Shielded from the sun as it beat down on golden grass in Bowral, New South Wales, I was anticipating a “taste of the future”. It’s a bold claim but Jeff Aston, the owner of Tractorless Vineyard, had convinced this casual wine drinker.
Inside his warehouse wine barrels were stacked on metal rigs. Bottles of Riesling, Pinot Noir and Noble Gris were lined up along a counter. He poured each of us a glass of Creators Pet Nat. We swirled the cloudy, orange-tinted wine and breathed into the glass. I took a sip and clocked notes of banana, raspberries and a kombucha-style tang.
Aston said the flavors reflect his company’s ethos. The team replaced machinery with biodynamic wine-making methods (using organic grapes and no additives or sulfites). “I’m always looking for something that offers a different taste and texture,” he told me.
People were once sniffy about biodynamic wine, but winemakers are diversifying their practices to keep up with consumer habits and it’s proving a hit among Australian millennials – with sales reportedly growing by 50 per cent each year.
Tractorless Vineyard showcase its natural wines at the Southern Highlands Food and Wine Festival held at the Bradman Oval in Bowral, New South Wales (Photo: Dee Kramer/Destination NSW)
“This will become the norm,” Aston told me. “It ties in with our desire to lead eco-friendly lives. We’ve come a long way and now people come to the area specifically for it.”
Foodies travel to the Southern Highlands, around 70 miles (110km) south-west of Sydney, to experience its nine distinct food and drink “clusters”. From paddock to plate, the emphasis is on sustainable produce such as organic meats, cheeses and chutneys; family-run wineries and independent distilleries.
Some of these are not only recovering from the effects of Covid, but also the devastating bushfires that ravaged Australia two years ago.
5.5 million hectares of New South Wales were affected, including the Tumbarumba wine region on the southern slopes of the Snowy Mountains, and the prestigious Hunter Valley. Fortunately, direct damage to vineyards was limited, but more than 10,000 hectares of grapes were lost to smoke taint, totaling least A$480m (£250m) of wine.
This does not take into account lost income from tourism and cellar door visits, and the region is keen to welcome international visitors back with borders now open after two years of strict closure.
Culinary festivals – such as the Southern Highlands Food and Wine Festival, taking place this weekend – and talk-and-tasting tours are cranking back into action, while Morton National Park and Fitzroy Falls continue to attract nature lovers. Unlike most of mainland Australia, the Southern Highlands have a cool climate and four distinct seasons.
Like many city-dwelling millennials, I’m hardwired to bright lights, sirens and scowling faces. The thought of slowing down and settling into rural life makes my chest tighten, so visiting was a chance to step out of my comfort zone. I had been told that when Sydneysiders look to flee the rat race temporarily, they particularly enjoy the unspoilt scenery of Mollymook and Gerringong at weekends.
Waiter serving drinks at Anason restaurant in Barangaroo, Sydney (Photo: Destination NSW)
Before heading south, I adjusted my body clock after a long flight, in Sydney. It was early spring – before the pandemic – and temperatures had reached 30°C; the Royal Botanic Garden was swathed in jacaranda and ocean liners were docked in the shadow of the Sydney Harbor Bridge.
As I approached Sydney Opera House, I was struck by the size of its iconic coves. Its concert hall was about to undergo an A$150m (£79m) refurbishment, which will be completed this year. During an architectural tour I learned about the structural details that help create peerless sonic experiences inside.
From there, I traveled south to Newtown, an inner west suburb where offbeat shops and vintage clothing stores on King, or “Eat” Street sit alongside cafes and restaurants that serve global cuisines.
Less polished than Darling Harbor and Barangaroo in the Central Business District, Newtown is renowned for its indie spirit and eye-popping street art, some of which have been preserved by the local council.
To learn more, I joined Culture Scouts’ street art tour. Most public events begin with an Acknowledgment of Country – a recognition of the First Nations’, or indigenous peoples, being custodians of the land.
Women walking past street art on Phillip Street, off Enmore Road in Newtown, Sydney (Photo: Anna Kucera/Destination NSW)
Our guide Erin Eedy paid tribute to the Gadigal people of the Eora nation and gave us a potted history of the area’s street art movement. We weaved through backstreets, stopping to admire works by Andrew Aiken, Phibs (aka Tim De Haan) and Juilee Pryor.
Back in the city, a harbor-side dinner beckoned at Anason, a modern Turkish restaurant; sharing plates were laden with warm breads and oils, halloumi, salads and seafood dishes. As jet lag caught up with me, I retired to the Harbor Rocks Hotel, before traveling south.
