Bendooley Estate, BerrimaCredit: Destination NSW
Autumn at Bendooley Estate, Berrima.
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Named as the Small Tourism Town in the inaugural 2021 Australian Top Tourism Town Awards, Berrima offers a unique and unforgettable experience for visitors.
Base yourself in this idyllic village and enjoy dining in award-winning restaurants, tasting cool-climate wines in charming cellar doors, relaxing in luxurious accommodation and rejuvenating in the surrounding natural landscape.
Eat, Play, Stay
Berrima’s elevation and cool climate is perfect for high-quality pinot noir, chardonnay and sauvignon blanc. Sample some of these drops at the Southern Highlands’ oldest winery, Joadja Estate, operating since 1983. In the centre of town, PepperGreen Estate also has a cellar door with a restaurant, as well as wine and olive oil tasting.
For a taste of European-styled cuisines, dine at the award-winning Eschalot. This restaurant delivers fresh, seasonal produce sourced from its own gardens in a beautiful cottage-like setting. The Tasting Room at The Loch serves paddock-to-plate tastings on Sundays, as well as a three-course lunch and farm tours.
The historic Berrima Vault House is a 5-star private members club, modelled on London’s Soho House. Housed in the converted Taylor’s Crown Inn, built by convicts in 1844 complete with the original prison holding cells below. Each Friday to Sunday, the venue opens its doors to non-members to drink and dine. Or book a stay in the four-bedroom self-contained ‘The Residence’.
The grand and picturesque Bendooley Estate on the edge of town is home to an incredible Book Barn, which houses thousands of old and new books in a renovated hayshed. Browse through the incredible collection before tasting some superb wines at the cellar door and restaurant, or relaxing with a cup of coffee at the café.
Extend your visit by staying onsite in one of Bendooley Estate’s luxurious cottages boasting glorious vistas of the serene lake, valleys and gardens. Each cottage is individually designed to enhance the natural surroundings and with options of studios, two and three-bedroom cottages, the property can cater for groups of all sizes.
Eschalot, Berrima Credit: Destination NSW
Elegant dish made from the freshest and highest quality ingredients at Eschalot restaurant, Berrima.
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Eschalot, Berrima Credit: Destination NSW
Elegant dish made from the freshest and highest quality ingredients at Eschalot restaurant, Berrima.
Bendooley Estate, Berrima Credit: Destination NSW
Family enjoying a walk around Bendooley Estate, Berrima in the Southern Highlands.
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Bendooley Estate, Berrima Credit: Destination NSW
Family enjoying a walk around Bendooley Estate, Berrima in the Southern Highlands.
History & Heritage
Step back in time on the self-guided Berrima Heritage Walk, past the Berrima Courthouse, a Regency-style sandstone-hewn building dating back to the 1830s. Stop for a drink at one of Australia’s oldest licensed pubs, the Surveyor General Inn, built by convicts in 1834.
The Berrima River Walk is another gorgeous stroll past riverside heritage. Guiding you along the riverbank, the walk passes 17 interpretive signs telling the stories of the German merchant seamen, officers, executives and prisoners of war who interned here for four years during World War I at the German Internment Camp.
Browse local galleries and quirky shops such as the Bay Tree Gallery and Mrs Oldbucks Pantry. The National Trust-listed Harper’s Mansion is a preserved Georgian-style residence open on Saturdays, Sundays and most public holidays. For artefacts, exhibitions and stories of the region, visit the fascinating Berrima District Museum.
More Inspirational Stories
Corker Trail, Barrington Coast NSWCredit: Catherine Boyd and Destination Barrington Coast
Hiking in Barrington Tops National Park.
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Wander through primordial rainforest in Barrington Tops National Park and you’ll be transported to a distant time when Australia was part of the Gondwana super-continent. It’s just one perspective-changing experience waiting for you in the Barrington Tops region, around a three-hour drive north of Sydney. Immerse in this incredible national park before meandering around nearby country towns and seeking out the boutique wineries dotted across the surrounding expanses of lush farmland.
Bliss out in a bushwalker’s paradise
Step back millions of years in time when you walk into the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Gondwana rainforest of Barrington Tops National Park. Feel spoilt for choice of a network of short, easy walks as well as plenty of steep mountain treks as you begin to explore this incredible national park, which straddles more than 76,000 hectares of mountainous terrain.
Ease into a day of bushwalking through the eastern section of the park by tackling the Gloucester Tops circuit, which connects the snow-gum woodland of the Gloucester Falls walking track to the River walking track’s sub-alpine woodland and the temperate rainforest and beech groves of the Antarctic Beech Forest walking track.
Stretch your legs on the one-hour walking loop around the Polblue Swamp in the northern section of the park, or tackle the riverside Blue Gum loop trail starting from the Williams River picnic area. For beginners, the short walking track to the Thunderbolts lookout takes in panoramic views.
Up for a more challenging hike? Prepare for high-octane adventure when you follow the 20km, two-day Corker Trail as it winds through woodlands, rainforest and Antarctic beech in the central section of the park.
