No matter what, it is a day trip to drive to Sydney, a long day at that. I can’t drive it in one day anymore.
Even with the best planning, filled thermos for regular stops and sandwiches from home, I just cannot do it. Everyone now has an extended stop in Jugiong, but it doesn’t help.
The traffic beyond Mittagong, road works and new tunnels are stressful, especially if you’re nearing Sydney mid to late afternoon.
Am I in the correct lane? Will I have to turn off to the right or the left? Is my GPS up to date? What did my friends tell me about that new tunnel? Do I avoid it or aim for it?
The tradies and truckies know where they are going and zip from lane to lane, overtaking from the left and right, which is terrifying. I invariably get stuck behind a nervous and slow P plater and am too scared to change lanes.
So, now I stay on the Southern Highlands and leave mid-morning, the next day for a more relaxed arrival into Sydney.
This gives me a chance to revisit my favourite places. I have breakfast in Exeter and check out the shoe shop and Whytes Clothing store in Moss Vale. Phew, it hasn’t closed. It’s just relocated up the hill.
For five generations, this iconic shop has dressed the community, first opening in Burrawang in 1895 and then moving to its Moss Vale corner shop in 1920. As an aside, the historic Burrawang Village Hotel has been renovated and is even more spectacular.
Unfortunately, my favourite coffee shop, Elephant Boy in the centre of Bowral, has not relocated but is now a glamorous wine bar. It used to be lined, floor to ceiling, with books.
If I’m with first-time Bowral visitors, I show them the Bradman Oval and Museum.
Knowing the Southern Highlands reasonably well, I choose to stay in Bundanoon, a little village beside the railway line with adequate places to stay and eat. It’s a stopover, not my destination, so I don’t need to splurge.
Sometimes I stay at the old pub which is rumoured to have a ghost but be warned, you have to carry your bags upstairs. Other times, I stay at the Motel, which is not fancy but reasonably priced. There are other accommodation options.
Bundanoon is pretty with signs to the Glow Worm Caves andSunnataram Forest Monastery, a Theravada Buddhist monastery offering meditation retreats.
Just for a change, last week, I arrived having taken the Wingello to Bundanoon Road and was amazed by what I saw.
With the western sun behind me, it lit oddly shaped white-trunked trees. They became a startling iridescent white and looked fantastic.
I discovered this is the Bundanoon Ghost Gum Forest. Curiously, ghost gums usually grow in sandy, arid areas, yet here they are on the ridge of the Southern Highlands. Once a river bed, this whole area has been uplifted, a geological marvel.
This time, I decided to detour towards Nowra and visit Bundanon, comprising the Arthur Boyd Gallery and the Bridge, instead of travelling directly to Sydney.
Set on 1000 acres beside the Shoalhaven River, it’s quite spectacular. Arthur donated the site to all Australians, saying, “I want Bundanon to be accessible to any Australian whose life can be enriched by interaction with creative arts.”
This equally applies to his love of nature.
Few of his paintings are evident, but they can be seen at his former two-story sandstone home and studio about 10 minutes away.
To arrive at Bundanon, I travelled into the Kangaroo Valley, crossed Hampden Bridge and then relied on my GPS because both locations are hard to find….but worth it.
Afterwards, I travelled the 140km Grand Pacific Drive towards Sydney. Past Berry, Kiama with its blowhole, Gerringong, Wollongong and Austinmer.
Then I crossed the spectacular 665m long sea cliff bridge and into the Royal National Park. A fabulous way to enter Sydney.
My one-day trip to Sydney became two full days and could easily have become more if I had stopped and explored everywhere that I wanted.
Day trips are always exciting and lead to so much more.
– Suzie Pearce.