Hunter

Home to Australia’s oldest wine region, the Hunter begins two hours’ drive north of Sydney and is easily reached by car, bus, train or air. You can also board a riverboat in Newcastle on the NSW North Coast and travel along the beautiful Hunter River to delightful historic towns in wine country.

The Hunter region encompasses charming towns and villages, rolling vineyards and olive groves, and splendid national parks of the Hunter Valley, the Upper Hunter and Barrington Tops. You’ll taste some of the world’s best wines at cellar doors, including the acclaimed Hunter Valley Semillon.

Tours to the wineries are a great way to experience the Hunter Valley, where grapes were first planted in the 1820s. The Upper Hunter is the horse capital of Australia and will entice you with its rural beauty, boutique wineries, handmade cheeses, horse festivals and horseracing carnivals.

Fine food and wine are a delicious combination in the Hunter. Fertile soils grow a rich variety of produce in addition to grapes. At restaurants, talented chefs create exquisite dishes using fresh local produce. You’ll also find seasonal produce and other delights at markets and gourmet providores.

Accommodation options suit various budgets, from luxury retreats and golf and spa resorts to motels, youth hostels and camping. Check out the exciting events calendar for food and wine festivals, agricultural shows, horseracing, and jazz, opera and rock concerts among the vineyards.

World Heritage wilderness is a spectacular drawcard, too. Enjoy bushwalking in Yengo National Park, where you can take the Finchley cultural walk. Barrington Tops National Park is part of the World Heritage Gondwana Rainforests. Join Barrington Outdoor Adventures and explore the park in a kayak or canoe.