands, highland games and dancing, culminating in several Ceilidh spread around the area. This picturesque gem of the Southern Highlands has retained all the charm of days gone by and “as a health restorer or a place of recreation it cannot be surpassed”.
Penrose
A small village with a General Store and Country Supplies. Penrose State Forest is a great place for walks and drives. The Sunnataram Forest Monastery in Teudt's Lane is worth a visit and across the road is a protea farm. Also, there's the famous Sylvan Glen Guest House and Golf Course.
Wingello
Located between the villages of Penrose and Tallong, Wingello offers a General Store and the Wingello State Forest. There's the opportunity for walks and drives through the forest, and there's also the occasional antique auction or an art show at the Village Hall in the centre of the village.
Fitzroy Falls
Fitzroy Falls is a small settled area found in Morton National Park in the southern highlands of New South Wales. It is named after the 81 metre waterfall which has good bushwalks and excellent facilities.The falls flow into the Kangaroo River which winds its way to the beautiful Kangaroo Valley.
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