Hunter Valley’s biggest town is the perfect base from which to explore the top-class wineries and beautiful countryside of Australia’s oldest wine-producing region.
Once a thriving mining town, Cessnock is now best known as the gateway to some of the best wineries in Australia. Located in the heart of Lower Hunter Valley, the town is surrounded by high-quality food and wine producers. Many visitors base themselves in Cessnock as they spend a few days exploring the wineries and farms of the country’s oldest wine-producing region.The idyllic surrounding landscape and charming heritage-listed buildings of Cessnock are the perfect backdrop to a relaxing getaway in the Australian countryside, while the town’s excellent restaurants and bars serve up the best fresh, local produce. Spend a morning discovering this picturesque town’s culture and history in the Marthaville Arts & Crafts Centre and the Cessnock Court House before taking off on a tour of the area's many producers.Rent a car in town or jump on a bus tour that’ll bring you to nearby wineries and cheese factories, stopping off at farm gates and cellar doors along the way to give you the freshest possible taste of Pokolbin’s finest produce. Many of the wineries have on-site restaurants and tours meaning you’ll have a choice of dining options.When you’ve had your fill of fine wines and food you can turn your attention to Pokolbin’s other main attraction: the stunning natural beauty on all sides! The Brokenback Mountains can be seen from the town while Cessnock is also in the Hunter Valley Important Bird Area which draws bird watchers from all over the country and beyond. Pack your binoculars and you might catch sight of some of the many endangered species that reside here, including the regent honeyeater or the bright plumes of the swift parrot.Active visitors will have plenty to occupy themselves as there are a number of tour agencies in town with whom you can organise an adrenaline-fuelled skydive or a leisurely hot air balloon ride above the beautiful countryside. The nearby Werakata National Park is ideal for bushwalking and mountain biking and visitors are always welcome at Cessnock golf club in the middle of town.This welcoming township is a little more than 50 kilometres from Newcastle and just a two-hour drive from Sydney, the Rover Coaches bus service also runs from Sydney.
