Bowral is where most Southern Highlands weekends start, and for good reason. It's the biggest town in the region, the easiest to find your way around, and close enough to everywhere else on the trail that you can base yourself here for the whole trip without much backtracking.

Here's how to use it that way.

Why Bowral works as a base

It's the main town in the Southern Highlands, so it's where you'll find the widest choice of places to stay and eat when you're not out tasting. It sits roughly in the middle of the region, with Mittagong a few minutes one side and Berrima, Sutton Forest, Exeter and Robertson all within an easy drive the other way. You're not choosing between "stay near the wineries" or "stay somewhere with options" — in Bowral, you get both.

It's also the town Tasting Trails itself calls the natural entry point to the region. The Plan Your Trip page's suggested Sydney South route eases in through Mittagong and into Bowral on day one, before looping out to Berrima on day two — which is exactly the shape a Bowral-based weekend tends to take.

What's actually in Bowral

Millsheds Distillery is the pass-included stop that's genuinely in town — a small-batch distillery with a tasting room, included on the pass as a full flight of five or six gins and liqueurs crafted on-site. It's an easy way to start or end a day without getting back in the car.

Through the App there are special offers to take advantage of at Julien's Bowral Brasserie, Monaco Bowral Restaurant, Raw & Wild Cafe and Bowral Sweets & Treats.

 

Beyond that, Bowral itself is where you'll do the practical parts of the trip: pick up breakfast, find a place to stay, and regroup between tastings further out.

Using Bowral to reach the rest of the trail

From Bowral, the rest of the pass is close by. A few of the stops within easy reach:

• Mittagong, just next door — home to Artemis Wines and the Mittagong Mushroom Tunnel, both included on the pass.
• Berrima, a short distance away — a cluster of stops including Bendooley Estate, Peppergreen Estate Tasting Room, Baked in Berrima and the Berrima General Store & Café, plus Eschalot Restaurant for lunch.
• Exeter — home to Dawning Day Winery & Distillery and Exeter Vineyard.
• Sutton Forest — Sutton Forest Estate Wines.
• Robertson — Robertson Public House, for a beer tasting paddle brewed locally by Highland Beer.
• Fitzroy Falls — The Burrow Café.

The full, current list of participating makers and exactly where they sit is always in the app, since venues and offers do shift over time — the Plan Your Trip page is the best place to see suggested routes mapped out by starting point.

How to actually plan the days

You get a set number of pre-paid tastings per pass, to be used once per venue, so most people split the trail across two days rather than trying to fit everything in at once — a Bowral/Mittagong day and a Berrima day covers a good spread without too much driving. Since the pass is valid for 12 months, there's no pressure to do it all in one visit either. Base yourself in Bowral, pick a direction each day, and let the app's maps do the route planning.

Start in Bowral

If you're planning a Southern Highlands weekend and want one town to anchor it, Bowral is the easy choice — central, well set up for a stay, and close to everything the pass includes.

Buy the Southern Highlands Tasting Pass — $89 per person

Alcoholic tastings are available to guests aged 18+ and are subject to Responsible Service of Alcohol requirements. If you plan to enjoy alcoholic tastings, please nominate a designated driver or arrange alternative transport.