A guide to exploring the Southern Highlands by bike

Travelling by bike means going slowly – taking in the surroundings, ending up in places you’d never usually go to and working up an appetite for the next great meal. This Southern Highlands circuit is a great bike trip to cycle slowly. The entry-level ride is only two to three hours of riding per day (almost all of it on quiet backroads) and takes you to waterfalls, famous pie shops, beautiful forests and historic towns. Then, depending on your style, you can pick a campsite or luxury accommodation for each night’s rest.

Note: while this is a three-day tour, it can be easily done in two or four days.

 

Getting to Mittagong

Public trains leave roughly every hour from Central Station, Sydney, with the journey taking 2.5 hours. It’s free to take your bike, as long as there’s space for the both of you on the carriage. CountryLink is around 40 minutes quicker, but tickets are usually around $15 – $30 (plus an extra $12 for your bike). If you have a car big or well-equipped enough to carry a bike, it’s an hour-and-a-half drive.

Mittagong to Robertson

Route:

Cruise through farmyards, tiny towns and Southern Highlands forests. The ride is 28-30km with a few moderate hills. If you want a challenging hill climb with a fun descent, take the southern, slightly longer route.

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Do:

Consider getting into Mittagong early so you can take a quick detour to Nattai Gorge Lookout (15km round trip by bike plus a short walking track) and/or have lunch at Paste Australia, a fine-dining Thai restaurant run by a Michelin-starred chef.  

At the other end of the ride in Robertson, refuel with an iconic Australian meat pie at the Robertson Pie Shop (it’s been serving the same pies since 1961!) before one more ride to see the local waterfalls. Less than an hour’s ride from town takes you to the epic Belmore Falls to the south or Carrington Falls and its beautiful swimming hole to the southeast (note the ride here has a section on a main road).

Stay:

Campers should continue 11km southeast from Robertson to reach the Carrington Falls campground, a beautiful site with a swimming hole, picnic tables, toilets and the opportunity to fall asleep to sound of the nearby cascade. Luxury-seekers, book in at the Robertson Hotel, a century-old manor with manicured gardens, a fireplace-warmed lounge and a pool on the edge of a forest.

Robertson to Bundanoon

Route:

The route via Fitzroy Falls is the nicest option. It’s 45km in total and winds through historic towns, countryside and national parklands and past the Fitzroy Falls Reservoir. There are a few hills, including one to start to the day, but nothing gruelling.

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Do:

Start your day at one of the best regional cafes in the state, Moonacres Kitchen. The cafe-bakery is the outpost for Moonacres Farm, which is known for serving exceptional produce to Firedoor and other great Sydney restaurants.

Your ride takes you to Fitzroy Falls, a famous Southern Highlands destination. The huge waterfall lookout is a short walk from the road, as are the starts of many popular walks, which (in the right season) show off incredible wildflower blooms. You’ll also go through Exeter, a tiny town famous for its colossal country manors and a stone church built in the late 19th century.

Once you reach Bundanoon, you have two choices (or both, if you have time). Option one is to take a short ride south (less than 8km there and back) to explore the Fairy Bower Falls and Grand Canyon of Morton National Park. The other is to pamper yourself with a spa treatment and/or a luxurious meal at Osborn House, a five-star hotel operating out of an 1890s-built manor.

Stay:

The extravagant option is the aforementioned Osborn House. Adding to the grand historic building are interiors designed by SOHO House design director Linda Boronkay; each room is steeped in old-world country luxury. Campers should check out Gambells Rest, a well-equipped campground that connects to the bike trails heading into Morton National Park.

Bundanoon to Berrima

Route:

Take the 25km eastern route for quieter roads and a tasty pit stop in the town of Moss Vale.

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Do:

Your first break is at Moss Vale, a charming town with a long colonial history and architecture to show it. If you're ready for lunch, the Southern Highlands Taphouse serves burgers, 300g NY-cut sirloin steaks and portobello pappardelle alongside their award-winning craft beers. For a quick snack, drop into Bernie’s Diner for a Reuben sandwich; it’s been around since the ‘20s.

In Berrima, reward yourself with a pastry at the famous Gumnut Patisserie, taste test a dazzling array of sweets at Lolly Swagman or book a table at one of the best restaurants in the region, Eschalot. Post-lunch, stroll through town and take in the historic architecture.

An extra 3km ride gets you to Bendooley Estate. The striking estate is home to more than just a cellar door – explore a fancy bistro; a larder selling picnic hampers, cakes and cheese and family pies; and Berkelouw Book Barn, a cafe and bookshop which sells rare, vintage second-hand books.

Stay:

If you’re not staying at a Bendooley Estate cottage, Berrima River Reserve Campground is an exceptionally well-equipped yet quiet site to pitch your tent. Alongside river views, enjoy flushing toilets, barbecues, picnic tables and fishing spots all a short ride from Berrima.

 

Berrima to Bowral

Route:

Bowral is only a 10km ride from Berrima but includes a short but tough hill climb and a fun descent on the other side.

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Do:

As the central hub of the Southern Highlands, Bowral is packed with things to do. Keen riders can attempt the climb to Mt Gibraltar (the views will be the reward), pick up a (potentially heavy) souvenir at Dirty Janes Antique Market or explore the history of one of the greatest athletes to ever live at the Bradman Museum and International Cricket Hall of Fame.

Top quality snacks and take-home goods can be collected at Cheese Etc. Alternatively, plan your final Southern Highlands meal at Italian institution Onesta Cucina, or in the beautiful dining room at Harry’s on Green Lane.

Getting home

Getting you and your bike home is the same route as getting here, with just an extra stop on the train. If you’re going on CountryLink, book early as seats can book out.