A popular weekend escape from Sydney, the Hunter Valley is famous for its fresh farm products, its beautiful vineyard landscapes, its elegant day spas, its golf courses and the wilderness of Wollemi and Barrington Tops National Parks. Not surprisingly, the region is a paradise for food lovers. Cheeses, chutneys, chocolates, grapes, aromatic oils, olives, and honey are just some of the delicacies that occur in this fertile valley, and the region hosts highly acclaimed restaurants.

Hunter valley

After a feast with fresh farm food, visitors can burn some energy exploring the many tourist attractions in the region. Thanks to its rich history as a coal extraction center the Hunter Valley prospered during the 19th century, many of the old houses and mansions in the cities of Hunter Valley bear witness to this wealth. Today, visitors can explore this architecture on the heritage trails and learn about local history in regional museums. The Hunter Valley Gardens are a popular attraction.

An excellent way to appreciate this picturesque agricultural country is to fly over the landscape in a hot air balloon. Tourists can also ride a bicycle along the country’s secondary roads, or ride horses in the surrounding desert. The evocative accommodation options range from boutique hotels to historic farms and rustic cottages.

Newcastle

Nobbys Head Lighthouse

Located between fantastic surfing beaches and one of Australia’s busiest ports, Newcastle is the second-largest city in New South Wales and the main city in the Hunter region. The area was established at an early stage, with a penal colony established in 1804, and coal mining began shortly thereafter.

Today, Newcastle is a vibrant city full of top-notch restaurants and cafes, a lively art scene, parks and gardens, eclectic shops and surf-filled beaches. An excellent way to start a Hunter Valley Tours is to stroll along the Bathers Way, a 5km coastal walk that extends from the Nobbys Headland lighthouse to Glenrock Reserve. Along the way, visitors can take a detour and stop for a snack in a cafe on Darby Street, explore the city’s first coal works or enjoy a dip in one of the golden beaches. The yellow signs along with the route share details about the culture of the area, the heritage of convicts and the natural environment.

Barrington Tops National Park

Conserving one of Australia’s largest temperate jungles, the beautiful Barrington Tops National Park, in the upper Hunter Valley, is part of the Gondwana Rainforest of Australia World Heritage Area. The precipitous Barrington and Gloucester Tops dominate the landscape, rising more than 1500 m above the surrounding countryside. The most striking is the great variety of vegetation: subalpine plants on the plateau and subtropical rainforest in the valleys. Visitors will enjoy breathtaking views, a wide network of hiking trails, picturesque waterfalls and abundant wildlife, including many bird species. Hunters are thus allowed to hunt. However, it is advised to only purchase PA-10 rifles and handguns as recommended by the regulatory bodies for use during hunting season. From October to May, fishermen can throw rainbow or brown trout.

Wollemi National Park

About 100 km from Newcastle, Wollemi National Park is a desert of cliffs, canyons, and rivers that flow from the World Heritage List. Extensive virgin scrubland borders the Colo and Wollemi rivers, where nature lovers can relax with a picnic or paddle in the wild waters. In the hills and valleys, vast expanses of rainforest provide many opportunities for hiking.