21 Interesting Things to Do in Hunter Valley NSW

Looking for things to do in Hunter Valley on a day trip or over a weekend? Sharing some of our favourite experiences to help you get started.

Located about 2 hours’ drive north-west of Sydney, Hunter Valley is one of Australia’s oldest and most popular grape-growing regions with over 150 wineries and cellar doors. Wine tasting here is one of the great pleasures, but we also discovered that spending time in the wine region need not mean just drinking wine.

Hunter Valley has more to offer with its pristine natural landscape and picturesque vistas. This beautiful valley is also famous for its fine dining, gourmet chocolates, luxury spas and a brilliant range of activities. It’s a lovely contrast to the busy Sydney life and a perfect break from the fast lane.

Hunter Valley Highlights

Hunter Valley Wine Tour
Visit an Alpaca Farm
Horseback Riding, Lovedale
Hunter Valley Bicycle Tours
Hot Air Ballooning over Hunter Valley
Scenic Flights and Helicopter Tours
Hunter Valley Gardens
Hunter Valley Gardens Shopping Village
Aqua Golf and Putt-Putt
Hunter Valley Chocolate Company
Watershed Gallery
Hunter Valley Markets
Maitland Regional Museum
Maitland Regional Art Gallery
Mortels Sheepskin Factory
Kurri-Kurri Town of Murals
Singleton Sundial
Barrington Tops National Park
Great Country Drives – Dungog
Wollombi Village Walk
Tourist Drive 33

Hunter Valley Wine Tour

Is it wine o’clock yet? In Hunter Valley, it always is. The region other-wise known as Australia’s Wine Country is home to hundreds of wineries and miles of vineyards.

With dozens of wineries and cellar doors offering wine tastings and several vineyards open for tours, you’ll be spoilt for choice.

Exploring the wine region doesn’t give you a reason to drink and drive. There’s an endless selection of wine tour operators in the Hunter Valley. If you have a list of must-visit favourites, then you can book a private tour where you can design your itinerary or jump on to a budget-friendly group tour, which will take you around several vineyards.

Hunter Valley isn’t all about wine. The beautiful Valley is also home to thriving micro-breweries. Taste award-winning craft beers from several breweries dedicated to creating the best beers and ciders.

Visit an Alpaca Farm

Visiting an Alpaca Farm is a must-do activity when travelling with kids or other-wise. Join the herd to feed them and watch them jostle for attention. These animals are far cuddlier and cuter than we expected them to be.

Have your camera handy because photo opportunities with these adorable animals are endless!

Starline is a working alpaca farm that provides relaxing farm stay accommodation amongst the peaceful rural landscape of The Hunter Valley. They are one of the very few alpaca farms that allow day visits and welcome you to feed the alpacas. You can purchase the food bags from the office reception.

Horseback Riding, Lovedale

Get out of the car and saddle up to experience the authentic country vibes and appreciate the spectacular views of the Hunter Valley.

We chose Hunter Valley Horse Riding & Adventures who offer trail rides for both beginners and advanced riders. They paired us with horses that fit our physique and ability and were led by an experienced instructor through the vast expanses of green with stunning mountains as a backdrop.

It was a perfectly relaxing afternoon where we soaked in the sun and the scenic countryside of the Valley.  

Travel Tip: Booking in advance is essential for horse riding.

Hunter Valley Bicycle Tours

There is something magical yet simplistic about a bicycle. If you’re looking for a relaxing ride with a gentle breeze in your hair, then cycling is a great way to explore the Hunter Valley landscape.

You can pedal to cellar doors, galleries and eateries along the private vineyard trails and quiet country lanes to visit a host of vineyards. Hermitage Road has a dedicated cycleway that connects more than a dozen wineries from the New England Highway through to Broke Road.

Note: Drink-driving rules apply to cyclists as well.

Hot Air Ballooning over Hunter Valley

Experience the ethereal sensation of floating by jumping on to a hot air balloon flight over the Hunter Valley. It truly lives up to all the hype reaching exciting heights over vineyards and allowing you to take in a bird’s eye view of this remarkable wine country.

Flights that last about an hour take-off at sunrise, taking advantage of cool and calm conditions. Soar over picturesque wine regions followed by a breakfast with bubbles at a winery.

Scenic Flights and Helicopter Tours

Experience the unobstructed panoramic views of the region’s beauty from the sky in your private helicopter. Scenic flights on a private aircraft also offer a splendid bird’s eye view of Australia’s oldest wine region with your pilot guiding you through the area, pointing out landmarks and interesting sights below.

There are few better ways to see the sights than a private aircraft or helicopter ride but, they are no match to an open cockpit vintage adventure flight. Zip-up your leather jacket, lower your goggles and get to feel the whistle of the wind on your face in an iconic Tiger Moth flight.

