Explore Local, Live Local... Hunter Valley – A World of Wine & Food Secrets
The combination of businesses required to shut down temporarily and people staying home has caused many local businesses to suffer. For some, this will be temporary; however, for others, it will be more permanent. The government may be doing what it can in terms of financial relief and other initiatives, but ultimately, it will be up to us, the local communities and customers, to support these businesses.
For the wine industry, the COVID-19 pandemic came at the worst possible time for those still recovering from drought, severe weather conditions and catastrophic bushfires. For them, both production and business has been hit, with the results of the pandemic shutting down their export markets, trade distribution and cellar doors.
Wine is one of those things that, for a lot of people, it’s not just about drinking the wine itself; it’s about the experience of visiting the wine region and the wineries themselves.
The lockdown will not last forever, so when we can travel again (which for us in the Hunter will be soon) - support your local wine industry with a trip to the Hunter Valley, where they are serving up the best and most memorable wine and food experiences in remarkable locations every day.
UNLOCKING THE GEMS
Although Broke Fordwich is officially the only recognised sub-region, several other areas within the Lower Hunter are distinctively different regions in their own way. These include the areas known as Lovedale, Mount View, Pokolbin and Wollombi – each of which provides a wide array of cellar doors, accommodation, dining options, activities and make for a perfect short break and romantic get-away.
Nestled amongst the breathtaking surrounds of the Brokenback Range, Mount View, with its winding roads and panoramic views, offers some of the most outstanding scenery available in the Hunter Valley. Here visitors have their choice of a handful of highly acclaimed boutique wineries that seem to appear out of nowhere and all providing a relaxed and idyllic wine tasting experience and superbly welcoming hospitality.
At the southern gateway to the Hunter Valley Wine Country is the region’s Wollombi Valley – a small, picturesque and historic village that has always been an important base for travellers along the convict-built Great North Road. Here you can experience the blending of modern with historic, as the village retains its fine architectural heritage bolstered by a collection of quaint cafes, taverns, wineries and comfortable guesthouses.
Often referred to as the 'Heart of the Hunter', Lovedale is located just east of Pokolbin and is renowned for its close-knit community, award-winning boutique wineries, family-owned cellar doors, quality boutique accommodation, fine restaurants, unique art galleries and of course, the annual Lovedale Long Lunch.
Continuing your wine country travels and situated an easy 15-minute drive from Pokolbin, the Broke Fordwich Wine Region is a separate viticultural sub-region of the Hunter Valley. Here the natural beauty of the region, coupled with fine wines, eateries and restaurants, local farm produce, great places to stay and cultural significance, make Broke Fordwich well worth a visit and an excellent reason to return.
The rural locality of Pokolbin is considered to be the hub of the Hunter Valley wine region and where the largest collection of wineries, distilleries, craft breweries, accommodation houses, restaurants, gourmet food providers, golf courses, retail shops and some of the best-known names in Australian wine can be found.
For the adventurous, there is no end to the activities on offer, which include horse-riding, ballooning, golf, hiking, cooking schools, air adventures, wine tours, shopping villages and of course, Hunter Valley Gardens with its ten internationally themed feature gardens to explore.
With so much to see, taste and do - you will leave wanting to return.
