Surrounding Queanbeyan is Capital Country, where you will find a diverse area of landscapes featuring waterfalls, ancient rainforest, mountain ranges and the rolling vineyards of Canberra.
Capital Country is a large region that reaches north into the Southern Highlands, South into Canberra/Queanbeyan, West to Young and Crookwell and east to Braidwood. The region offers visitors a unique authentic experience of all that News South Wales has to offer.
During a trip into the region visitors can visit many century old buildings, historic cottages, stroll through gardens, and see the local treasures both by foot on the bushwalking trails or by car where there are plenty of stunning landscapes to take in including lakes, forests, vistas, rivers, and wetlands.
Visit the Capital Country website
Berrima
Berrima offers an intriguing collection of unspoiled public buildings and authentic Georgian sandstone homes that date back to the 19th century, along with plenty of coffee shops, craft galleries, and tea houses making it a great place to stop in for a break.
Binalong
Binalong is a historical gem of a village that offers plenty of attractions including the only motor museum in Australia, the Corkhills Art of Living, Peter Minson Art Glass & Café, and the Binalong History Pavilion which is located at Pioneer Park.
Boorowa
Boorowa is a rural country town that sports a handful of historical buildings that have rich Irish heritage; it’s this that the town celebrates during their annual Irish Woolfest.
Bowral
Bowral is a favoured holiday destination for Sydney trendsetters due to its modern facilities and rural charm. The town offers grand estates and stunning private gardens that are a treat to visit during the autumn and spring months, when they are opened to public visitors. During spring the tulips come out in full bloom while the autumn offers roses and flowering bulbs.
Braidwood
Braidwood boosts historical stone churches, Georgian buildings, and century old oak trees with a fine sprinkling of antique and craft shops that are often very alluring to visitors. The town is an artistic hotspot and inhabited by many potters, ironworkers, artists, and fashion designers who find the historic buildings to be inspiring.
Bungendore
Offering visitors the beautiful Lake George and plenty of vineyards to tour, Bungendore is a traditional rural and scenic Aussie country town with a variety of heritage buildings built from brick and timber mixed in with specialty shops.
Crookwell
Crookwell is a quiet, charming country town with temperate weather and historical buildings.
Goulburn
Goulburn was the first official inland city of Australia and as such is a rural centre that is rich in beauty and heritage. Today the cultural community thrives from many different traditional and performing artists, while also offering top-rate racing facilities that are world-renowned. Add in the many other activities and attractions of Goulburn and the area, is perfect for long and short holiday breaks.
Gundaroo
Located along the Yass River Valley countryside behind the wooded hills, Gundaroo is listed by the National Trust and offers an authentic experience of 19th century life.
Hall
Hall is a small town that is located to the North of the ACT (Australian Capital Territory), founded originally in 1882 and located directly off of the Barton Highway near the New South Wales northwest border. Inside the village are the primary school, an equestrian park, showground, playing fields, and a shopping centre.
Harden
A popular tourist stop during the spring, Hall is known for its beauty and ability to produce over a dozen different fruit and grain crops, lending a great deal of colour to the area.
Marulan
The basis for the Australian Eastern Standard Time is the 150 degrees meridian that crosses the town, making Marulan the home of true time. Thus, when the equinox occurs, the sun sets and rises exactly at 6am and 6pm respectively. Outside of its true time, the area is known for its historical buildings that show life truly as it was during the 19th century.
Murrumbateman
The town of Murrumbateman is a small previous mining village that is today known for its wining industries, sporting over 24 different wineries that open their doors to the public.
Queanbeyan
Declared a village originally in 1838, the town of Queanbeyan has plenty to offer visitors including plenty of accommodation options that are all within a stone’s throw of the Central Business District, where a wide array of shops, clubs, and restaurants can be found.
Robertson
Laying along the edge of the Illawarra Highway escarpment the town of Robertson is a favoured spot for those on a loop drive around the Southern Highlands. The town is a great place to see and explore the Morton and Budderoo national parks which offer plenty of bushwalking tours and waterfalls. The town also offers many notable B&Bs and retreats.
Southern Highlands
The Southern Highlands is unique due to the fact that it is a distinctive region, but still a reasonable drive from Canberra, Sydney, the South Coast, and Illawarra. Famous attractions include the area’s heritage, antiques, breath taking gardens, and many natural attractions.
Tallong
First found by Throsby, Smith, and Hume during their attempt to cross the Shoalhaven River, today Talllong is known as a premiere holiday weekend destination due to its stunning scenery and close proximity to Sydney.
Taralga
The finer things in life can all be found in Taralga as it is home to fat lambs, fine wool, potatoes, quality wine, prime beef, heritage buildings, and lush berries making it a great settlement to visit.
Wee Jasper
A very small village with only about 80 permanent residents, Wee Jasper sits on the bank of the Goodradigbee River near the western edge of the Brindabella Ranges. The end of summer is the best time to visit when the river is shaded and the river is a great place to stop and cool off.
Yass
Founded officially in 1837, the historical buildings of Yass are worth a visit and a simple stop at the Information Centre will garnish plenty of driving and walking guides to the area.
Young
Nicknamed the ‘Cherry Capital of Australia,’ Young is home to myriads of stonefruit and cherry orchards where you are allowed to pick your own fruit. The Lambing Flat Festival takes place in April and is a great time to visit, as well as during the National Cherry Festival in December. Cherries can be purchased in town from the middle of November through March.
