Hunter Valley had been known for its vine-filled landscape and best wines. Its rolling vineyards, which is also home to the best wine refineries globally, is undoubtedly the central drawer to visitors and locals alike.
But what other attractions and activities aside from the usual wine drinking and tasting does Hunter Valley offer to tourist and guest? To start with, it also has excellent restaurants, beautiful accommodations, and a lot of festivals and events. There is no dull moment when you visit Hunter Valley. Here is some alternative if you are not a wine drinker in Hunter Valley.
Try Top-Notch Coffee At Hunter Valley Coffee Roaster
If you are looking for quality beans and expert coffee brewing, this gold medalist in the Australian Grown Category at the 2016 Compak Golden Bean Awards will be the best place to visit. They used Mountain Top coffee that is clean, sustainable and pesticide-free. The Coffee Roaster is located at Worthington’s Vineyard.
Dine at The Legends Grill @ The Vintage
Enjoy delectable food at the Vintage and try their classic french dish, chateaubriand. It a 500g beef eye fillet served with bone marrow, asparagus, bearnaise and mushrooms. This dish was introduced a few years ago in Vintage and had become popular ever since.
It’s great for couples and has to be cooked below medium-rare for the perfect juicy meat. After the main dish, you can also try their Sticky Date Pudding with butterscotch sauce. It is the ideal combination for a romantic evening or family dinner.
Visit different Olive groves in Hunter Valley.
Aside from vineyards, Hunter Valley is also known for its many Olive groves. Try visiting the Whispering Brook and join the famous Olive Long Table Lunch. It is a four-course menu prepared by the Cellar chef Andrew Wright that features dishes with the new season’s olive oil harvest.
You can also visit Adina Vineyard and Olive Grove and see 12 different types of olive oil varieties. See how they process olives and their different salad blends.
Enjoy Nature and the Outdoors
Hunter Valley is surrounded by beautiful scenery and nature. It has many breathtaking views of the mountain and serene bushland.
Hunter Valley is home to State Forest, Conservation Areas and National Parks. Visitors will have a lot of opportunities to see birds, local wildlife and kangaroos. They can also tour the gardens, go mountain biking or bushwalking.
Hunter Valley Heritage
Hunter Valley has a rich cultural heritage and histories like mining, convicts, bushranging and aboriginal sites. Tourist can take the scenic Tourist Drive 33 or Convict Trail.
The Convict Trail is a 240-kilometre long road constructed by convicts between 1826 to 1836. Marvel at the remarkable feat of engineering as it passes through razorback ridges, towering passes and sandstone gorges. It provides a route from Sydney, Newcastle and Hunter Valley.
Original structures such as buttresses, bridges, piers, culverts and stone retaining walls can be seen along the Great North Road.
Learn the Aboriginal history or explore the historic Wollombi Village and learn about the history of convicts. Visitors can take a 1 km historical walk of Wollombi and its historical buildings.
You can visit the St John’s Anglican Church, built-in 1846 and consecrate by Bishop Tyrell in 1849. Then afterwards, go to the Endeavor Museum, the timber courthouse’s original location and lockup.
Within the vicinity of Wollombi Village is the Wollombi Cemetery which was consecrated in 1849 by Bishop Tyrel. You can also visit the Wollombi Cottage, the old barn, Wollombi School and the Forge. To complete your visit, you also have a relaxing stroll along the Wollombi Brook.
