Phoebe Burgess’ guide to the NSW Southern Highlands
With stunning art hotels, culinary gems and designer boutiques to explore, Bowral local Phoebe Burgess says there’s much more to the NSW Southern Highlands than high tea and tweed.
For Phoebe Burgess, leaving the hectic pace of Sydney for the NSW Southern Highlands felt like “taking a deep breath in”.
“The decision to move here permanently on the brink of the pandemic, with my two babies, Poppy who is 6 and Billy who’s 4, has been by far the most life altering decision I’ve made for our little family,” she explains.
The journalist and podcast host has roots in this picturesque region. Her parents settled in Bowral more than a decade ago, and she now lives just a few minutes up the road from their estate.
Burgess still regularly makes the two-hour commute to Sydney for work, but always looks forward to returning to the peace and calm of her new home.
“It’s the same feeling every time I turn off the M5 or drive through the gates of our family property,” she says. “As soon as you hit that fresh, clean air, the world slows down a little and I’m home.”
While it still retains a quaint, country feel, Burgess says thanks to a recent influx of young professionals and families, the Southern Highlands is shaking off its stiff, “tweed jacket” persona.
“While the impression is that we’re all scones and high tea … this part of the world has grown from its former stereotype of being a retirement location to an area filled with character, creatives and a mix of old and new – it’s a place where traditional values meets the aspiration of young people chasing a dream and building their families,” she says.
Not that Burgess is opposed to a bit of tweed, especially in winter, when artfully layered with a pair of Slvrlake jeans and a Bassike trench.
With the scent of wood smoke in the air and crisp mornings, wintertime is arguably the best time to explore the towns and countryside which make up the southern region, located West of Lake Illawarra and Shellharbour.
Burgess takes us through her favourite things to do and places to eat, shop and stay in the Southern Highlands.
Stay
“There are hidden gems all over the highlands when it comes to places to stay,” Burgess says.
While there are ample options for those looking for a more traditional hotel or motel stay, the best way to experience highlands hospitality is by staying in one of the myriad bed and breakfasts and boutique stays dotted throughout the shire.
The area has also recently welcomed some exciting new hospitality additions, most notably Osborn House in Bundanoon and Berrima Vault House.
The former, which opened last year, has become the go-to destination for harried Sydneysiders looking for a contemporary country retreat with all the luxury trimmings, including a heated indoor pool which overlooks the Shoalhaven River escarpment.
The latter, a member’s club founded in 2021 at the site of Berrima’s historic Taylor’s Crown Inn, is best known for its food and drink offerings but also features a beautifully appointed three-bedroom residence which sleeps five.
Further south, in the charming village of Moss Vale, Burgess suggests a stay at Moss Manor, a Georgian-style property converted into an eight-room art hotel.
For larger groups and families wanting space to relax, she recommends Wetheral House by The Highland Merchant; a renovated four-bedroom house with a sprawling backyard. “It’s also a tastefully cosy bridal prep location, offering the perfect backdrop to any photo moment,” the mum-of-two adds.
Shop
Take a scroll through Burgess’s Instagram account and you’ll soon understand why the former magazine columnist is an authority on the Southern Highlands’ retail landscape. She’s on a first name basis with every fashion store owner in Bowral (the largest township in the region), and has an encyclopaedic knowledge of where to source the best vintage treasures, new season designer wares and gifts.
If you’re planning to make a day of it, Burgess suggests starting on Bong Bong Street, Bowral’s retail epicentre, preferably with a warm, caffeinated beverage from Nick’s. “It’s a very chic hole in the wall coffee moment,” she says. From there it’s a short stroll to Arkke, a store Burgess likes for its range of “neutral and one-of-a-kind pieces from brands around the world”. The South Store, just a few doors up, is another of her top fashion picks.
“This is where I go if I’m heading into an event like Fashion Week for pulling pieces and looks together from a myriad of established and fashion forward brands,” she explains. Anine Bing, Bassike and “the up-and-coming New York bag brand every mum-on-the-move needs”, Naghedi NYC, are some of the store’s notable brands, as well as Slvrlake, Burgess’s favourite new denim label.
For vintage finds, she suggests heading next door to explore Dirty Janes, a maze-like antique market brimming with collectible fashion and furniture.
Wyldestone, the town’s newest fashion offering located on nearby Station Street, is also worth a visit.
Founded by fashion photographer Chris Mohen and his partner Ally Wylde, the store “store fills a gap in the highlands fashion space when it comes to the always on trend uber minimalist chic living,” Burgess says.
“Oh, and it’s set in a huge and very photo worthy wrought iron shed. Very Bowral.”
Eat
You’ll need to arrive early at The Press Shop Bowral, one of Burgess’s favourite brunch spots, on the weekend if you want to score a table. “This is where you’ll find the longest line on a Saturday mid-morning,” the Under The Gloss host says.
“Our family have known the owner Jake as long as we’ve been living here, he’s even kindly worked our weddings – and he’s created the place to be with an exciting menu and gorgeous space.”
The Highlands Merchant is another top brunch pick and an ideal spot for catching up with friends. It also boasts a glass display case brimming with delectable pastries and savoury bites, which are so tasty it would be almost criminal to visit without buying a couple for the road. For bread, Moonacres Kitchen in the scenic town of nearby Robertson is also so good it’s worth travelling for, Burgess adds.
A slow lunch is de rigueur on weekends in the Highlands. In summer, they’re spent alfresco, but in wintertime, afternoons are whiled away indoors, preferably by an open fireplace.
With its paddock to plate, slow food philosophy, Mount Ashby Estate’s French-inspired café La Palette has all the trappings of a perfect winter long lunch spot. Kick things off with a charcuterie selection, followed by the twice-cooked gruyere cheese souffle and don’t miss the dessert, which includes lavender crème brulee and apple tarte tartin.
“Another long lunch must is Bendooley Estate,” Burgess adds. “We’ve spent many a long lunch celebrating birthdays, babies, engagements on this stunning property.”
You can’t spend a weekend in the area without having at least one pub meal, says Burgess. The best way to experience the pub culture, she continues, is by visiting the smaller villages such as Bundanoon, Berrima and Burrawang.
“The highlands is a collection of villages each with their own identity, so try to take an evening drive while there’s still light to really capture their magic and personalities,” she suggests. “So much of their charm and character has remained intact even as the area grows.”
For a white tablecloth occasion, Eschalot in Berrima is her firm favourite. Located in one of Berrima’s most charming sandstone cottages, the fine dining restaurant is somewhat of an institution in the small town. In winter, aromas from the outdoor Argentinian barbecue mingle with the garden’s fragrant herbs, offering clues to the farm-to-table dishes chef Matt Roberts is preparing for the day’s service.
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