Sequins catching the Highland light, dramatic singing echoing through local venues, and enough glitter to make a craft store jealous. That’s just another day in the life of Kara Zmatiq, the Southern Highlands’ most dazzling resident.
We sat down for a glamorous conversation with Kara about how she ended up here and why she’s absolutely obsessed with Highland life.
Get ready for some serious fabulousness!
1 :: So tell us, what’s the story behind your move to our little corner of the world?
Oh honey, fasten your lashes and hold onto your heels, this tale is juicier than a Real Housewives wine fight in Positano!
Picture it: Southbank, Melbourne. Lockdown. I’m trapped in activewear, dreaming of sequins, spotlight, and someone who wouldn’t ghost me after finding out my idea of casual wear includes feather bowers and 9″ heels.
I was scrolling through more dating apps than episodes of RuPaul’s Drag Race when BAM! in struts Patrick Glanville: award-winning hair magician to the stars and soon-to-be my full-time wig stylist, emotional support human, and accidental stage husband. It was love at first text, obviously.
A couple of steamy FaceTimes, socially distanced rendezvous in Melbourne, and enough UberEats to qualify for Platinum status, and next thing you know, I’m waving goodbye to Clarendon Street and strutting into Moss Vale with more wigs than sense; and a Melbourne wardrobe in and out of drag, that works for highlands climate!
Now here’s the gag: I conveniently forgot to mention I’m a drag queen until after I moved in. Surprise! I mean, how do you casually slip into conversation, “By the way, I need three wardrobes—one for me, one for Kara, and one for the shoes that deserve better lighting”? But Patrick took it like a true queen curling my wigs, cheering me on, and even joining me on stage as my fabulous Emcee from time to time. Honestly, he loves the spotlight more than I do (I know, shocking), so clearly, we’re soulmates with a shared Google Calendar.
Four years on, we’ve got a home filled with love, glitter, and a whole room dedicated to Kara Zmatiq’s legendary lewks. Just don’t leave the door open, my Frenchie has a thing for breastplates and silicone. Who can blame him? So yes, my darlings I moved for love, stayed for the wardrobe, and lived for the drama and romance with my fabulous partner and friendships I have made during my short few years here in the highlands.
2 :: What’s your absolute favourite thing about Highland life?
Where do I even begin?
Living in the Southern Highlands is like stepping into a Jane Austen novel, if Jane Austen had a drag queen bestie and access to a smoke machine.
Every morning I wake up to the mist rolling over the hills like nature’s own stage curtain rising just for me and the sound of cattle and horses in the distance. It’s peaceful, it’s picturesque, and it’s positively Kara Zmatiq-core, if I do say so myself.
I love that I can sashay down the main street of Bowral in full glam, or melbourne-chic [hey, a queen needs her day off] and be greeted with nothing but smiles, double takes, and the occasional “You’re not from around here, are you?” followed quickly by “Oh wait, you’re that fabulous drag queen, aren’t you?!”
But truly, it’s the people for me.
This place has heart. It’s a community with a capital C, darling.
From the french creperie who now low-key judges me if I don’t wear something glamorous to brunch, to the little old ladies who come to my bingo shows and whisper “You remind me of the old school Les Girls days” like it’s a spiritual compliment I feel completely seen, sparkles and all.
And let’s not forget the fresh air that keeps the skin tight, the wine that keeps the conversations flowing [although I am a cock-tail queen myself], and the views that make every selfie look editorial. Whether I’m performing or picking up pastries, life here feels like a fabulous mix of cabaret and cottagecore.
I mean, where else could a drag queen feel so at home next to a paddock of cows and still get asked to host a gala? It’s not just a place to live, it’s a place to live out loud and my ultimate country fantasy!
3 :: When you need some fresh air and outdoor time, where do you love to go?
When I need to escape the wigs, the glitter, and the occasional overcooked lash glue, I slip into something less sequin [read: activewear that hasn’t seen a gym in its life] and hit the great outdoors, Southern Highlands style! Oh honey, when I’m not knee-deep in rhinestones or elbow-deep in setting spray, I like to swap the stilettos for sneakers [Gucci, obviously] and explore the leafy playground we call the Southern Highlands.
First stop? Leighton Gardens in Moss Vale, where I give “Downton Abbey meets Drag Race” realness among the roses. It’s the perfect spot for a dramatic stroll, a spontaneous photoshoot, or pretending I’m filming a music video for my next single [Working title: Botanic Babe?]. Speaking of blooms, the Southern Highland Botanic Gardens are slowly blossoming into something quite fabulous, much like myself pre-crepe. It’s a little underdog moment, a hidden gem on the glow-up, and we love a transformation story.