Whichever section of the park you explore, you’ll find an incredible diversity of wildlife. Spot kangaroos and wallabies on the grass flats, platypuses in the rivers, koalas and possums in thick woods and valleys and brush turkeys and lyrebirds in the rainforest. Pack your lunch and enjoy a picnic in one of the park’s many scenic spots, including Gloucester Falls, Honeysuckle, Jerusalem Creek or Polblue Falls, keeping an eye out for some furry friends.
Get on your bike
Feel the gravel crunch under your tyres as you take in stunning scenery on a guided mountain-bike tour of Barrington Tops National Park with Aussie Bike or Hike. You’ll be transported from Gloucester town deep into the national park for an unforgettable day ride covering a distance of 50 to 60km along dirt roads, passing through rainforest, rugged bushland and open countryside as you cycle back toward town.
If you prefer your mountain-biking to feature frenetic bursts of downhill action, head to Barrington Bike Park, around 30 minutes from Gloucester at the foothills of the national park. Here you’ll plunge around 370 metres in elevation through rainforest trails dotted with twisted vines and mossy rocks on your way down to the banks of the Barrington River. Then hop on the bike park’s shuttle and relax as you’re chauffeured up to the top of the hill to do it all over again.
Gloucester Tops, Barrington Tops National Park Credit: Destination Barrington Coast
Two women hiking the Gloucester Tops circuit in Barrington Tops National Park
Gloucester Tops, Barrington Tops National Park Credit: Destination Barrington Coast
Two women hiking the Gloucester Tops circuit in Barrington Tops National Park
Thunderbolts Way, Gloucester Credit: Destination NSW
Car taking the scenic drive along Thunderbolts Way on the Barrington Coast.
Thunderbolts Way, Gloucester Credit: Destination NSW
Car taking the scenic drive along Thunderbolts Way on the Barrington Coast.
Soak up history in quaint country towns
Refuel between forays into Barrington Tops Nationals Park by exploring the nearby towns of Dungog and Gloucester. Amble down Dungog’s wide main street to find historic buildings such as the Dungog Museum, housed within the former School of Arts (1898), and the Spanish Mission-style James Theatre. Pick up some cheese and house-smoked ham for a picnic at Westwood Dungog Providores, linger over a delicious lunch at one of the smart cafés lining the main street, or wash down a craft ale with a burger at Tinshed Brewery.
In Gloucester, stuff your backpack with fresh sandwiches and classic country-style treats from Hebby’s Bakery before enjoying easy access to multiple entrances to the national park. Reward yourself for your bushwalking efforts by visiting cellar doors such as Villa d’Esta Vineyard, Mograni Creek Estate, Faulls Ridge Winery and Gloucester River Wines, and sample seasonal produce at the Gloucester Farmers Market, held on the second Saturday of the month.
Between Gloucester and the Pacific Highway, stop in the picturesque village of Stroud to see its convict-era buildings dating back to the 1820s and 1830s. Follow the Heritage Walk to see preserved buildings such as the Post Office (1884) and Court House (1876), before feasting on everything from banh mi to falafel at the vegan-friendly Billy T Cafe.
You can also sample some seriously crisp verdelho at Gap Hill Wines, between Gloucester and Stroud, or try the hand-crafted gin at The Farmer’s Wife Distillery in Allworth, between Stroud and the Pacific Highway.
Rest up for a big day in the mountains
Pitch a tent or set up your caravan or camper site at one of the camping grounds throughout Barrington Tops Nationals Park and you’ll enjoy easy access to 4WD trails, fishing, mountain biking, walking and more.
Cosy up mere minutes from the national park at Roseleigh Cottage, a restored settlers’ home just outside the Gloucester River entrance in the eastern section, or soak in the seclusion at Bluegums Cabins, near the Jerusalem Creek trailhead in the southern section of the park.
For something a little more luxurious, book a stay at the beautifully appointed, eco-friendly The Ridge Gloucester, just outside of Gloucester town. Settle into one of the Ridge’s Eco-Cabins for the perfect romantic getaway surrounded by nature, or take over the five-bedroom House with your extended family or closest friends.
Check into Narraweema Guesthouse in the heart of Gloucester to laze in heritage style before exploring the national park – take advantage of the luxe offerings at this boutique guesthouse and order a picnic hamper or a cheese platter for your lunch in the mountains.
Dungog's surrounding areas, Dungog Credit: Destination NSW
Alpacas in the scenic countryside surrounding Dungog.
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Dungog's surrounding areas, Dungog Credit: Destination NSW
Alpacas in the scenic countryside surrounding Dungog.
The Steps Barrington, Barrington Coast Credit: The Steps Barrington Facebook:@TheStepsBarrington Instagram: @the_steps_barrington
Father and son enjoying a canoeing experience along the Barrington River at The Steps Barrington.
The Steps Barrington, Barrington Coast Credit: The Steps Barrington Facebook:@TheStepsBarrington Instagram: @the_steps_barrington
Father and son enjoying a canoeing experience along the Barrington River at The Steps Barrington.