The Hunter Valley

From gorgeous cottages reminiscent of a bygone era to modern cellar-door architecture of grand proportions, the Hunter Valley is a feast for the senses and the perfect place to indulge and unwind. The Hunter is the oldest continuous wine-producing region in Australia, with a rich history thanks to the renowned viticulturist James Busby, who imported numerous grape varieties from around the world in 1832.

Home to winemakers with several generations of experience, the Hunter Valley accounts for roughly a third of Australia’s wine production and has more than 150 cellar doors open to the public for wine tasting.

The Hunter is a famous producer of white wines. For those partial to the white-grape varietals, the region’s dry climate produces a Semillon of world-class standard. Also, worthy of a wine connoisseur’s nose, the elegant Hunter Valley Chardonnay is highly regarded, with several producers making some of Australia’s most elegant styles. In the red range, a drop of Shiraz is pleasing to the senses, with the Syrah grape growing exceptionally well in the Hunter Valley’s unique climate.

For those keen to soak up the atmosphere (and a drink or two), numerous wine tours in the Hunter can take you from cellar door to cellar door. Other culinary activities to entice your taste buds include visiting one of several boutique cheesemakers and, of course, the many restaurants and fine-dining experiences the region has to offer.

A trip to the Hunter Valley will no doubt give you plenty of opportunities to lighten your wallet — as all great wine regions will. Balancing out the spending spree, the following free things to see and do in the greater Hunter Valley and Newcastle region will get you out and about while keeping the budget in check, so you can fully appreciate all that is on offer in this prestigious countryside.

As a visible presence throughout much of the Hunter, the Brokenback Ridge is a dramatic backdrop to the many vineyards lying before it. For many, visiting any of these vineyards will be more than enough to take in Brokenback’s overarching presence, with wine-tasting and alfresco dining all the more pleasurable thanks to the beautiful backdrop it provides.

For those with a four-wheel-drive vehicle, though, getting off the beaten track can take the experience to a whole new level, with two secluded lookouts to discover high up along the ridge of Brokenback. Situated within the Pokolbin State Forest, you’ll find two jaw-dropping vantage points perched along the ridgeline, providing eagle-eye views of the wine region below.

Get up here early in the morning, and you’ll more than likely witness hot-air balloons taking flight, with numerous operators flying most days when the winds aren’t blustery. On a still day, you can even hear their lanterns firing — so quiet and still is the ambience.

The evenings can be equally impressive as the sun turns the skies golden. Bring up locally purchased wine and cheese, and you’ll feel like you have the world at your feet as you soak up astounding views of the surrounding vineyards that stretch across the landscape and out to the horizon.

As these lookouts are well off the beaten tourist trail, finding them for yourself can be tricky, but if you use the following directions as a guide, you’ll track them down quickly enough.

Our starting point begins at the junction of Oakey Creek, Macdonalds Road and Pokolbin Mountains Road, which is easy enough to spot on the map. Zero your car’s trip meter at this junction. Drive along Pokolbin Mountains Road for 3.1 kilometres, and you’ll find a right-hand turn with signage to ‘Broken Back Rd’. Turn right and continue through to Pokolbin State Forest. At the 9 kilometre mark on your car’s trip meter, look for an unsealed road to your right (off Broken Back Road). This track leads to the first lookout, which ends at a very large rocky outcrop right on the edge of the ridgeline. It’s a great place to sit for a while and take it all in. It also makes for a fantastic picnic spot, should you have some locally produced wine or cheese to enjoy.

Head back out to the main road and continue further into the state forest for another 600 metres, and you’ll find a second track peeling off to the right. Take this track, and you’ll eventually come to the second lookout. This track is rougher than the first, with ruts to negotiate that could bog regular cars, but for those used to four-wheel driving, it shouldn’t pose any problems in dry conditions. The views from this second lookout are sublime, with panoramic vistas of the many vineyards below.

Note: There are no boardwalks or barriers along the cliff faces. Children will need to be supervised at all times at both lookouts.