Setting off early along the Princes Highway, we drove for three hours before reaching Mollymook Beach, noted for its aquamarine waters, immaculate golf courses and acres of wilderness. I was staying at Bannisters by the Sea, where I spent the afternoon on the terrace, mind blank and phone-free, watching waves lap against the shore.
Shortly before sunset, I headed out for dinner at Rick Stein’s at Bannisters; the British chef and restaurateur launched here in 2009 after long admiring Ulladulla’s fishing ports. There’s a focus on sustainable seafood ranging from grilled scallops to steamed snapper in ginger and soy, and the customer favourite, Bannister fish pie.
Chef Matthew Roberts placing the finishing touches to a dish at Eschalot in Berrima, New South Wales (Photo: Jesse Smith/Destination NSW)
While an early morning paddle boarding session was tempting, I decided on grabbing a late breakfast before wandering through the trees to a secluded, rocky shoreline. The stillness of the morning was accompanied by occasional birdsong and I was content to dip my feet in the clear water.
From Mollymook, we traveled north to Berrima, an elegant Georgian village dotted with sandstone buildings, tea houses and craft galleries. (It’s also regarded as the best place to spot a platypus.)
We made the most of the sunshine with an alfresco lunch at Josh’s Cafe, where rainbow lorikeets flitted in the trees above.
Before dinner at Eschalot, a restaurant renowned for its seasonal menus, I realized my jet lag has slipped away. My chest wasn’t tight. I felt relaxed.
I mentioned this to Brigid Kennedy, a chef and author who created the Southern Highlands Food and Wine Cluster in 2015. I half-jokingly told her I feared my city-living days were numbered. “You’ve embraced our way of life,” she said, smiling.
“Perhaps it’s the height up here. When people in Sydney find the heat oppressive, they escape here and explore the villages of Robertson, Moss Vale and Berry. You can’t beat the natural beauty of the Southern Highlands – there really is nothing like it.”
how to get there
Etihad Airways offers daily flights to Sydney via Abu Dhabi from £470.36 return etihad.com
where to stay
Harbor Rocks Hotel, Sydney; from AU$268 (£142) per night for two; harbourrocks.com.au
The Irish Corner Collection (formerly known as The Loch), Berrima; expected to reopen in February 2022. theloch.net.au
Bannisters by the Sea, Mollymook; from AU$379 (£201) per night for two bannisters.com.au
where to eat
Anason, Barangaroo: Book a seat outside, order a range of sharing plates and enjoy the reasonably-priced, modern Turkish fare at this waterfront restaurant. anason.com.au
eschalot, Berrima: Famed for its fine dining experience, the menus at this award-winning restaurant are created using high quality, sustainable produce from the surrounding area. eschalot.com.au
nelSurry Hills: Choose your drinks and enjoy the experimental eight-course menu at this acclaimed underground restaurant nelrestaurant.com.au
What to see and do
Sydney Opera House Architectural Tour, Bennelong Point; Saturdays at 10am; AU$43 (£23) per person, duration one hour; sydneyoperahouse.com
Wild Life Sydney Zoo, Darling Harbour; Thurs to Mon, 10am-4pm (last entry at 3pm); adult from AU$36.80 (£19.53) child from AU$26.40 (£14); wildlifesydney.com.au
Bradman Museum and International Cricket Hall of Fame, Bowral, daily 9am-4pm, adult AU$20 (£11), child aged 5-15 AU$11 (£6); bradman.com.au/visit
Gerringong Surf School, Gerringong; daily, 7am-6.30pm, various sessions; adult group sessions are AU$50 (£27) per lesson at casual rate; gerringongsurfschool.com.au
Cupitt’s Winery, Fromagerie and Brewery, Ulladulla; Mon to Thurs, 11am-4pm; Fri to Sun, 11am-5pm; wine tasting AU$10 (£8.45) per person; cupittsestate.com.au
More information
Fully vaccinated visa holders can now enter Australia, accompanying under-12s exempt. All must present a negative Covid test taken within 72 hours of departure. Arrivals in New South Wales must take a rapid antigen test within 24 hours of arrival and self isolate until the result is returned, with a further test on or after day six.
Visit destinationnsw.com.au
Matthew Toomey, winemaker at Joadja Estate in Berrima, New South Wales (Photo: David Woode)
“Love wildlife and aren’t scared of heights? You can get an amazing perspective of the rainforest floor on the Illawarra Fly Zipline Tour. The ticket includes a tree top walk along the 1,500m bush canopy.
For dinner, enjoy modern Australian cuisine while overlooking the vines at Centennial Vineyards Restaurant in Bowral.”