Then it’s off to Berrima, where Bendooley Estate calls my name louder than a bottom at a Beyoncé concert. That seductive cheese board has me in a chokehold while my other half swirls wine like he’s in a French film. I’m over here making sweet, passionate love to the quince paste on a cracker like it’s the final rose ceremony on The Bachelor.
Naturally, once I’m fuelled up on dairy and delusion, I sashay through the vines like a budget version of Mariah Carey in a vineyard photo shoot lip-syncing for my life to Whitney Houston while the locals try to act like they’re not watching. But let’s be real, darling… they’re staring. And who could blame them? I’m basically Cellar Door Realness meets Drag Race Eleganza.
Now if I’m feeling fierce and fearless, it’s time for Fitzroy Falls a dramatic queen of a waterfall that matches my energy. I channel Kate Winslet in Titanic at the lookout, arms out, wind in my hair, French bulldog in a Gucci harness. And if that doesn’t hit the adrenaline spot, baby, I zipline my way into full scream mode at the Illawarra Fly Treetop Adventures 35 metres above ground, clutching onto my lashes and praying the wind doesn’t reveal what’s under the wig.
On Sundays, I’ll do a slight flirtation with Bundanoon’s Fairy Bower Falls, serving forest sprite realness, or hit Mittagong Lookout for a good ol’ scream into the void [therapy, but with views and lip gloss].
So when the glitter settles and nature calls, I answer in full glam, of course. The Highlands? She’s not just scenic, darling. She’s stage-ready!
4 :: Where do you love to grab your perfect cuppa?
Coffee? Me?? Please. I don’t need that kind of anxiety in a cup, I’m already naturally caffeinated by sheer fabulousness. I drink hot chocolate, thank you very much, and not just any hot chocolate, I demand luxury in a mug with lactose-free milk because, let’s be honest, I don’t need the whole cow, just the glamour.
Now, when it comes to sippin’ and sittin’ pretty, you’ll find me swanning into Franquettes Crêperie in Bowral like Marie Antoinette on a cheat day, their hot and cold chocolates are sinful, and pair perfectly with the fantasy of speaking fluent French while holding a croissant or indulging on a crepe or two.
In Moss Vale, I flirt with the Portuguese tarts at Flour Bar and lounge seductively at What If Society’s gorgeously renovated new location on Argyle Street, which is so chic it deserves its own Vogue spread. The vibes? Immaculate. The lighting? Filter-free fabulous.
And of course, if we’re talking cafés, we’re talking cake, baby. I practically levitate into Gumnut Patisserie for their Banoffee, which has been known to make grown men weep and drag queens purr. One bite and suddenly I’m in a food-induced ballad, singing “I Will Always Love You” to a slice of caramel perfection. Oh and in Mittagong or Berrima? If there’s chocolate, I’ll find it. If there’s cake, I’ll marry it. And if there’s both? Cancel my next gig, sweetie, Mama’s busy.
5 :: What’s your go-to spot for a bit of retail therapy?
It’s not just retail therapy, it’s a full-blown spiritual awakening in heels.
Let’s start with Highlands Emporium a divine labyrinth of curated fabulousness where I lose all sense of time, dignity, and self-restraint. One minute I’m looking for a candle, next thing I know I’ve bought a velvet chaise, six tarot decks, and a crystal that may or may not summon an ex-lover. Honestly? Worth it.
Then there’s Kmart Bowral. And listen don’t come for me because every drag queen knows Kmart is where you find the essentials: lashes, hot glue, snacks, power tools, and existential dread all under one roof. It’s chaotic, fluorescent-lit fabulousness and yes, I have been spotted doing a runway strut down aisle 3 in full glam; some of the staff even know me by name!
Need to restock the war paint? I glide into Glam Bowral, darling. The only place where I can top up my highlighter, grab a fake lash that could knock out a grown man, and leave feeling like I’ve just been blessed by the makeup gods. Slay insurance? Covered.
Dirty Janes? Oh sweetie, that’s where I go when I need something utterly quirky like a taxidermy peacock, a 1920s cocktail trolley, or a rhinestone tiara that screams “Miss Congeniality runner-up.” It’s like Antiques Roadshow met RuPaul’s Drag Race and had a glitter baby.
