subject: Bowral in Australia is a retreat from the stresses of daily life [print this page] Bowral in Australia is a retreat from the stresses of daily life
A little more than an hour from Sydney there's an historic little town called Bowral. A charming municipality, it's worth the short trip and can be easily reached by car, train or bus. It's an easy drive on the Hume Highway but visitors with a few hours to spare might enjoy the more scenic route on the Princess Highway that follows the coastline. If you arrive without a car you can rent one in town for sightseeing trips to the outlying areas. There's much to see including the magnificent view from the top of Mt. Gibralatar.
This is the commercial center of the Southern Highlands, a great place to shop and it's pretty as well. Well-to-do gentry living in Sydney started using this area as a retreat from the stresses of daily life almost as soon as the town was founded. Following the construction of the railroad in the 1860s travel became convenient. Magnificent manor houses and estates remain as a legacy of that elegant time.
The English passion for ornate gardens arrived with the first settlers and has continued to be a feature of life. Private gardens here are considered to be among the finest in the world and many are open to visitors. Corbett Gardens is a beautiful park in the middle of town where many varieties of flowers can be seen. It's open free to the public except during the Tulip Time Festival in late September when a small admission fee is charged.
Good food abounds here. Locals and visitors alike enjoy dining al fresco at sidewalk cafes and restaurants with pleasant patios. Weather is generally mild. During the winter months of June and July the weather can be damp and chilly but temperatures rarely reach freezing.
Even though snow falls here only every few years there is an active Siberian Husky club whose member organize a variety dog sled events in the wintery months of May through September. Visitors can attend and participate in an introductory day to introduce new mushers to the art of dog sled racing. Here, however, racing dogs pull wheeled scooters instead of snow sleds.
In summer temperatures rarely reach ninety degrees which helps to make "Bushwalking" the sport of choice for many visitors. There are hikes for every level of ability and enthusiasm. Youngsters, oldsters and people who rarely leave their recliners will find easy graded trails. Fitness buffs will find more challenging treks and opportunities to hike some rugged terrain. The town is surrounded by a variety of scenic landscapes. There are caves, waterfalls, naturally sculpted sandstone and a deep gorge carved out by the Shoalhaven river. Birdwatchers love the many varieties of exotic birds that may be seen including parrots, lyre birds and kookaburras.
November is spring and time for the annual Bong Bong Picnic Race. Society people turn out dressed in their finest finery with hats that scream to be admired. It's the event of the season and might remind you of the Ascot horse racing scene in My Fair Lady.
In December it's warm and everyone comes out for Family Carols. Families bring their picnic baskets and gather on the lawn in Corbett Gardens. That's how they get ready for Christmas in summer in Bowral.
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