NSW Hunter Valley & Barrington Tops, Travel Information

Loving the Hunter

From a Tuscan-inspired villa, a horsedrawn carriage makes its leisurely way down a sheltered country lane for a private wine-tasting amidst the vines. Sound like something only fantasies are made of? All this and so much more is waiting to be savoured in the Hunter Valley.

Unique hotels & accommodation Hunter Valley

The epicentre of the NSW wine industry, the Hunter Valley lies about 150 kilometres north of Sydney. It takes just 90 minutes to drive from the city via well-maintained freeways to an area renowned for its boutique wineries, great restaurants and superb range of accommodation encompassing everything from up-market resorts with golf courses and fashionable day spas, to motels, B&Bs, eco-tourism lodges and self-contained cottages. Some of the accommodation is located in the very heart of the vineyards, while others have historic buildings as their backdrops.

Though the Hunter Valley has become a favourite weekend playground for Sydneysiders, visitors should ideally stay for a few more days to get the most out of this vibrant area. Festivals and special events, such as the hugely successful Jazz in the Vineyards and Opera in the Vineyards, have ensured the Hunter Valley is as much about fine wines as living life at a gracious pace. Don’t miss the annual Hunter Valley Harvest Festival, held in March/April.

The wine industry has been operating in the Hunter Valley for more than 180 years, with some of the major players of recent times – including Tyrrells and Draytons – established in the 1850s. For much of this time, production focussed on fortified wines, including port; while the making of table wines really started to boom in the 1980s. Now there are some 110 wineries producing such successful varieties as semillon, chardonnay, verdelho and shiraz. Hunter Valley wines have won major awards around the world, and their celebrity spread even in the early days. One of the fathers of the modern local wine industry, the late Murray Tyrrell, caused quite a stir when he entered a Hunter Valley chardonnay in a French wine competition in 1976 – and won.

There are many wineries in the region that sell only through their own cellar-door operations and are available nowhere else in the country – another good reason to visit.

The Hunter Valley wine area is concentrated around Pokolbin, a short drive from Cessnock at the southern end of the valley. From Cessnock, it’s an easy drive to regional centres such as Maitland, and charming settlements such as Wollombi, with its historic sandstone buildings and quaint village atmosphere. Thirty kilometres north of Wollombi lies Broke, which marks the beginning of the Upper Hunter region. Though Broke, settled as early as the 1820s, is far less tourism-intensive than the area around Pokolbin, a growing number of vineyards and wineries have appeared there in recent years, supported by a handful of B&B establishments, guesthouses and self-catering cottages.

Olive farming has also become popular in recent years. The Upper Hunter, despite the developing importance of wine production, is probably better known for its championship racehorse studs, beef and dairy cattle. This region extends from Broke and Branxton north along the New England Highway through Singleton and Muswellbrook to Scone, Murrurundi and Willow Tree.

Secrets of the Barrington Tops

The Barrington Tops – an area of immense natural beauty – lies north of the Hunter Valley, bracketed by the Pacific and New England highways. Discover its tiny villages, virgin bushland, alpine meadows, ancient beech forests, hidden valleys and dramatic waterfalls. The first section of the Barrington Tops National Park was established in 1969 and attained a World Heritage listing 17 years later.

Unique hotels & accommodation Barrington Tops

The main towns in the region include Gloucester, Dungog and Stroud. Hotels, motels, B&Bs and farmstays are the preferred accommodation options. History abounds in this area, with the Gloucester to Scone road passing through the old Copeland goldfields, where gold was discovered in the 1870s.

Although it rates as one of Australia’s least-known gold discoveries, Copeland produced significant loads, topping some $300 million by today’s standards. Only the Mountain Maid Mine still operates – it’s well worth stopping by to check out the old mining equipment and memorabilia.

Activities & Attractions

While nature lovers will appreciate such activities as birdwatching and seeking out the local grey kangaroos, red-necked wallabies and wombats. Other activities include white water canoeing and kayaking, fishing, camping, horse riding and skydiving.