Hunter Valley Travel Guide

The Mediterranean-like climate and fertile river valley along the Hunter River were recognised as ideal for grape growing by Australia’s first settlers. Over 200 years on, cultivation of the fruit dominates life in the area, which is now famous around the world as the continent’s premier wine-producing region.Hunter Valley really is an idyllic country getaway, with quaint towns filled with heritage-listed buildings nestling among rolling hills of forests and vineyards. The region is renowned as a leading producer of Semillon, a dry white wine, and is home to many of Australia’s most celebrated wineries. Be sure to sample a glass in the shade as you spend a sunny day making your way through the area's many top-class estates.Brokenwood Wines,Pepper Tree Wines and Audrey Wilkinson Vineyard are among the country’s oldest and most prestigious wineries while, if you’re looking for new tastes, you should take in the boutique Mistletoe Wines and Saddlers Creek Wines for some of the area’s most exclusive blends.As a trip to Hunter Valley will most likely involve some wine-sampling, most visitors take one of the many bus tours offered from Sydney, Newcastle or any of the many townships.If you’d prefer to do the driving, hire a car and pick up a map in the tourist information centre just north of Cessnock, a rural colonial township in the Lower Hunter Valley. Homely and welcoming accommodation combined with great restaurants and colonial architecture make this a great base from which to explore the region. Nearby Pokolbin is another popular destination as this town is home to the vast Hunter Valley Gardens horticultural park. The ponds and playgrounds here make for a great day out with the kids.A mere 2 hours north of Sydney, Hunter Valley has become a mecca for lovers of food and fine wines but also draws visitors from all over the world keen to explore the amazing natural beauty of the area. With numerous open-air attractions, including a number of national parks, it really is an outdoor paradise. A trip to the beautiful Barrington Tops National Park, part of the world’s largest protected zone of subtropical rainforest, is a must for nature-lovers. Tour and equipment companies also abound in the area, offering adventure tours, tramping, kayaking, fishing and mountain biking in the region’s many forests.