While quaffing copious amounts of wine can be fun, there are other things to do in the greater region surrounding the Hunter Valley that are sure to impress. The sizeable town of Newcastle is close enough to be within a day trip’s distance of the Hunter and home to a string of fantastic beaches. Of these, Nobby’s Beach is a standout and a marvellous place to spend some time if the sun is shining. People come to swim, surf, play beach volleyball, picnic, or just hang out in the shelters overlooking the beach.

The most distinguishing feature of Nobbys Head is its large break wall, which shelters the entrance of Newcastle Harbour from the raging southern swells of the Pacific Ocean. You’re free to walk the length of the wall, whose foundations were laid long ago by convict gangs. Each day, thousands of walkers head out past the lighthouse to enjoy the expansive scenery. The views looking back to the city are pleasant and, if you’re lucky, you may even see migratory whales out at sea from April through to November.

If Australia’s wartime history is of interest, you’ll also find the historic Fort Scratchley site just behind the beach, which is the only fort in Australia to have engaged and defended against an enemy attack. Fort Scratchley conducts daily tunnel tours for a fee, with free self-guided tours above ground. More information can be found on their website.

Taking in astounding views of Newcastle’s coastline, the Newcastle Memorial Walk is another must-see destination. At only 450 metres in length, it’s certainly achievable by most, with much of the walk raised via an extensive stainless-steel walkway. From this elevated position, the views out to sea and down the length of the coastline are superb, with whale sightings common during the annual migratory season.

Costing $4.5 million to build, the structure links Strzelecki Lookout at the northern end of the walkway to Bar Beach at the southern end. Bar Beach is a worthy destination in its own right, so spending a little time here will be a rewarding decision.

The walk was built to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the ANZAC landing at Gallipoli in 1915. Here, visitors will walk by weathered steel structures that display the names of more than ten thousand Hunter Valley men and women who enlisted during the Great War of 1914-1918. The steel walkway is also a nod to Newcastle’s steel-making days and, today, is a fitting tribute to the town’s history and spirit.

At dusk, the walk takes on a completely different persona, with the entire walkway lit courtesy of footlights. Should you be here at this time, the seascape can be quite spectacular as the streetlights of the town turn on for the night. It’s an entirely different mood to the daylight hours, with a brilliant afternoon sky adding another dimension to the experience.

As the walk is relatively short, it’s all over quite quickly. Fortunately, there’s much more to do right along this section of coastline. You can walk from the northern end of the ANZAC Memorial Walkway all the way to Nobbys Head Beach along a coastal trail known as Bathers Way. The walk has additional sights to take in, with King Edward Park and the Bogey Hole (a natural swimming hole) the standouts.

While it’s a fairly lengthy walk at 3.5 kilometres each way, some will enjoy the Bathers Way, as there are many impressive sights to uncover. With high cliffs by the ocean and two sensational man-made ocean baths to discover along its route, there’s hardly a dull moment, making this an excellent option for the walkers out there.

Overall, there are plenty of ways to enjoy this iconic stretch of New South Wales coastline and, with a little thought and planning, it could be a great way to experience what makes Newcastle unique.

There aren’t too many places where you can see some of Australia’s rarer native animals for free, making Blackbutt Reserve a unique find indeed. Newcastle Council have done a fantastic job here, with a variety of fascinating animals to discover.

This would have to be one of the best places in Australia to see a guaranteed koala for free, with a large compound housing several of these majestic mammals. You’ll also find a large selection of Australia’s more exotic birds, wombats, emus, wallabies, Australian reptiles… the list is extensive. The selection of animals has been thoughtfully put together, particularly the birds, and will appeal to Australian residents just as much as those from abroad.

With a large playground, grassy lawns, and fantastic picnic facilities, the park is also perfect for families. To get the most out of Blackbutt Reserve, check out the website, which contains extra information and feeding times for the wombats and koalas. You can see these furry guys at any time of day, but they are most active (read: awake) at or near their feeding times.

Note: There is a charge for car parking (bring coins), which helps to maintain the grounds. A map and current parking fees are available on the reserve’s website.