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Mr & Mrs Smith

on Hunter Valley


Cityscape: Vine-lined hills
City Life: Sémillon, shiraz and sauvignon - sublime

One of the global capitals of New World wine making, Australia's green and glorious Hunter Valley is the ideal destination for antipodean explorers looking to combine the palatable with the picturesque.

When 18th-century settlers first landed in New South Wales, they made sure they brought some grape vines with them. Thanks to such forethought, the Hunter Valley is now Australia's most famous viticultural centre, with more than 60 wineries producing dozens of varieties - with Sémillon taking the starring role. Just two hours' drive from Sydney, the slopes of the Lower Hunter are home to the highest concentration of vineyards and are peppered with dinky market towns such as Branxton and Lovedale, and quaint rural idylls such as Wollombi, which, with its colonial architecture and welcoming 1930s ethos, is like stepping into a postcard from the past. As you'd expect from a celebrated wine region, the quality of the food has developed to match the drink, and you'll find some very fine dining indeed in the Hunter Valley's smattering of elegant restaurants.

  • + Getting There

    Automobiles

    The Hunter Valley's an easy two-hour drive from central Sydney up the F3, and a car is invaluable when you're exploring the region or touring its vineyards. There are Thrifty branches (www.thrifty.com.au) in several towns, including Muswellbrook, Scone, Singleton and Maitland.

    Planes

    Sydney Airport, the major hub for Qantas, is the main gateway to the Hunter Valley, although you can take a chartered flight to Cessnock Airport in the valley itself, and Newcastle's little airport is connected to Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane by smaller flights QantasLink, Jetstar and Virgin Blue.

    Trains

    CityRail services link Newcastle with the smaller towns of the lower Hunter, and CountryLink rail routes weave through the valley between Sydney and Brisbane, stopping at Newcastle, Maitland, Singleton, Dungog, Gloucester, Muswellbrook, Scone and Murrurundi.

  • + Local Knowledge

    Dialing

    Country code: +61; New South Wales: (0)2.

    Reads

    James Halliday is Australia's most respected wine writer - his classic oenophile's bible The Art and Science of Wine is an essential for anyone who takes their shiraz seriously.

    Do go / Don't Go

    May is the Hunter Valley's most eventful time of year as the grape harvest gets underway and the climate's warm and pleasant. January and February can be very hot indeed.

    Cuisine

    Taxis

    It's a rural region and distances can be on the big side, so cabs aren't the most cost-effective means of getting around - most will charge for the trip out to pick you up as well as the trip itself.

    Tipping

    As with the rest of Oz, tips aren't expected anywhere - but 10 per cent is always appreciated in upmarket bars and restaurants.

    Currency

    Australian dollar (AU$)

    Packing

    A pad for your tasting notes, a comprehensive wine guide, and a picnic blanket for impromptu alfresco snack stops.

  • + Worth Doing

    Arts

    And...

    Shopping

    Viewpoint

    Something

  • + Diary

A printable version of this destination guide is available from Mr & Mrs Smith.
©2008 Mr & Mrs Smith