There is always something new happening at Berrima Retreat. This season brings some of our biggest updates yet. From new farm animals to a fully renovated events room, these Berrima Retreat updates make your next group stay even better.
This post walks you through every new feature, one by one. You will find real detail, real photos, and real reasons to book your stay. Whether you are planning a family reunion, a school camp, or a wedding, these updates matter to you.
Want to see it all for yourself before you decide? Request a free infopack and we will send you the full details, photos, and pricing.
Berrima Retreat Facilities: A Quick Overview
Before we go feature by feature, here is a snapshot of what makes Berrima Retreat facilities stand out from a typical Southern Highlands stay.
Quick facts:
- Sleeps 22 to 55 guests across the Mansion and North Wing
- Fully exclusive hire, one group at a time, no shared spaces
- Less than 90 minutes from Sydney and Canberra
- Existing features include a Giant Kangaroo Jumper, trampolines, a pool, a private dam, kayaks, bikes, pizza ovens, a fire pit, a media room, and a commercial kitchen
- Suits school camps, corporate retreats, family reunions, weddings, sports teams, and birthday groups
The new facilities covered in this guide build directly on these foundations. They add more comfort, more entertaining space, and more hands-on experiences for guests of every age.
Think of it this way. The old Berrima Retreat was already built for big groups. The new Berrima Retreat is built for big groups who want more choice, more comfort, and more reasons to linger outdoors.
Every updates below solves a real problem groups run into on a stay. Hot bedrooms. Nowhere private to work. Rainy days with no backup plan. Each new feature answers one of these directly, so your group spends less time working around the property and more time enjoying it.
Fresh Faces on the Farm
Berrima Retreat has welcomed some new arrivals to the farm this season. Guests visiting now will meet more animals than ever before.
Group trips can move fast. Between meals, activities, and free time, a stay can feel busy from start to finish.
Feeding the sheep and alpacas gives guests a reason to pause. There is no schedule to keep during feeding time. Guests often linger, watching the animals and chatting quietly with each other.
Picture a child holding out a handful of feed. The alpaca leans in slowly, ears twitching, unsure at first. Then it takes the feed gently, and the child laughs with pure delight, while grandparents smile from the fence.
Spring has also brought new lambs to the property. Soft, wobbly, and full of energy, they now hop around the paddock beside the sheep.
For families and school groups, this is farm life at its best. Lambs are gentle, easy to watch, and endlessly entertaining for guests of every age. There is something about watching a lamb take its first clumsy steps that slows everyone down, even the busiest corporate group.
A Bigger Events Room for Bigger Celebrations
The events room at Berrima Retreat has been fully renovated. It is now fully air-conditioned and comfortably seats 65 guests.
This matters most for weddings, corporate functions, and big celebrations. Groups no longer need to work around the weather or squeeze into a smaller space. Everyone fits, and everyone stays comfortable.
Imagine your whole group seated together, cool and comfortable, no matter the season outside. Speeches carry clearly, laughter fills the room, and everyone has a seat at the table. Big moments deserve a space built to hold them.
A Space That Works for Every Occasion
The room’s high, raked ceiling gives it an open, airy feel, even at full capacity. Long tables run the length of the room, arranged to suit whatever your group has planned.
For weddings and formal celebrations, tables can be dressed with white chair covers and crisp linen. The room becomes elegant and photo-ready, with plenty of space for a top table, a dance floor, and guests to mingle.
For everyday group stays, the same room works just as well with its timber tables and padded chairs left as they are. It suits a school camp dinner, a team meeting, or a relaxed family breakfast just as easily as a wedding.
We recently hosted a family celebrating a special 80th birthday in this very room. Balloons, florals, and a banner turned the space into a warm, personal party, with the whole family seated together under one roof.
Built-In Comforts for Longer Stays
Air conditioning keeps the room comfortable no matter the weather outside, which matters through both Southern Highlands summers and cool winter nights. A sound system is already set up in the room, ready for speeches, music, or presentations.
At one end, sliding doors open onto the outdoor entertaining area. This gives guests an easy flow between indoor celebrations and fresh air, without missing a moment of the occasion.
A small lounge nook sits to one side, with soft seating away from the tables. It gives guests a quieter spot to chat, rest, or step away from a busy celebration for a few minutes.
Picturing your celebration in this room? Request a FREE infopack and we’ll send you photos, capacity layouts, and pricing for your date.
A Kitchen Built for Big Groups
The Berrima Retreat kitchen has had a major updates this season. It now has more benchtop space, two large ovens, fourteen cooktops, and two dishwashers.
Cooking for a big group has never been easier. Several dishes can now cook at once, and clean-up moves quickly, even after a full family feast.
Think of a big family breakfast, with bacon sizzling on one side and pancakes flipping on the other. No one waits for bench space or a free burner. Everyone eats together, hot and on time.
Groups often ask us how catering and self-catering work for large numbers. We’ve put together a full guide covering exactly that, including how the kitchen handles school camps, faith retreats, and family reunions. You can read the full kitchen breakdown here for everything from cooking capacity to catering options.
More Fridge Space for Bigger Grocery Runs
The kitchen now has five large fridges, plus a dedicated wine fridge. Big grocery hauls and drink supplies now fit with room to spare.
Groups can stock up for the whole stay without crowding the kitchen. Wine stays perfectly chilled, ready to serve with dinner each night.
Picture unpacking a car full of groceries after the drive from Sydney or Canberra. Everything slides into place, with no squeezing and no rearranging needed. Later, a cold glass of wine is poured as the sun sets over the paddocks.
Popular reunion and camp dates fill fast in peak season. Check your dates are still available before you plan around them.
