The side won 43-17 after it was ahead 12-10 at the break.
The game turned on an intercept try from Waisake Naholo with the Brumbies pressing. That score after an hour put the home team out to 22-10 and it then kicked on to win the game comfortably.
Best for the HIghlanders were Ben Smith, Rob Thompson and lock Tom Franklin.
The Highlanders were coming off a bye and there were some signs of rust in the first half.
The side pushed the pass a bit too much at times and the Brumbies defence stood tall.
It was a solid set piece from the Brumbies who just piled into the game at both lineout and breakdown time and its scrum was in ascendancy throughout.
The Highlanders scored their first try through Lima Sopoaga. The Highlanders ran the ball up to the line and just a couple of metres out, Sopoaga managed to barge his way over.
Ben Smith scored the other try for the Highlanders in the first half and it was a five pointer to remember. Some tricky passing by the backs, gave some space out wide for Smith and he cut through the covering defence to go under the bar.
The Brumbies came back into the game with big No 8 Isi Naisarani scoring off the back of the scrum.
Highlanders 43 (Ben Smith 2, Lima Sopoaga, Waiskae Naholo, Fletcher Smith, Shannon Frizell tries; Sopoaga 4 con, pen, Ben Smith con) Brumbies 17 (Isi Naisarani, Joe Powell tries; Wharenui Hawera 2 con, pen) Halftime: 12-10 Highlanders