Hunter Valley Gardens

Explore the vibrant colours and sweet fragrances of the ten internationally themed gardens at Hunter Valley Gardens. Located in the heart of the Pokolbin, Hunter Valley Gardens has established itself as one of the most popular attractions with over 14 hectares of display Gardens and eight kilometres of walking paths.

Spend hours lazily strolling around perfectly manicured and landscaped grounds. Take the time to smell the roses at the rose garden, which features thousands of roses of different varieties. Get lost in the Magic of the sunken gardens that feature a magnificent 10-metre high waterfall or relax in the Indian tea house.

You can sight all your favourite fairy tale and nursery rhyme characters which will make you take a trip down memory lane in the Storybook Garden, which is a delight for all ages.

There is enough to keep everyone both big and small entertained. Gardens have extended opening hours during school holidays, check here before visiting.

Hunter Valley Gardens Shopping Village

Located just outside the entrance to Hunter Valley Gardens, you will find a destination that is more than just a shopping experience.

Enjoy walking through the shopping village that features a variety of boutique shops, restaurants and cafes offering country style shopping and friendly service.

While touring the wine region, we never missed an opportunity to enjoy a relaxing morning breakfast at Oscars overlooking the village green and rotunda. Pancakes and toast with piping hot coffee are few of the many good things they offer.

Wilson & Hunter is the region’s go-to fashion store with a beautiful collection of jewellery and stylish fashion accessories. If you enjoy the friendly service and that personal touch with a casual chat, then you should check this place out.

You cannot miss this cute little blue and white store. Brea and Lulu Signature Collections is an elegant shop filled with adorable gifts like wine charms, tasteful wall art and porcelain hearts with messages. The store is also home to Exclusive Diamond Company, which is a glittering treasure trove of diamonds and individualized designer jewellery.

Aqua Golf and Putt-Putt

Unwind by hitting golf balls into a beautiful lake with a tranquil garden setting. You can win cash prizes if you manage to land a ball in the floating nets. Aqua Golf Putt-Putt is open every day except Christmas between 9.30 AM and 4.30 PM.

Have a part-tee time at a fun and challenging 18 holes putt-putt course beside the lake. Putt-Putt costs $6 for adults and $5 for a child (under 17) or $20.00 for a family.

Hunter Valley Chocolate Company

There are plenty of places to indulge your sweet tooth, but the best starting point would be the Hunter Valley Chocolate Company. Established two decades ago, it is one of the go-to attractions in the area.

The Hunter Valley Chocolate Factory, probably the closest thing you will find to Willy Wonka’s is renowned for its fine quality and perfectly concocted chocolates. They make all kinds of unique chocolate goodies like chilli chocolate, Almond Bark, honeycomb and mint slice as well as handmade chocolates disguised as penguins. The factory also sells an impressive variety of freshly made fudge. 

You can visit any of the three wine country locations with the most popular shop being the one located in Hunter Valley Gardens shopping village. They are open seven days a week between 9 AM and 5 PM except for Christmas Day.

Watershed Gallery

Located in the centre of Pokolbin, Watershed Gallery is a manifestation of vision to create a vibrant art space for Wine region’s locals and far-reaching audience to enjoy an array of high-quality contemporary art.

They are open from Monday to Friday between 10:30 AM to 4:30 PM and other times by appointment.

Hunter Valley Markets

We are for some reason magnetically drawn to country markets & Hunter Valley hosts a variety of such marketplaces. It gives us the opportunity to rub shoulders with the locals as they rifle through the boxes of locally made knick-knacks.

For people who appreciate art, head to the Handmade in Hunter Markets, a small country market located in the grounds of Sobel’s Wines. They are open on the 2nd and 4th Saturday of every month. You can also meet the makers at their stalls and find out the backstory of your souvenirs as they love talking about the process that goes into doing what they do.

We made our way to Hunter Wine Country Markets too, located at De Bortoli Wines in Pokolbin. This market is an all-weather boutique handmade market held every Saturday featuring local artisans. Stalls include fashion, food, jewellery, local produce and much more.

Please check their Social media and website for any updates or cancellations.

Maitland Regional Museum

Located at about 30 minutes’ drive from Pokolbin, on the banks of the Hunter River is one of the major towns in Hunter valley. Explore Maitland to discover the town’s rich heritage and unique buildings.

Close to the main street are two elegant Victorian Regency houses, Grossmann and Brough. They are mirror-imaged townhouses built in the 1870s. The two properties, known for most of its life as Grossmann House is a heritage-listed former residence and Maitland Girls High School until the mid-1960 and now as a fully restored Victorian house museum.

Maitland Museum at Brough House is open between 10 AM and 3 PM on weekends. It gives you an idea of what life in the Hunter was like in the 1950s. The Museum has regular exhibitions and warmly welcomes any visitors.

