Eat

◖ South on Albany (south onalbany.com) is a casually elegant restaurant that showcases the bounty of the region. Chef John Evans and his wife, Sonia, source as much as they can from local producers, including most of the wine list, which is long on drops from the Southern Highlands and Shoalhaven. Standouts on the seasonal menu include the Buena Vista Farm baby carrot salad with milk ricotta, zucchini, grains and cured yolk (“What you’re eating was in the ground yesterday,” enthuses John) and the duck, slow-cooked to a rosy blush and nestled on cauliflower purée with salsa verde and grilled peach. ◖ If you go to Berry and don’t stop at The Famous Berry Donut Van (73 Queen Street) for one of its piping-hot cinnamon-dunked classics, have you really been to Berry? A local institution that draws huge crowds depending on the time of day (visit late afternoon to avoid the worst of it), the old girl will soon share her patch of grass with the Berry Burger Bar, the owners’ new project. As of this month, you’ll be able to order burgers with names derived from the area – including The Berry Boss, Cheese on Queen and the vegan Green Fields – from this re-created 1950s diner.

◖ Little Rae General Store + Coffee Bar has reinvented itself as Queen St Eatery (1/65 Queen Street, Berry; 02 4464 2544),

◖ Book one of the hands-on workshops at Buena Vista Farm (buenavistafarm.com. au), a picturesque property in Gerringong that’s been in Fiona Weir Walmsley’s family since 1859. Under Fiona’s tutelage, master crusty sourdough bread, fermented pickles, nutritious bone broth and more. Morning tea and a two-course paddock-toplate lunch are included in most workshops.

◖ Shop, shop, then shop some more. Head to Moss Nest (mossnest.com.au) for a mix of vintage and contemporary homewares, Haven & Space (havenandspace.com.au) for designer-look furniture at fair prices, Cabana Jo’s (87 Queen Street, Berry; 02 4464 3490) for crisp linen sheets and Amara Home (83 Queen Street, Berry; 02 4464 2910) for jewellery, leather goods and stylish curios such as brass crab-claw bottle openers (you don’t need one until you do).