Berrima

In the beautiful Southern Highlands, Berrima is home to one of Australia’s oldest licensed pubs, Surveyor General Inn, built by convicts in 1834 from local sandstone.

An easy drive from Sydney and Canberra, Berrima is perfect for a rural getaway. You’ll find plenty of things to do and see, from browsing galleries and shops such as the Bay Tree Gallery and Mrs Oldbucks Pantry to exploring colonial buildings, wine tasting and savouring fresh local produce.

Book lovers will be amazed with the thousands of titles at winery Bendooley Estate’s fabulous Book Barn. In a postcard setting, taste acclaimed wines at the cellar door and fine food in Bendooley Estate Restaurant. In the pretty hills north is Joadja Estate, the oldest winery in the highlands.

For elegant European cuisine dine at Eschalot, which has won awards in The Sydney Morning Herald’s Good Food Guide and has its own produce garden. The Tasting Room at The Loch is open Sundays for an exquisite paddock-to-plate experience.

Places to stay suit various budgets, from the inn to a weatherboard motel, colonial cottages and country retreats. A great way to discover the attractions is on the self-guided Berrima Heritage Walk. The Berrima Courthouse is a Regency-style design built in the 1830s from hand-hewn sandstone.

The National Trust-listed Harper’s Mansion is a beautifully preserved Georgian-style residence open on Saturdays, Sundays and most public holidays. Amble in the gorgeous gardens and try your luck navigating the maze. For fascinating artefacts, stories and exhibitions, visit Berrima District Museum.