Things to do in Bowral, New South Wales

The best things to do in Bowral, New South Wales, include Corbett Gardens, Retford Park, Artemis Wines and the Bradman Museum.

Bowral is arguably the most charming town in the Southern Highlands region of New South Wales, south-west of Sydney. This is partly about looks – Bowral hosts a lot of heritage buildings and attractive gardens. But there’s also a good variety of things to do in Bowral.

Things to do in Bowral, NSW: Gardens

Bowral is the main hub of Wingecarribee Shire. But unlike many such hub towns in Australia, this isn’t just a humdrum service centre. The first proof of this comes in the gardens. Corbett Gardens usually tops the list here, particularly during the Spring Garden Festival when tens of thousands of tulips are in bloom. The community-run Southern Highlands Botanic Gardens are also in Bowral. This attraction includes a series of sculptures amongst the trees, a children’s playground and the Meadow Labyrinth – a hedge maze.

There are also impressive gardens on display at Retford Park. This National Trust property is a grand, fussily decorated Italianate-style home. Tours of Retford Park are available through the National Trust website.

Things to do in Bowral, NSW: Mount Gibraltar & National Parks

For nature that’s on the wilder side, the Mount Gibraltar Reserve offers forested walking trails. There are also views over an old quarry and a fine lookout taking in more of the Southern Highlands. It’s also only a short drive from Bowral to Fitzroy Falls or Belmore Falls in the Morton National Park, plus Carrington Falls in the Budderoo National Park.

Bowral wineries

Bowral is also the epicentre of the relatively small Southern Highlands wine region. Two Bowral wineries well worth a visit are Centennial Vineyards and Artemis Wines. Centennial Vineyards is very well known for its award-winning restaurant, while Artemis Wines offers excellent cool climate wines for tasting at its cellar door.

Centennial Vineyards in Bowral, Southern Highlands, New South Wales. Photo by Kramer Photography; www.kramer.photography.

These wineries, gardens and national parks are all well and good, but for a cricket fan, Bowral means one thing: Sir Donald Bradman. The greatest batsman of all time lived in Bowral, and the Bradman Oval is one of the prettiest cricket grounds in Australia.

What to do in Bowral, NSW: Bradman Museum

The attached Bradman Museum and International Cricket Hall of Fame is an absorbing museum. It looks not just at the originals and quirks of cricket, but major controversies such as the Bodyline tour and the breakaway World Series Cricket league.

The Sydney to Bowral drive is around 118km in distance, making for a Sydney to Bowral driving time of around one hour and 22 minutes. Accommodation options in Bowral include the Berida Hotel and Milton Park.

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