Hunter Valley

The Hunter Valley is just an hours drive from Sydney, and is Australia’s oldest and still one of the best known wine regions in Australia. There is more to the Hunter than just wine though.

The region is divided into three areas, The Hunter Valley, the Upper Hunter and Barrington Tops. The Hunter Valley is the heart of wine country in the region and home to world-famous wineries, acclaimed restaurants and more cellar doors than any other wine region in Australia. The beautiful Upper Hunter is a food lover’s paradise boasting premium produce available right at the farm gate and it is one of the most famous horse-breeding areas in the world. Barrington Tops is a spectacular destination with ancient rainforest and picturesque national parks. From camping by idyllic rivers to bushwalking and rugged 4WD trails, you’ll also find outdoor wonders and country hospitality in riverside towns such as Dungog and Gloucester. The Barrington Tops National Park is part of the Gondwana Rainforests of Australia World Heritage Area, where volcanic flows shaped the incredible wilderness millions of years ago.

The Wonnarua people are traditional owners of the Hunter Valley. The area is rich in Aboriginal culture and history and is home to several significant sites including Biaime Cave and Finchley Trig.

The Biaime Cave depicts the Biaime dreaming, telling how Biaime came down from the sky created rivers, mountains, and forests. The cave shows a depiction of Biaime in red ochre, he is a large figure with long outspread arms protectively embracing the tribal territory and people of the Valley.