The famous Hunter Valley, is one of the oldest and most revered wine regions in Australia, which was dates from the early 1800`s. The first vineyards were planted in the area in the 1830's. Today the Hunter Valley is home to some wonderful and famous wine companies including Lindemans, Tullock and Tyrells, to name a few, but there are a hundreds of unique boutique wineries, each with their own special drop. A wine tour is must when visiting the area to appreciate the quality and variety of what's on offer. The best way is to join an organised tour, though there are excellent wine and food trail maps available from the visitor centres. The Hunter Valley has a reputation for distinctive Chardonnay, Semillon and Shiraz wines. The area is sub-divided into 8 sub-regions: Broke Fordwich, Pokolbin,
Lovedale, Upper Hunter, Lower Hunter, Mount View, Wollombi, Cedar Creek. The area abounds in tourist opportunities with more than 70 restaurants, 135 wineries and 170 accommodation places available. There are excellent tourism facilities and a huge range of recreational activities from scuba diving, hot-air ballooning, ecotours, surfing and fishing along the adjoining coastline near Newcastle. The area is easily accessible from Sydney and Brisbane being less than two hours away by car, train or coach from Sydney and only 45 minutes from Newcastle Airport. There is a wonderful range of guided tours available throughout the area include many ecotours, adventure tours, 4WD escapades and wine tours. The area has many outstanding National Parks and Recreational Reserves. The area abounds in other
regional produce, such as fine beef, cheeses, olive oil, fresh fruit and vegetables. Famous for food and wine, the Hunter Valley has many regular events such as the Seafood Festival, Lovedale Long Lunch, Opera in the Vineyards, Jazz in the Vines, Hunter Valley Harvest Festival and Budfest. The recently opened Visitors Centre and other information outlets are ideal ways to find out what you can see and do in this delightful region. The Hunter Valley has a wealth of cultural history and a large array accommodation options, art galleries, entertainment options, golf courses, day spas, bushwalks, 4WD adventures and other tours, relaxation and health retreats and holiday resorts. In addition to grapes, olives are also grown in the Hunter Valley and there are many wonderful restaurants showcasing
the local beef, poultry, seafood, dairy products and cheeses and other fresh produce grown in the area. The most exciting ways to see the area are by taking a horse-back ride, a ride in a hot air balloon, motor bike tour, a helicopter or vintage plane joy flight, or a horse drawn carriage tour through the wineries. There area wide range of tour options available for exploring the magnificent Hunter Valley and the Barrington Tops areas. The area abounds in entertainment with Newcastle Maitland and Cessnock being the main centres.