I have always been pretty wary of the hype surrounding Berrima. It has been the darling of the arts press for some time due to its fostering of contemporary art and architecture and it would be an understatement to say that I was just a little bit cynical. What do I care if Sting opened the Berrima Kursaal? I mean really, Sting? Give me a break.

The rot set in in Berrima when the Southern Highlands began attracting the rock star artists of the early eighties and it became Australia’s vanguard of contemporary art. The knowing architects followed and before you know it, Sting is there, standing in front of a Damien Hirst preserved cow slice, in a Driz-a-Bone, eating a scone. You can understand my apprehension.

But I spent some time there over the weekend, and I am prepared to take everything back. Berrima has really reached maturity - gone are the galvanised steel blade wall hairdressing salons; in their place a series of quite, considered buildings that are more concerned with with surface and new structural technologies than giant aquariums in nightclubs.

I guess I have to admit that the change probably did begin with the Berrima Kursaal, nicknamed the “Flying Fig” by locals due to its pink, alien interior. It gave the Berrima Collective (BC) an appropriate space to stage their performance weaving and it introduced a new construction methodology into the Australian workforce.

Then of course, there is the understandable hype surrounding Ito’s new Tods store currently under construction. While it is obviously a progression of the Tokyo flagship model it is nonetheless good to see some cutting edge gear going on in the Southern Highlands. Similarly, FOA’s winning scheme for Berrima Town Hall looks like it will generate some excitement with its jaw-to-the-floor luminescant facade. Whether or not the project goes ahead is another story entirely…