Happy hunting

There’s something for everyone in the Hunter Valley, while it is naturally promoted as a sophisticated wine and food region , its charm also lies in the unique towns and villages and the individual properties which make
your geta way here so special

The Hunter is a broad region with many natural attractions and many of the places to stay are on, or close to, farms and bushland as well as being close to the vineyards. Here warm hospitality and great accommodation meet simple pleasures such as walking trails, bike rides, barbecues in the great outdoors, the chance to observe farm animals, spot native wildlife and go adventuring in the nearby National Parks.

There are many different activities listed on the summer calendar and the Hunter Visitor Centre just outside Cessnock is the place to go for the full picture and to find brochures and information
on all the tours and local attractions, including galleries and food and wine trails. The Hunter is also famous for its music festivals, events and experiences such as the beautiful, themed gardens
at Hunter Valley Gardens with plants from around the globe and, thoughtfully, a children’s garden which is designed to be entertaining and informative.

Your choice of things to see and do will obviously be influenced by your choice of region – in the Maitland and Morpeth area you are close to the Hunter River with access to the Barrington Tops and also close to historic Newcastle and its surrounding beaches.

Follow the Heritage and Produce Trail through Morpeth, Largs and Woodford in the area to discover galleries, fine wines and produce. Into kayaking? Head for the Hunter River or the beautiful Barringtons where horse riding, kayaking, canoeing, 4WD and other tours and activities are available.

Lovedale is a wine region established in the early 1800s and, on the opposite side of the valley, Broke Fordwich has become a sub-region in its own right with an astonishing number of vineyards and a growing number of attractions

South of Broke, Wollombi and Laguna are on the Great North Road Convict Trail with roadside plaques detailing some of the history. Wollombi Museum houses a wealth of detail about the area. To see Aboriginal engravings, make the journey to the Finchley Trig lookout and Finchley Aboriginal Area where you will see engravings on a rock platform including footprints, animals and spirit figures.

The Sculpture in the Vineyards trail from Millfield to Wollombi is a summer attraction until January with local and international sculptors displaying more than 60 works in vineyards including Stonehurst Cedar Creek, Noyce Brothers and Undercliff.

Of course wine tasting is the magnet for many visitors and the Hunter has famous labels and many boutique wineries still to be discovered. Instead of buying by the label at the bottle shop you can actually taste the wine you are about to buy, ask questions about how it is made and discover why some vintages are better than others. Chances are you will leave with a case or two to cellar for the future, if you can wait that long, that is.

Alison Plummer

UPS RECOMMENDED ACCOMMODATION

Craigmhor Mountain Retreat
Phone: 02 6543 6393
Email: bnb@craigmhor.com.au, Web: www.craigmhor.com.au

Banjos Bushland Retreat
Phone: 02 9403 3388
Email: bookings@banjosretreat. com.au,Web: www.banjosretreat.com.au

Mystwood Valley Cabins
Phone: 02 4998 3234
Email: info@mystwood.com.au, Web: www.mystwood.com.au