(188 km north of Sydney)

Trip duration: One day or longer

On the road
The Hunter Valley begins north of Newcastle and extends past Taree. The gateway to the main wine-growig area, Cessnock, is a two hour drive by the Sydney-Newcastle Freeway. Take the Calga exit and travel via Wollombi.

HUNTER VALLEY

2 hours drive north of Sydney, lies the Hunter Valley, Australia’s oldest commercial wine-producing area. The Hunter’s table wines, both red and white, still rank among the best in Australia. The high reputation of the district is maintained by well-known properties; Mount Pleasant, Drayton’s Bellevue, Hungerford Hill, Tyrrell’s Oakvale, Lindemans, Wyndham Estate and Tulloch’s Glen Elgin. Most wineries welcome visitors and are open for inspection and wine tasting daily. To see the range of wineries in operation, Tyrrell’s and Drayton’s are best for a glimpse of the more traditional family approach, and Lindeman or Hunter Estate for the modern ‘big company’ style.

Must see

The best times to visit are during autumn, winter and spring. The grape harvest occurs in February/March with some wineries offering tours of their production facilities.

Cessnock, in the Lower Hunter Valley, is the closest township to the wineries of the Pokolbin region. The area has the oldest commercial vineyard and produces fine red and white wines.

Maitland, once a coal-mining centre, settled by convicts in 1818. It is now a busy city with many historic buildings, including Maitland City Art Gallery. The old jail off King St, is now a museum with a good collection of police and criminal memorabilia. National Trust properties Grossmann House, Georgian style folk museum, and Brough House which contains the city's art collection. There are several homesteads in the area and the 1820s convict-built Windermere Colonial Museum is in nearby Lochinvar.

Singleton, located beside the Hunter River in rich grazing land, it is the geographical heart of the Hunter Valley. New wealth in the form of huge open-cut coal mines, has joined the traditional rural industry, transforming Singleton into one of the most progressive country centre's in the state.

On the New England Highway between Singleton and Muswellbrook, 26 km north west, is Bayswater Power Station, the biggest thermal power station in southern hemisphere.

Scone, known as the "horse capital of Australia", has the second largest thoroughbred and horse- breeding centre in the world. Things to see include the Historic Society Museum, in Kingdon St. Glenbawn Dam 15 km east, is great for water sports and picnic/barbecue facilities are available.

Wollombi, a picturesque village, once a weigh station on the convict-built Great North Road, with fine century-old standstone buildings and lush rolling hills.

The tiny town of Denman, situated in the heart of the Upper Hunter Valley, is a prime producer of white wines as well as some major red wine varieties. Major vineyards include Rosemount Estate, Cruickshank Callatoota Estate, Horderns Horseshoe Vineyard, Serenella Estate, Arrowfield, Reynolds and Verona Vineyards.

Branxton Inn Gallery was originally established as an inn in 1843. The gallery includes an enclosed garden, dining area, cocktail lounge and gallery with an array of artwork.

For further information, contact:

Cessnock City Tourist Board
Turner Park
Aberdare Road
CESSNOCK NSW 2325
Phone: (049) 90 4477
Fax: (049) 90 6954

Maitland District Tourist Information Centre
H.E.W Cottage, King Edward Park
Cnr Banks St & New England Highway
EAST MAITLAND NSW 2323
Phone: (049) 33 2611
Fax:(049) 33 3209

Acknowledgement

Images courtesy of Tourism New South Wales

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