Southern Highlands | |||||||||||||
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| Country | Australia | ||||||||||||
| State | New South Wales | ||||||||||||
| Region | Capital Country | ||||||||||||
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| Location | |||||||||||||
| Government | |||||||||||||
| • State electorate |
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| • Federal division | |||||||||||||
| Population | |||||||||||||
| • Total | 52,678 (SA32021)[3] | ||||||||||||
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TheSouthern Highlands, also locally referred to as theHighlands, is a geographical region and district inNew South Wales, Australia and is 110 km south-west ofSydney. The region comprises thelocal government area of theWingecarribee Shire and also towns of theMulwaree Shire. The region is considered awine region.
The region specifically is the area centred on the commercial towns ofMittagong,Bowral,Moss Vale,Bundanoon andRobertson as well as the historic town ofBerrima. Smaller villages likeBurradoo,Sutton Forest,Colo Vale,Avoca,Yerrinbool,Exeter,Welby and many more that make up theWingecarribee Shire are spread in between and around these main centres and serve mostly as residential areas.
The Highlands geographically sits between 500 m and 900 m above sea level on theGreat Dividing Range.[4] Like other regions along this plateau such as theBlue Mountains to the north and theAustralian Alps to the south, the Southern Highlands is known for its cool temperate climate. TheSouthern Highlands Shale Forest and Woodland andBlue Mountains and Southern Highlands Basalt Forests vegetation communities lie primarily within the region.
The Southern Highlands as a region is part of the largerCapital Country Region with the Highlands forming the northern part of the region and theSouthern Tablelands forming the southern part of the region.
The Southern Highland'scouncil,Wingecarribee Shire, is home to about 44,379 (2006) residents and is growing at a rate of 2.1% per annum. The majority of the residents (84.5%) are Australian-born with the minority of the population being (15%) born overseas, primarily Europe. The population density of the Highlands is 16.5 persons/km2.
Berrima is a village located 10 kilometres (6.2 mi) west ofBowral and 14 kilometres (8.7 mi) south west ofMittagong that once served as the main town of the Highlands. Notably, the region of Bowral, Mittagong and Berrima and various villages including theNorthern Villages used to be known as theBerrima District. Berrima contains many historic buildings including the historical Berrima Gaol and Courthouse which is no longer in use today as well as many other historical buildings.[6]
Bowral is considered the commercial centre of the Highlands and may be the most well-known towns of the Highlands. Bowral is well known for itsboutiques,gourmet restaurants,Corbett Gardens andSpringetts Arcade. The town is also home to theSir Donald Bradman or Bradman Museum.
TheBradman Museum is a tributemuseum toAustralian cricketerSir Donald Bradman who grew up in and spent his early life inBowral until his fame. The museum contains artifacts of Bradman's life and also serves as a museum ofcricket and contains historical cricket memorabilia. The museum is located adjacent toBradman Oval where theAustralian Cricket Team play a friendly game annually.
Fitzroy Falls is awaterfall found in theMorton National Park near the Highlands' village of the same name,Fitzroy Falls, and located nearKangaroo Valley. The Fitzroy Falls reserve offers lookouts of the waterfall and of panoramic views of the Morton National Park. The waterfall and village is located near the lakeFitzroy Reservoir.[7] The waterfall's and lake's reserve includes lookouts, bushwalking trails and picnic areas.
TheIllawarra Fly Tree Top Walk, also known asIllawarra Fly is acanopy walkway located south-east ofRobertson in the area known asKnights Hill. The facility is a 500m long and 25m highwalk facility that opened in mid-2008. The project is similar to theOtway Fly Tree Top Walk inVictoria, Australia. The project consists of a 1500m walk. Moreover, 500m of the 1500m walk is 25m high among theBlackwoods and many other trees of thetemperate rainforest of theBudderoo National Park andIllawarra Escarpment. In addition, the project has a 45m high lookout along with the walk that offerspanoramic views far south toBass Point and as far as north toBundeena which is part of south of theSutherland Shire. Other views includeWollongong,Lake Illawarra,Tasman Sea,Shellharbour,Kiama and other localities of theSouth Coast, as well as various localities of the Southern Highlands, theIllawarra Escarpment andBudderoo National Park.[8]
Joadja is a historic abandonedghost town about 32 km west ofMittagong. The town was established in the 1870s by the Australian Kerosene Oil and Mineral Company as Joadja valley's walls contained a vast reserve ofshale. Notably, the town back in its time was one of the most populous towns in the Highlands. However, at the turn of the century when the shale ran out, the town's population began to dwindle and the town would be eventually abandoned by the early 1900s.[9]
Joadja at its height had a post office, theatre, general store, bakery, school of arts, refinery, railway line, miner's cottages and many other buildings. Notably, it was one of the first rural towns in New South Wales to be connected to thetelephone.
