This pocket of lush high country known as the Southern Highlands, south of Sydney and north of the Capital Country and ACT, is the ideal distance from the city to be used by Sydney-siders for short breaks.

There has also been a steady recent exodus from the city to this area as people, seeking a more relaxed lifestyle, relocate and take up a "tree-change" or simply as a doable commute from the city.

Much of the countryside resembles Britain more than Australia, with rolling green pastures and deciduous trees. It is a gardener's paradise, enjoying a climate that makes it possible to grow flowers and other plants not suited to many other parts of the country.

Because of the higher altitude (the region averages around 700 metres) the Southern Highlands experiences four distinct seasons with moderate summers, cold and frosty winters and delightful spring and autumn conditions. Berries, stone fruits and wine grapes grow well, and dairy cattle and pigs are raised here - and there's also an infant truffle-growing industry! What more could you want?

The town of Bowral, seen here from the Mount Gibraltar lookout has a busy cafe scene and plenty of boutique specialty shops to keep the locals and visitors busy. Flour Water Salt is a sourdough bakery shopfront selling the acclaimed Berry Woodfired Sourdough bread that is hand-made using (you guessed it!) just flour, water and salt.

Nearby is The Cheese Store, A Touch of Tea selling teas, cups and teapots, and across the road at Rush Roasting, sisters Leisa and Sally are creating a range of great coffee blends. There are many cafes and tearooms, restaurants and bookshops making Bowral a place to linger in and stroll around. The whole area is definitely worth a stay for several days exploring the tiny villages nearby - Burradoo, Berrima, Bundanoon, Mittagong, Moss Vale, and even tinier spots, many of them steeped in history and all with something to offer. In spring some of the region's most beautiful home gardens are open for viewing, and there is an annual tulip festival as well each September and October.

And just to show there really is something for everyone here, this region is the home of cricketing legend, Sir Donald Bradman, and you may visit the oval where he played and the museum full of cricket-abilia, newly reopened at The International Cricket Hall of Fame. For a short time there is also an exclusive exhibition of Cricket Caricatures by legendary Australian cartoonist, Tony Rafty.

Every successful getaway destination needs a good place to stay and Gibraltar Hotel Bowral is a luxury base from which to explore the area. The hotel is decorated with art pieces sourced by owners' eclectic taste adds much to the style of this place overlooking the 'challenging' 18-hole golf course with Mount Gibraltar in the distance.

In the evenings, at Harveys Bar, you may just find popular muso Geoff Harvey playing the piano in the placed named after him.

The day spa is another attraction......

....... as are the huge beds in the range of suites and rooms.

Then there is the local dining. In this cool appetite-inducing climate there is much to choose from. Many places in the area have received state awards.

Centennial Vineyards Restaurant, resembling a French Champagne House, appropriately overlooks vines, and their wines appear on the wine-list too, of course.

There is nothing better than a meal in front of the roaring fire in winter, or outside on the deck or in the courtyard on cooler days. Come here for top-class service and chef Matt Weller's contemporary food. 

You can begin the meal with a regional platter showcasing whatever is in season and beautiful locally then finish with a sensational dessert like this. Understandably this place is a favourite for high teas, weddings and functions.

As a more relaxed dining option, chef Euloge Rivera's authentic Spanish tapas in Le Catalan bistro at Mittagong Hotel (aka The Top Pub) is becoming something of a legend in the area.

Loyal locals Jill Dyson and Nick Padol have a special interest in the region and its foods and producers. Their company FoodPath - culinary tours with a difference - guides visitors to the area on an exciting behind the scenes exploration of who produces what. With tastings and time to relax and enjoy themselves, these tours are proving very popular. 

Depending on the day, there might be a visit to the Moss Vale Markets where you can buy everything free-range eggs to free-range pork sausages, country jams, olive oil in casks, potatoes (some of the best in NSW), pumpkins, sourdough breads and filberts. Filberts? They're a relative of hazelnuts, you'll learn, just one of seventy or so varieties, which one grower is delighted to explain.

At Burradoo you may meet Alan Burniston, a farmer who is working to having a property that is self-sustaining for his family. He has 25 Boer goats, hens, a hothouse and veggie garden raising almost any vegetable you like (including heirloom ones), yabbies in the dam, and geese feeding beside it. 

Lunch may be at Robertson's Old Cheese Factory where, inside, it has been transformed into a stylish and relaxed cafe serving some of the region's finest products, pies, condiments, ice cream, cakes as well as great coffee and the chef's own delicacies.  In the same building there is also space for artisan craftspeople to sell their products.

At the end of the day a visit to Currawong olive grove may be on the itinerary. This place produces award-winning oils as well as an olive oil-based skincare range.

Jill and Nick agree that the problem Foodpath has in showing off this region to visitors is in deciding between the many places that they know and want to share with others.

For those that enjoy picking their own fruit, Montrose Berry Farm, the only PYO producer in the area, is well worth a visit to taste its wide range of organic berries. The veranda of the Heritage-listed homestead is the ideal place for a Devonshire tea as you overlook the woods and gardens, and the award-winning jams and sauces made entirely from the farm's fruit make the ideal edible souvenir.

Just like the countryside, the food and wine scene in the Southern Highlands is rich and constantly growing. As each season turns there is even more to see and enjoy. It may be just an hour and a half's drive from the city, but it is easy to believe that you have changed countries.

BOWRAL - the largest town in the Southern Highlands of NSW

LOCATION: 136km south-west of Sydney, about 1.5 hour's drive.

ESTABLISHED: 1861

NAME MEANS: may have derived from the local Aboriginal language meaning 'high and large'.

POPULATION: 11,500

CLIMATE: Cool in summer (average max. 24C) and quite cold in winter (average max. 12C).

DINING: Eschalot at Berrima, Biota in Bowral, and Centennial Vineyards are all highly awarded and well-regarded restaurants.

TRANSPORT: Connected by road, rail, and bus.

INTERESTING FACTS:

• Occasionally, the Australian Cricket Team play a friendly game at the Bradman Oval, which is located adjacent to the museum.
• Over 100,000 tulips and 25,000 flowers are planted in the town centre each year from Tulip Time.
• Mount Gibraltar rises to 863 metres (2,831 ft) above sea level.
• Bowral is home to a number of manor houses and hotels dating back to the 19th century which have served as retreats for the elite gentry of Sydney.

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