Bowral

Bowral is a town located in the Southern Highlands of New South Wales, Australia, in Wingecarribee Shire. It is the largest town in the Southern Highlands (also known as the Highlands) with a population of around 11,500. It is considered to be the commercial centre of the Highlands as it has the biggest CBD of all the towns of the Highlands, encompassing retail outlets, boutiques, cafés, restaurants, and other businesses. It also contains significant local cultural attractions.

For many decades, Bowral was well-known as a rural retreat for the elite gentry of Sydney. This has left a legacy of many historical estates and manor houses. Today, Bowral is nationally known as the home of Australian Cricketer Don Bradman, and the site of his tribute museum Bradman Museum at Bradman Oval. It also hosts the annual Tulip Time Festival that is held in the town in September.

Bowral is also believed to be the birthplace of fictional nanny Mary Poppins, as the town was where author P. L. Travers spent her childhood and began her life as a storyteller creating Poppins.

It is within close driving distance to the other main Highland towns as it is 5 km from Mittagong, 9 km from both Moss Vale and Berrima  and within a reasonable distance of 27 km from Bundanoon and 26 km to Robertson.

The town of Bowral can include the suburb of East Bowral and the village of Burradoo which are located adjacent to the town.

Etymology
It was previously known by the name Bowrall. The name could have derived from an Aboriginal word meaning "high and large".

Demographics
According to the 2006 census, Bowral had a population of 11,493 people. The town is growing rapidly. This is due in part to the completion of the M5 freeway from Sydney with links to Canberra.

In recent years, Bowral has become a haven for retirees and empty nesters, commonly from Sydney: 14.2% of Bowral's population is aged 55–64 years (compared with the national average of 11.0%) and 26.5% is aged over 64 years (compared with the national average of 13.3%) (2006 Census). Notably, Bowral is a town that caters well for the retired demographic, with many retirement villages located only minutes walk from its central business district and hospitals.

Transportation
Bowral is about 5 km from the Hume Highway, which goes north to Sydney and south to Canberra, the Snowy Mountains and Melbourne. In the past, Bowral served as an overnight stopover for travellers heading to the Snowy Mountains and to Melbourne and Canberra.

Bowral has a rail station on CityRail's Southern Highlands line which under Cityrail services goes to Sydney and Goulburn and under CountryLink goes to Canberra and Melbourne.

Bowral also has bus routes that go to Nowra, Albion Park and Wollongong. Priors Scenic Express provides a service six days a week from Bowral to Greater Sydney (Campbelltown, liverpool and Parramatta) and to the Shoalhaven and South Coast of New South Wales.

Attractions
Bowral is perhaps the best known of the towns and villages of the Southern Highlands, and in recent years has become the commercial centre of the Wingecarribee Shire. Bowral is known for its boutiques, antique stores, gourmet restaurants, and rich coffee culture.

Bowral is home to the Bradman Museum, which is dedicated to the achievements of cricketer Sir Donald Bradman. Occasionally, the Australian Cricket Team play a friendly game at the Bradman Oval, which is located adjacent to the museum.

Bowral is also the setting for "Tulip Time", a Spring celebration where over 100,000 tulips and 25,000 flowers are planted in the town centre. Held every September and October, Tulip Time has become one of Australia's leading floral festivals. In Spring, the town is also very popular with gardening enthusiasts who come to view some of the world's most beautiful formal gardens designed by landscape luminaries such as Paul Sorensen, who designed the gardens of Invergowrie.

Bowral lies at the heart of the Southern Highlands BOOKtrail, Australia's first booktown project.

Bowral is also home to a few vineyards and cellar doors and is within a close proximity to Mittagong which is the winery and cellar door centre of the Southern Highlands.

The population swells during winter, when thousands of visitors book into the local hotels and B&Bs to enjoy winter getaways. Bowral is home to a number of manor houses and hotels dating back to the 19th century which have served as retreats for the elite gentry of Sydney.

Bowral is overshadowed by Mount Gibraltar, which rises to 861 m above sea level and has lookouts over Bowral and neighbouring villages and towns such as Mittagong, Moss Vale and the ranges near Bundanoon. Near some of the lookouts are picnic and barbecue areas. The mountain also serves as residential area and bushland reserve.

Schools
Schools in Bowral:
 * Bowral High School
 * Bowral Public School
 * Chevalier College (Burradoo)
 * Oxley College (Burradoo)
 * Southern Highlands Christian School (East Bowral)
 * St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Primary School

Churches
Churches in Bowral:
 * St. Simon's and St. Jude's Anglican Church
 * St. Thomas Aquinas Roman Catholic Church
 * St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church
 * Bowral Uniting Church of Australia
 * Bowral Church of Christ, Scientist
 * Bowral Baptist Church
 * Bowral Salvation Army

Past and present notable residents of Bowral

 * Jimmy Barnes: singer and band member of Cold Chisel
 * Noeline Brown: journalist, radio presenter and socialite
 * Sir Donald Bradman: Australian cricketer
 * Ita Buttrose: journalist and businesswoman
 * Richard Carleton: journalist and reporter, most notably for 60 Minutes. Born in Bowral
 * Bryce Courtenay: South African novelist
 * P.L. Travers: author of Mary Poppins
 * G. F. J. Dart: headmaster of Ballarat Grammar School 1942-1970
 * Lorrae Desmond: actor (A Country Practice). Born in Mittagong
 * Peter Garrett: current Minister for Environment, Heritage and the Arts and band member of Midnight Oil
 * Geoff Jansz: celebrity television chef
 * James Kemsley: cartoonist, creator of Ginger Meggs
 * Graham Kennedy: "The King" of Australian Television
 * Geoff Morrell: artist, actor Blue Heelers
 * Alex Murray-Leslie: musician, member of Chicks On Speed
 * Craig Reucassel: popular television satirist
 * Genevieve Turner: journalist
 * Arthur Upfield: author of the Boney detective novels, lived in Bowral until his death in 1964
 * Anthony Hird: Author of "The Linford Wristy Chronicles"
 * Billy Birmingham: Comedian, aka "The 12th Man"
 * Mark 'Cal' Callaghan: Lead singer of GANGgajang
 * Michael Neale: Hirsute man about town.