Joadja's legacy still remains with many of the historical buildings remaining in ruin such as some of the miners' cottages, a school house, church, cemetery and refinery devices such as shale ovens. These ovens are protected and is World Heritage listed.[9]
Today, the Joadja Distillery produces Single Malt Whisky in honour of the Scottish mining families who worked the rich coal and shale seams in the late 1800s.
The Southern Highlands has a reputation of being an upscale area due to its upscale-style accommodation which include reputable resorts such as Craigieburn, Briars, Berida Manor House andPeppers Manor House. Each of these places are historical and have a historic significance to the local area.
Home of the Big Potato and Fountaindale Grand Manor "AKA" Ranelagh House. Fountaindale Grand Manor, originally built in 1924 and opened as Hotel Robertson, has had an interesting history. The Hotel boasted a nine-hole golf course, two tennis courts, croquet, lawn bowls, billiards, fishing, hunting, horseback riding, and an onsite mechanic who looked after guest's cars during their stay. The hotel won the "Most luxurious hotel in the Commonwealth" award in 1925, and was the first hotel in Australia to have phone lines to every room.
The Highlands in the last decade has become a small yet significantly growingwine andcellar door region in New South Wales. It is believed that temperate climate, high annual rainfall as well as quality basalt soil makes it a perfect[citation needed] place forviticulture. There are many reputable wineries and vineyards that are located in the Highlands such as Joadja Estate, Bendooley Estate, Centennial Winery, St Maur Wines, Southern Highland Wines, and Eling Forest Winery. Some of these wineries have won awards nationally as well as internationally for the optimum quality of their wines.
Varieties primarily cultivated in the region are;chardonnay,riesling,sauvignon blanc,pinot noir andcabernet sauvignon.[4]
Brigadoon is a cultural Scottish Festival that occurs one day in April at Bundanoon every year. The festival celebratesHighland Scottish culture where Bundanoon becomes the fictional Scottish town ofBrigadoon. Festivities of the day include; massive band parades playing various Scottish instruments such asbagpipes; Scottish dancing such asHighland dancing andScottish country dance; andHighland games such ascaber toss andstone put. In addition,Scottish cuisine is available during the festival such asScotch pie andhaggis.[10]
Tulip Time is a historicalflower festival in Bowral where nearly 100,000tulips that are planted in Bowral'sCorbett Gardens bloom intoflowers in late September and early October. The first festival was started in 1961 by the Rotary Club of Bowral-Mittagong. The festival usually lasts 14 days and includes various activities such as band parades, house and garden fairs, food and wine fairs and many other activities.[11]
The festival donates proceeds to various charities and this year[when?] will be sponsoringWestmead Children's Hospital. In the past, the festival has supported local churches, hospitals, youth centres, elderly centres and disadvantaged people of the community.[12]
Walk Through Bethlehem is an interactiveChristmas experience for all ages. Visitors are invited to step back in time, into a reenactment of Bethlehem at the time ofJesus' birth. There they meetshepherds minding their flocks,potters,carpenters,stonemasons and copper-smiths at work, thewise men searching for the saviour, villagers selling their wares in the marketplace, before finally seeing Mary, Joseph and babyJesus in the stable. Run by Mittagong Anglican Church (St. Stephen's), the event is held every second year in December, usually the week before Christmas. Held in the grounds of Mittagong Anglican Church on Main Street, the event has been run in 2008, 2009, 2011, 2013 and 2015.[13]
Bundanoon hosts Community Garden's Grow Cook Eat Festival in March, Winterfest each June and Garden Ramble each October.[citation needed]
Wingello hostsSled Dog Trials in June.[citation needed]
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