Mary O'Brien

History, culture, books and cute cafes – the Southern Highlands is where Sydney’s elite traditionally seeks to escape the madding crowds. For those who like the dream of owning a historic mansion and a swathe of rolling emerald countryside, the region is top of the list.

The best ideas often come when you least expect them. Garden designers Ross Uebergang and Yousuke Yamaguchi were enjoying a few drinks in a Nagasaki bar when they started chatting. Yousuke scribbled a few designs on a serviette and a year later, the results of their brainstorming – an Australian-Japanese unity garden – will appear at the Melbourne Flower and Garden show.

Forget the smashed-avo stereotype, millennials are a much more serious generation than they’re given credit for.