: Fine foods, divine wines, delicious tastes and happy memories are what to expect from a visit to Illawarra and the Southern Highlands. What's so refreshing is that most of the produce you'll consume here is from the region.
Exotic varieties of mushrooms are grown in disused railway tunnels at Mittagong and sweet and juicy hydroponic vine-ripened tomatoes are grown in Wildes Meadow. The finest classes of potatoes can be found in the fields of Robertson.
In summer, you can visit a number of berry farms to pick your own strawberries, raspberries, blueberries and youngberries. At Yerrinbool, you can buy delicious fruit straight from the orchard when luscious peaches and plums and crisp apples and pears are in season.
The region also boasts a new olive industry. While locally grown olives for general consumption are still a few years away, the olive trees are already producing award-winning olive oils to sample.
There are plenty of other locally produced foods to buy: breads, jams, honey, pickles, chutneys and shortbread to take home as mementos of your stay.
The cool climate of the region allows the production of some superb wines. More than 20 vineyards now operate in the area, and many of their wines can be tasted at the Australian wine expo held at the Bundanoon Hotel in February.
There is also a choice of many eateries - serving dishes that range from fine a la carte and country cooking to vegetarian wholefoods and multicultural delights.
