BERRIMA Berrima is the last of the southern highland towns that follow the Hume Highway. Berrima has retained the very historic heritage of days past. Berrima is a fun place to visit and the traveler needs appropriate time and a little funding to get the best out of the visit. Every facet of this heritage town is of interest. The name Berrima is believed to derive from an Aboriginal word meaning either ‘southward’ or ‘black swan’. The Wingecarribee River and the area was first visited during the late 1790s, including a 1798 expedition led by an ex-convict, John Wilson. The courthouse (was built between 1833 and 1838. The gaol (see below) was built from 1835 by convict labour and opened in 1839. The gaol is still in use, and the courthouse a museum. The Surveyor General Inn was built in 1834. It has been continuously licensed since 1839 and its claim to being the earliest hotel rests on its continual trading record. The Anglican and Catholic Churches are 150 year old buildings. The town itself is a museum. But on the northern end of the town a museum gives a great insight to the past. The Berrima War Memorial is located in the Berrima Gardens. A great little town that the traveler will enjoy. Heritage diary