The Southern Highlands are situated approximately 120 kilometres south west of Sydney. The area centres around the towns of Mittagong, Moss Vale, Berrima, Bowral, Bundanoon, Robertson and Goulburn. It is a place for relaxing, for indulging in some peace and quiet, and heading off on gentle pursuits, brisk country walks, a leisurely browse through antique shops and art galleries, and afternoon tea in front of a crackling log fire. The highlands feature impressive lakes, waterfalls, canyons, forests, limestone caves and some of the finest country gardens in Australia.

A visit to this wonderful area is a must as its cold climate gardens, has become famous in recent years for its Open Gardens. Such gardens are usually open in spring and autumn. However, many also open by arrangements at other times of the year.

The Southern Highlands are a haven for bush walkers. Popular trails include Mount Gibraltar, Mount Alexander, Carrington Falls, the dense Robertson rainforest, and the majestic wilderness of Kangaroo Valley to the south. For sheer spectacle, Fitzroy Falls is hard to beat. Located at the northern tip of the beautiful Morton National Park, this magnificent waterfall cascades over a rugged cliff and crashes into a mass of boulders and thick bush way below. Another natural wonder is Wombeyan Caves, one of the best examples of underground limestone formation in Australia.

The history of the Southern Highlands is found in the quaint villages and buildings dotted across the valleys. The streets of Bowral, Mittagong, Moss Vale and Bundanoon, as well as smaller villages like Berrima and Burrawang, are awash with memorabilia from historic buildings.

The town of Goulburn is situated on the Hume Highway, which is the busiest road between Sydney and Melbourne. Goulburn is the second oldest city in inland Australia and is the centre of a prosperous farming and pastoral region.

Berrima has the famous White Horse Inn With a heritage of 170 years, this famous convict built residence in the heart of historic Berrima offers dining in Georgian splendour in private dining rooms, breakfast, lunch and teas, and facilities for functions, weddings, and conferences.

The Town of Bowral is a very pretty little town and is the home of Sir Donald Bradman and where he spent his childhood. There is a memorial cricket ground as well as the Bradman museum located within the town and it is a must for cricket lovers who visit the area.

New South Wales lies in the temperate zone and the climate is generally free from extremes of heat and cold. The greatest heat is usually experienced in the north west and out back regions of NSW. The coldest region is the Snowy Mountains, where winter frosts and snow are experienced over long periods. Rainfall varies widely over the state, gradually diminishing to an annual average of 180 mm in the far north west.

The climate along the coast is temperate and slightly humid in NSW and the temperatures get cooler the further south you travel along the coast. The deserts of the outback regions experience hot days and cold nights. Irregular floods and droughts occur in the north and western regions, some times due to the El Nino effect.