Osborn House

Worth getting out of bed for

The regional playground of the South Highlands is home to a cluster of charming towns, breathtaking bush walks and more than its fair share of wineries. The neighbouring town of Bowral warrants an amble, where the residue of its past life as a hotspot for Sydney’s 19th-century gentry can still be found in its wealth of country estates, antique shops and high teas. Nowadays, however, that old-world appeal is matched by a more youthful scene – in the centre of town, you’ll find plenty of Scandi-style coffee shops and hip local cafes, as well as local institution Dirty Janes, a vintage emporium with a tea salon, bridging the gap between generations. Bowral is also known as the hometown of Mary Poppins’ author PL Travers. Take a stroll round Glebe Park and you may catch a glimpse of the magical nanny herself. On the outskirts of town, handsome heritage buildings abound, and outshining them all is Retford Park, a pink Italianate style estate bought by philanthropist James Fairfax in 1964. 

Culture vultures can get their fix at Ngununggula Regional Art Gallery, housed in a repurposed dairy and veterinary clinic, which hosts a year-round public programme of contemporary exhibitions, artist talks, kids workshops and yoga classes. For more cosmopolitan excursions, Sydney is an hour and a half away by car. 

Outdoorsy types are well served by the deep gorges, and green trails of Morton National Park, an enormous forest quite literally placed on the doorstep of the hotel. Make a pitstop at Fitzroy Falls for scenic waterfall views, climb to the top of Pigeon House Mountain Didthul before stopping for a picnic in the shade of eucalyptus trees.

Local restaurants

In the Georgian village of Berrima, Eschallot offers platefuls of provincial goodness with seasonal fare full of home-grown flavour. For couples and groups, the chef’s ‘feed me’ tasting menu consists of inventive dishes like kingfish crudo with orange nam jim, hibiscus onions and wasabi powder and peppercorn and pomegranate lamb shoulder, while the ever-changing standard menu features a variety of equally delectable small plates for sharing. The light and rustic setting of Bistro Sociale makes a great spot for relaxed dining, European style, with a French inspired menu. Try their signature Cote de beouf with duck fat chips and sauteed greens, or for more delicate tastes, the gin cured ocean trout is a gamechanger. 

Local cafés

With Scandi good looks and clean cuisine the Press Shop is a firm favourite among Bowral’s brunch brigade. On the menu you’ll find all the usual salutary suspects – acai bowls, crisp summer salads and smoothies of every colour – though miraculously, even their more indulgent dishes manage to squeeze in at least two of your five a day; sticky date pancakes loaded with berries, for example, or waffles topped with orange curd, raspberry sorbet and mandarin. Likewise on Moonacres Robertson’s organic farm, breakfast bites and hearty lunches made from home-grown fruit and veggies are as delicious as they are nutritious. They make their own bread and pastries fresh each day, as well as their own preserves and pickles to take home, too. 

Local bars

Simplicity rules at Eden Brewery, where high-quality pints are poured in a back to basics brick warehouse. Book ahead for a tasting session, trivia night or one of their in-house gigs. For something a little stronger, the whiskey wizards of Joadja Distillery channel the spirit of ‘sly grog’ in their single malts, set in an abandoned kerosene mining village and made from their home-grown barley.