Located within a few hours’ drive of Sydney and known for its famous wine exports, the Hunter Valley is a popular holiday destination for international travelers and Sydneysiders alike. Over 120 wineries take advantage of the region’s warm, dry climate and sandy loam creek soils. Guesthouses and B&Bs dot the landscape, catering to the weekend tourist crowd. Though only 8-10% of all Australian wines are made from Hunter Valley fruit, local vintages claim more than their share of national wine trophies and medals. Chief among the varieties produced in the area are the peppery red Shiraz and the citrusy white Semillon. The region can be explored on a budget via free wine and cheese tastings, a rental car, and a designated driver. Most of the vineyards are clustered around Pokolbin in the lower Hunter Valley, just outside Cessnock’s town center at the base of the Brokenback Mountains, but several notable labels are situated in the upper Hunter, centered around the small town of Denman.
The best time to visit the Hunter Valley is mid-week, when there are fewer people and tours, and accommodations are less expensive. Countrylink (☎13 22 32) sends buses daily from Sydney to Scone (4hr., $40) via Muswellbrook (3½hr., $35). Rover Coaches, 231 Vincent St., in Cessnock, runs a bus from Sydney Central Station to Cessnock and the Cessnock Visitor Information Centre. (☎02 4990 1699; www.rovercoaches.com.au. Departs 8:30am. $40, round-trip $6070. ISIC $30/50.) CityRail’s Hunter Line runs between Cessnock and Newcastle (2hr., $15.80). Bicycle rental is available from Hunter Valley Cycling, at the Cessnock YHA. Free delivery and dropoff service are available. (☎04 1828 1480; www.huntervalleycycling.com.au. Mountain bikes $25 ½-day, 2 days $45; tandem bikes $50, 2 days $75), as well as Grapemobile Bicycle Hire in Pokolbin, at the corner of McDonalds Rd. and Palmers Ln. (☎04 1840 4039. One day $25, 2 days $35.) Cessnock Radio Cabs (☎02 4990 1111) can get you home safely.
Starting in Newcastle or Maitland, the standard 10- to 20-person tour generally lasts from 9am to 5pm (10am-4pm from Cessnock) and visits four or five wineries, with a cheese, olive, or chocolate stop along the way. The Vineyard Shuttle Service lets passengers request stops instead of following a strict itinerary. (☎02 4991 3655; www.vineyardshuttle.com.au. M-F $48, Sa-Su $50. Add $10 for evening restaurant, airport, and golf transfers.) Hunter Vineyard Tours, one of the longest running operations in the region that also offers customized itineraries, (☎02 4991 1659; www.huntervineyardtours.com.au) picks up from Cessnock ($60, with lunch $90), Newcastle, and Maitland (both $65/95). Aussie Wine Tours (☎02 0412 738 809; www.aussiewinetours.com.au) visits both boutiques and large wineries. Trekabout creates a more intimate setting by limiting tours to 12. (☎02 4990 8277; www.hunterweb.com.au/trekabout. ½-day $45, full-day $55.) Horse-drawn carriage tours generally start at $45 for half-day and $60 for full-day, available through Pokolbin Horse Coaches (☎02 4998 7305; www.pokolbinhorsecoaches.com.au), on McDonald’s Rd. Wonderbus runs 20-person groups straight to the Hunter Valley from Sydney. It also offers a combo trip to the Blue Mountains in the morning followed by a wine tour in the Hunter Valley, a trip to a wildlife park, and a cruise on Sydney Harbour. (☎02 9630 0529 or 1300 556 357; www.wonderbus.com.au. Departs 7am, returns 7:15pm. $149 with buffet lunch, $105 tour only. Ask about the backpacker discount.)
Most wineries are open for free tastings and tours daily 10am-5pm (some 9:30am-4:30pm), although some of the smaller ones are only open on weekends. Of the over 100 wineries, the largest are Drayton’s, Lindemans, McGuigan’s, McWilliams-Mount Pleasant Estate, Rothbury Estate, Tyrrell’s, and Wyndham Estate. Smaller boutiques, such as Ivanhoe, Pokolbin Estate, Rothvale, and Sobel’s, sell their wines only on the premises. While not as glitzy, they are generally more intimate and relaxed. Check with Hunter Valley Wine Country Tourism about tours of individual wineries. Wine prices vary, but bottles typically start around $20.
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For 52 years, we have published the world’s favorite budget travel guides, written entirely by students and updated every year. With pen and notebook in hand and a few changes of underwear stuffed in our backpacks, we spend months roaming the globe in search of travel bargains.
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