Highland High Life

Tuesday, April 1st, 2025 was our day to visit the Southern Highlands.  The southern highlands is a beautiful region filled with small villages and wineries.  The countryside is a series of rolling hills and the climate is generally cool and mild.  I thought this was going to be a mix of a little wine and a little hiking.  It ended up being a fair amount of wine and very little hiking.

Our guide for the day was Jeremy who was both a wealth of information but also a ball of fun and probably a part time philosopher.

Our first stop was at this delightful little coffee shop shop.  A little hot chocolate on a cool morning is spot on.

Putting a little Vegimite on my toast.  It tastes fine!!! It tastes fine!!!


This coffee shop is delightful.  Think of a more appropriate word, I dare you.

Next door was a shop called Dirty Jane’s a place where you could have a little booth to sell knickknacks.  It might also be a trap because once you’re in it is hard to find the way out.

Welcome to the world of Knickknacks.

The girls are putting on a brave face, but they are concerned we may be trapped at this point.

I wanted the dark cardinal but Kari said no room in the suitcase.

We eventually made it to our first winery.  The Bendooley Winery is beautiful and kept up to a tee.

The grapevines covered to keep the birds from stealing too many grapes

Bendooley Winery

The girls relaxing in three tasting room 

Some meat and cheese to pair with the wine.  If you are sleeping on the truffle honey, don’t it didn’t last long.

The vibes and the net.

A rose around the building 

Let’s find the bottle for this corkscrew.

The Book Barn is the restaurant at Bendooley Winery

The family

Let’s go to the Book Barn

The Book Barn

Let’s eat!!

Another view in the Book Barn

Art at Bendooley Winery 

The Art

Linguini with crab.

The rolling hills and farm land.

This landscape is fantastic.

The next winery also raised a few alpacas.

At Dawning Day vineyard we met the owner and head wine maker, Mike. He is a fantastic guy!!! Quit a corporate job, began wine distribution, bought some land and started a winery. Made some Gin called The Bandit (after Smokey and the Bandit) because the wildlife smoke 5 years ago ruined the wine.  But you can use that as the base and distill it into a Gin.

We tried several wines all were fantastic.

Mike with Kari and I behind the scenes smelling French Oak barrels and drinking freshly pressed wine. 

Kari had one glass of “Lady Petro” (Rosé) at DawningDay and enjoyed the balance of flavor and dryness.

What a day!! Probably could have used a little more fitness and activity.  Grace was tired of playing gin with Katie to pass the time.  We returned to the Sydney Intercontinental a little later than planned thanks to the traffic on a Tuesday night.

Jeremy dropped us off safe and sound. Now he is off to AFL masters training and eventually a daughter’s birthday party.  A great day with great company!!!

We grabbed dinner at this cool little restaurant in Bondi Beach over by Katie, Sean’s Panorama has a nice view of the ocean during the day.  

The drink list and wines by the glass.

A fixed menu written on the wall.

Waking from the entrance to the dining room

Walking behind the kitchen

Got get past this if you don’t pay your bill

Scallops are 🔥 

Lamb shoulders 

Pear sorbet and raspberry ice cream and a pistachio cookie.

After dinner we hungout with Katie’s roommates It was so much fun to hear their stories and laughter.  You alway hope with every new situation there is going to be people who love your daughter as much as you do.  Exchange in Australia will be a memorable semester of friendship and travel. 

Tomorrow, off to Cairns!!