There’s a lot more to the Hunter Valley than wine. Book a few days away and explore some of the region’s lesser-known delights including horse riding, hot air ballooning, foodie tours, art galleries and festivals.
- 4 min read
Hike through lush national parks
Just on the edge of the vineyards that fill Australia’s oldest wine region, the landscape gives way to untouched bushland. To the south of the Hunter Valley is Watagans National Park, where towering red cedar and Illawarra flame trees form shady canopies over quiet walking trails. Running through the park is a trail from Sydney to Newcastle built to commemorate the Bicentennial in 1988, forming part of the Great North Walk. This section is suited to experienced hikers and offers spectacular views and abundant birdlife.
Yengo National Park sits to the southwest, a remote wilderness that’s home to ancient Aboriginal sites, mountain bike trails and a section of the convict-built Old Great North Road. The 6km Yango Walking Track follows an old logging trail through pristine forest – look out for the rare velvet wattle. Mount Royal National Park is around 50km north of Singleton and part of the World Heritage-listed Gondwana Rainforest of Australia. There are walks for all fitness levels and you’ll find the park a tranquil escape from the region’s high-tourist areas.
Watagans National Park, Lake Macquarie
Ride a horse through vineyards and bushland
Saddle up to explore the valley on horseback. Hunter Valley Horse Riding runs trail rides through their beautiful 300-acre property in the Molly Morgan Range. Kangaroos, wombats, possums and wedge-tailed eagles are frequently spotted, and the views back towards the vineyards are stunning. Chapman Valley Horse Riding is based in the Howes Valley, around an hour from Pokolbin, and takes riders through remote bushland. There are options for riders of all levels, from short walks for first timers to multi-day treks for experts.
Hunter Valley Horses, Pokolbin
Go off-roading along an old stock route on a Segway
For a truly unique way to explore the Hunter Valley, step aboard a Segway and venture along a 5.5km old stock route that weaves through bush, an old shiraz vineyard and grasslands with grazing kangaroos. Hunter Farm and Adventure Centre offers 40- and 70-minute tours that will have you zooming around the valley like a pro in no time. Archery, axe-throwing and clay shooting are also available for those looking to test their aim.
Hunter Farm and Adventure Centre, Pokolbin - Credit: Hunter Farm and Adventure Centre
Get a bird's-eye view of the valley
You’ll get a new perspective on the Hunter Valley when you see it from above. A sunrise flight in a hot air balloon is one of the most spectacular ways to explore the vineyards, floating serenely above the neat rows of vines, pockets of farmland and tiny cottages dotted in between. Flights with Balloon Aloft and Beyond Ballooning finish with a Champagne breakfast to set the mood for a day of wine tasting. If you prefer something a little faster, Aero Logistics Helicopters and Hunter Valley Helicopters can take you on a heli wine tour, hopping between vineyards in style.
Hunter Valley Helicopters, Pokolbin
Take a swing on a golf course
The golf resorts in the Hunter Valley are world-class, with luxury accommodation and superb fairways. The Vintage Golf Club in Rothbury features a Greg Norman-designed championship course beautifully set alongside wetlands, eucalypts and the vineyards of Bimbadgen. The club is set on the tranquil grounds of luxury resort Chateau Elan. If you need to brush up your technique, golf lessons are available from the Richard Mercer Golf Academy.
Hunter Valley Golf Club is an 18-hole championship course on the grounds of the Rydges Resort Hunter Valley (formerly the Crowne Plaza) in Lovedale. In Pokolbin, the Steve Smyers-designed Oaks Cypress Lakes Golf and Country Club has great views of vineyards and the Brokenback Range, and sits next to the Oaks Cypress Lakes Resort. Further afield, Easts Leisure is an 18-hole course in Maitland, and there are nine-hole courses at Branxton Golf Club, Paterson Golf Club and Singleton Golf Club.
Oaks Cypress Lakes Resort, Pokolbin
Go cheese and chocolate tasting
Cheese and chocolate are two of the Hunter Valley’s best exports (second only to wine). The famed Hunter Valley Smelly Cheese Shop is stocked with exceptional local and international cheeses, as well as 36 Hunter Valley Gelato flavours. The Hunter Valley Cheese Factory runs daily tasting sessions of cheese, preserves and olives, plus cheese making courses if you want to learn how to make your own. Binnorie Dairy has a cheese shop and cafe where you can sit down to a plate of their best bites. Pair the cheese with wine on an aptly named 10-hour Hunter Valley Wine and Cheese Tasting Tour.
Get close to animals
See wallabies and kangaroos, deer, camels, at the Hunter Valley Wildlife Park. With three walk-through habitats you'll have plenty of opportunities to see the animals up close. For the most interactive animal experience, join a zookeeper to see playful meerkats or meet a quokka.
Hunter Valley Wildlife Park, Nulkaba - Credit: Hunter Valley Wildlife Park
Learn about local Aboriginal heritage
Aboriginal people have lived in the Hunter Valley for tens of thousands of years creating an unbreakable bond between ancient culture and Country. Learn more about it on a guided tour through Yengo National Park and along the Finchley Cultural Walk with Girri Girra Aboriginal Experiences. You’ll see rock engravings and carvings, hear traditional stories, and learn language through song and dance.
Join Wollombi Aboriginal Cultural Experiences for a full-day or sunset tour to Mount Yengo and learn how it is as sacred as Uluru to the local people. Or experience a full immersion on a three-day camp. Dhurug guide Leanne King will lead you on an exploration of cultural sites, and will also host activities at the camp including traditional dance workshops, Aboriginal astronomy and traditional fibre craft.
Girri Girra Aboriginal Experiences, Bouddi National Park - Credit: Girri Girra Aboriginal Experiences
Attend fun-filled festivals and events
The famous Lovedale Long Lunch is one of the Hunter Valley’s highlights. Held in May, it’s a progressive lunch, (the courses hosted at a series of venues), that takes you to up to six of Lovedale’s best wineries. The Hunter Valley Wine and Beer Festival takes place in June, with a day of tastings, local food, entertainment, kids’ activities and more at the Rydges Resort. A Day on the Green is a concert series held throughout the year at Bimbadgen. Past acts have included huge names like Jimmy Barnes, Crowded House, Kylie Minogue, Sting and Bryan Adams.
Families will love the Hunter Valley Airshow, held at the Cessnock Airport in March. Marvel at the daredevil antics of the acrobatic pilots, take an adventure flight or helicopter ride, jump in the cockpit of a virtual fighter jet or step back in time with the historic warbirds. Train enthusiasts will enjoy Burton Automotive Hunter Valley Steamfest, which celebrates steam power each April. Enjoy live music, heritage walks, markets, gourmet food and thrilling steam train rides.
Hunter Valley Gardens hosts plenty of kid-friendly events during the year, like Mega Creatures dinosaur installations, Christmas Lights Spectacular and Snow Time, where the gardens are transformed into a snowy winter wonderland.
Christmas Lights Spectacular, Hunter Valley Gardens