As for Bowerbird on Argyle and Suzie Anderson… Well, let’s just say they’re gorgeous spaces… I’m more “rainbow exploded in a chandelier store,” personally but we all have our truth, don’t we? So yes, when I shop, I serve looks, spend irresponsibly, and leave a trail of glitter and receipts.
It’s called supporting local look it up, sweetie.
6:: Any recent Highland discoveries that have totally won you over?
Oh honey, let me tell you, Genso Japanese Bistro in Moss Vale is my new spiritual home.
The moment I stepped in, I knew I was in for something special. I’m talking next-level Japanese cuisine that had me moaning louder than a power ballad in a karaoke bar. It was so divine, I went back for dinner two nights in a row because once simply wasn’t enough, darling. I’ve already introduced half my fabulous circle, and the rest are on a waiting list! The brilliant team behind some of the Highlands’ finest have outdone themselves by finally gifting Moss Vale with the elegance and edge of Japanese dining. And baby, I live for it. The flavours? Sublime. The vibe? Chic. The sushi? So fresh I almost slapped it. GENSO has me hooked like a drag queen on rhinestones, classy, dramatic, and utterly irresistible.
7 :: If you had a completely free day to explore the Highlands, how would you spend it?
Oh honey, when I’ve got a whole day to myself in the Highlands, you best believe I’m putting the “it” in the itinerary!
First, I start strong with a hot chocolate at Flour Bar [because I don’t need the whole cow, just a little lactose-free situation] served with a side of local gossip and maybe a flirt with whoever’s at the espresso machine. With my choccie in hand, I’ll take a scenic stroll through the Southern Highlands Botanic Gardens, which is blossoming slowly but surely, like my patience when someone asks, “So is drag just a hobby for you?”
If I’m feeling adventurous [and I always am], I’ll zip-line my way through Illawarra Fly Treetop Adventures, or chase waterfalls in Bundanoon the Glow Worm Glen Walk is my idea of a dark and glittery dream sequence, and don’t even get me started on the drama of Fitzroy Falls more drops than a RuPaul runway. I’ll stop by Gumnut Patisserie to pick up a cheeky banoffee tart to-go [because we don’t do low blood sugar on a glam day out], and then it’s time for some serious cardio: retail therapy up and down Bong Bong Street.
Dirty Janes is my temple of eccentricity where I shop like I’m redecorating Marie Antoinette’s weekend cottage. Then I strut over to Highlands Emporium for something that screams “queer cottagecore.” Of course, a pit stop at Kmart Bowral is non-negotiable, what drag queen hasn’t found salvation in the homewares aisle? And don’t judge me, but I’ve been known to cause chaos in The Reject Shops of Moss Vale AND Mittagong. Trinkets are my weakness.
Now, between all this fabulousness, I’m absolutely grazing my way through the Highlands: lunch might be a juicy burger at Hide Out Bar & Grill, a sizzling plate of pad see ew from Thai Som Boon, or a date with destiny [and miso eggplant] at Genso Japanese Bistro Moss Vale honestly, that place is so divine I should just move in and pay rent. As the sun sets, it’s red lips and red carpets at the Empire Cinema Bowral, where I take myself to the movies like the independent woman I pretend to be when I don’t want to share popcorn.
And to wrap up the day in true diva style, I’d glide back into Flour Bar [because why not bookend your day with brilliance?] or swan into any spot still serving something shaken, stirred, or served with sass. I’ll be sipping a fabulous cocktail, whispering sweet nothings to either my dessert box from Gumnut or my partner Patrick Glanville whichever one’s giving me more attention, let’s be honest! So yes, darling, if you’re wondering how the Queen of the Highlands spends her day off… It’s hot chocolate-fuelled adventures, dramatic waterfalls, couture treasure hunts, and cheeky cocktails with fabulous friends and my deliciously divine man, all wrapped up with just the right amount of scandal and sparkle.
Honestly, we’re just obsessed with having Kara Zmatiq as part of our Highland family! Her whole story is proof that the best things happen when you least expect them – who knew a lockdown love story would bring us the most fabulous drag queen the region has ever seen?
Do yourself a favour and put Kara’s shows on your must-do list – Christmas in July with the whole Soiree Cabaret gang at Highland Hotel is happening, and every single one of their performances is utterly fantastic!
Our region’s always been gorgeous, but having someone who brings this much sparkle and sass to the mix? That’s just the cherry on top of our Highland life.
And if you spot a trail of glitter on the street, you’ll know exactly who’s been through…
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