A Cosier Cinema Room for Movie Nights
The cinema room has been freshened up with more lounges, more tables, and a warm new paint colour throughout.
There is now more room to stretch out, and the space feels warmer and more inviting for movie nights. It suits everyone, from young kids to grandparents, all in the one room.
Picture the lights dimmed low, everyone sunk into a comfy lounge, popcorn bowls passing hand to hand. The room feels warm and snug, like a proper cinema built just for your group.
It also takes pressure off busy itineraries. School camps, family reunions, and corporate retreats can all use the room to unwind together, without booking anywhere else or planning a thing.
For the full details on what’s inside the room, along with tips for planning your own movie night, read our complete cinema room guide.
A New Activities Hut Full of Fun
A new activities hut now sits on the property, stocked with plenty of bikes and heaps of balls for outdoor games.
Guests can grab gear anytime, without waiting or booking ahead. It makes spontaneous fun easy, whether it is a bike ride around the property or a game of soccer on the field.
Picture a group of kids racing to grab bikes the moment breakfast finishes. Within minutes, they are pedalling down the driveway, laughing and calling out to each other. No planning needed, just grab and go.
Grab-and-Go Gear for Every Age
The hut is stocked with bikes, helmets, and a full range of outdoor sports gear. Everything is ready to use the moment your group arrives, with no set-up required.
Helmets are supplied for every rider, and the hut is restocked between bookings. That means the gear is always ready to go, whatever time your group checks in.
Open grounds and tracks around the property give riders plenty of room to explore. It suits school camps and family groups alike, where kids want the freedom to roam safely within the property.
The activities hut sits alongside a wider mix of onsite fun. Kayaks are available for guest use on the dam, weather and water levels permitting, giving groups an easy paddle without leaving the property.
This sits alongside our other favourites, including the Giant Kangaroo Jumper, trampolines, the pool, and the dam. Together, they give every group plenty to do between meals, without ever needing to head offsite.
Why Onsite Activities Matter for Groups
Group leaders often lose hours each day just getting everyone from one activity to the next. At Berrima Retreat, everything sits on the one property, so nobody is bussed offsite to find something to do.
That makes the property especially useful for school camps rotating students through stations, and for corporate groups filling downtime between sessions. Grandparents can relax nearby while kids ride bikes or explore the grounds.
For the full rundown of everything included in your stay, from the pool and pizza ovens to fire pit evenings and animal feeding, read our complete guide to activities at Berrima Retreat.
A Spring Garden Full of Colour
Berrima Retreat has planted 1,000 tulip bulbs across the grounds. They are expected to flower in September, right in time for spring stays.
This adds a burst of colour to the gardens and a beautiful backdrop for photos. It suits romantic getaways, weddings, and family visits alike.
Imagine walking out to a sea of tulips swaying gently in the spring breeze. Reds, yellows, and pinks stretch across the lawn. It is the kind of view that stops guests mid-step, phones out, just to take it in.
Easier Access for Every Guest
Berrima Retreat has added a new accessible toilet, designed for guests with mobility needs.
This means every member of the group can feel comfortable and included, not just catered for as an afterthought. For a grandparent using a walking frame, or a guest in a wheelchair, this small addition makes a real difference. It means they can join the family trip fully, without worry.
The mansion now has a 1.2 metre wide front door, along with a small new ramp at the entrance. This makes it much easier for guests using wheelchairs, walking frames, or prams to enter the property with ease.
Picture a wheelchair rolling smoothly up the ramp and through the wide front door. There is no lifting, no awkward turns, and no help needed. Every guest arrives the same way, welcomed the same way, straight through the front door.
Which Facilities Suit Your Group?
Different groups will get the most value from different parts of the property. Here is a quick guide to help you plan.
| Group Type | Facilities That Matter Most |
|---|---|
| Family reunions | Farm animal feeding, open field, pool, entertaining space |
| Corporate retreats | Office space, entertaining space, pool, media room |
| School camps | Accessible bathroom, farm animals, open field, commercial kitchen |
| Weddings | Entertaining space (150-seat configuration), bar deck, gardens |
| Sports teams | Open field, pool, entertaining space, commercial kitchen |
| Birthday groups | Bar deck, pool, entertaining space, media room |
This is only a starting point. Because Berrima Retreat is fully exclusive hire, your group has access to every facility on the property for the full length of your stay, these are simply the features that tend to matter most for each type of trip.
FAQ
- How many people can the new outdoor entertaining space hold?
- The covered outdoor entertaining area can be configured to seat up to 150 people, making it suitable for weddings and larger events, not just everyday group use.
- Is Berrima Retreat suitable for guests with accessibility needs?
- Yes. Berrima Retreat facilities now include an accessible bathroom. It’s a good idea to mention specific accessibility needs when enquiring, so the team can confirm the setup suits your group.
- Can groups take part in sheep and alpaca feeding?
- Yes. The property now has more sheep and alpacas, with hands-on feeding activities available for guests during their stay.
- Is there a workspace suitable for corporate groups?
- Yes. Berrima Retreat now has a dedicated office space that comfortably fits eight or more people, making it practical for meetings, workshops, and offsites.
- Does every bedroom have air conditioning?
- Yes. Bedrooms in the Mansion now have ducted air conditioning, and the North Wing is fitted with a split system.
- How many guests can Berrima Retreat accommodate overall?
- Berrima Retreat sleeps between 22 and 55 guests and operates as a fully exclusive-hire property, meaning only one group stays on site at a time.
Ready to See the Updates for Yourself?
These Berrima Retreat updates make an already great property even better for group stays. From new farm animals to a bigger events room and easier access for every guest, there is more to enjoy than ever before.
The best way to picture it all is to see it for yourself. Request your free infopack today and start planning your group’s stay at Berrima Retreat.