Maitland Regional Art Gallery

Positioned on High Street at the eastern end of the central town is Maitland Regional Art Gallery, or lovingly called as MRAG by locals. Each year the gallery shows thousands of artworks. MRAG is also home to an impressive collection of more than 6,000 art pieces.

Entry to the art gallery is free, with a recommended duration of 2 hours. MRAG is open from Tuesday to Sunday between 10 AM and 5 PM and closed on Mondays and Public Holidays. Entry to MRAG’s car-park is via a rear service lane off James Street with ample parking spaces.

Mortels Sheepskin Factory

We made our way to Thornton, a suburb of Maitland to see the Mortels Sheepskin Factory, home to The Big UGG Boots. UGGs are now a prominent landmark that offers photo opportunities. We checked them online and expected to see the traditional colour of chestnut on the UGG Boots but were pleasantly surprised to find pink floral pattern makeover.

Mortels Sheepskin Factory has been making sheepskin products since 1958. There are factory tours where you’ll learn how the boots are made and get an insight into the production process. They are open all days of the week operating between 8:30 AM and 5 PM on weekdays and 9 AM to 2 PM on Weekends.

Kurri-Kurri Town of Murals

Most people who visit hunter never make it to this quaint town. Kurri Kurri or simply “Kurri” as referred to by the locals and the surrounding villages have over 60 magnificent outdoor public artworks showcasing the area’s history and heritage.

The murals provide a visual journey, depicting everything from the war to steam trains, mine workers to farm life and even Santa in the Aussie bushland. A plaque on each mural describes the story behind each image. Every one of the murals has a kookaburra hiding in it somewhere. See if you can spot them all!

Pick up a mural map at the Kurri Kurri Visitor Centre or download from here on your mobile for a self-guided tour.

Singleton Sundial

We headed towards Singleton to check out the largest sundial in the Southern Hemisphere. Located near Hunter River, it weighs 30 tons with its gnomon pointing to the South. The giant sundial was built for Australia’s bicentennial celebrations in 1988, marking 200 years since the arrival of Britain’s First Fleet.

Singleton Sundial laid claim and was a holder of a Guinness World Record as the largest sundial in the world in the 1980s for a while. However, we have seen a much bigger one in Jaipur India, which has been around a lot longer.

Barrington Tops National Park

The Barrington Tops National Park is home to a spectacular network of bushwalks, tranquil hidden waterfalls and breath-taking lookouts. It is at an altitude of 1500m above sea level and is part of Australia’s Gondwana Rainforests.

Barrington Tops is about 90 minutes from any town in Hunter Valley, and our Airbnb stay in Bandon Grove is the only reason we were able to make it here. Most people wouldn’t make this trip because of the distance, but if you are one of those people who love the bush, then you should explore the region. It offers camping by blissful rivers to bushwalking and rugged 4WD trails. You will also get to experience the country hospitality in riverside towns such as Dungog.

Great Country Drives – Dungog  

There is something special about getting into the car and just driving. Ignore your GPS’s prompts to take you along the fastest route, because the scenic route is always the most memorable one.

There are incredible country drives around Dungog and Barrington Tops. Some take you through the lush green rolling hills to a stunning destination, while others lead you on a scenic journey through beautiful countryside.

Grab a Dungog Shire Great Country Drives brochure featuring four scenic drives from their Visitors Information Centre. Start your engine and explore the peaceful and picturesque country roads.

Wollombi Village Walk

Wollombi, one of the most picturesque and charming historical rural villages in Australia, is a perfect stop on your way to the Hunter Valley. This village has thousands of years of Aboriginal history. “Wollombi” is an aboriginal term, meaning “meeting place of waters”.

Nestled in a valley and surrounded by hills, It is a popular weekend getaway destination. The village will charm you with its cafes, shops and country pubs. Grab a coffee from the Wollombi General store and mooch around the historic village’s well-preserved streets or pick up a map from the museum and follow the easy 1km heritage walk.

The best way to get here is to enjoy the scenic drive along the Great North Road or Convict Trail on Tourist Drive 33 and through the beautiful countryside.

Tourist Drive 33

Starting from Sydney, we took a diversion towards the road less travelled, taking the Calga exit from the M1 and heading along Tourist Drive 33 driving through beautiful countryside dotted with farms and quaint villages.

Tourist Drive 33 is the scenic gateway to the spectacular Hunter Valley. The route is popular with motorbike riders and day-trippers.

As you drive through the route, you will notice historic viewing points, including timber, stone and sandstone built bridges and culverts. These stops also provide information boards about the sites. If you are visiting Hunter Valley, we highly recommend you to take this route that passes through Wollombi. Take the time and enjoy the drive after all great travel is about the journey, not the destination.