Wineries and Other Things to do When You Visit Hunter, Australia

If you are planning to visit Australia and wine is your cup of tea, so to speak, Hunter Valley is not to be missed along the way. Hunter Valley is Australia's oldest wine producing region. Hunter Valley, an area in the southeast region of Australia, was passed by when the famous Captain James Cook was making his discoveries. The area was discovered later by another British naval officer and was happily settled for its cedar.

Wine was not introduced into the area until the 1820s, but as seen today, Hunter, Australia is as beautiful a wine country as can be found anywhere in the world.

Be sure to visit Allandale Wineries, established by a local of the area, most noted for their chardonnay. For some Spanish flair, visit and stay at the Bimbadgen Estate, a winery whose Spanish style tower was the talk of the town when it was constructed. This Hunter, Australia winery also hosts an annual blues festival in its outdoor amphitheatre every Easter. Bimbadgen also has an on-site restaurant and accommodations cottage. Numerous other wineries dot the countryside and offer tastings, tours and accommodations as well.

To get a taste of all of Hunter, Australia's wineries, visit the region between March and April when the annual Harvest Festival and activities are in full swing. You are sure to get a taste of the wine and all that the region has to offer.

If you are planning a later visit to Australia, say in October, Hunter's annual Jazz in the Vines is sure to please. With a backdrop of the gorgeous Brokenback Mountain Range and a taste of local restaurants and wineries, Jazz in the Vines is an outdoor event not to be missed during your stay in Australia.

Come for the jazz and stay for the opera! Hunter Valley, Australia also hosts an annual event call Opera in the Vineyard every October. Guests not only enjoy opera from some of Australia's premiere performers but also enjoy wining and dining along the Hunter River and the outdoor amphitheatre.

Not only are the wineries, with their beautiful backdrops of mountains and neighboring rivers, a site to be seen from the ground. While in Hunter, Australia, take a hot air balloon ride at dawn and drink in the vastness and natural beauty of the region. Balloon Aloft Australia offers champagne tours of the Hunter area.

For a more modern stay while in Hunter, make your accommodations with the Cypress Lakes Resort. Set on Brokenback Mountain, the modern estate resort offers five-star accommodations in private villas. The resort also houses a convention center for business gatherings. All of this with the expansive view of the Hunter Valley region.

Hunter Valley, Australia may not be as well known to tourists as downtown Sydney and the outback, but for a relaxing countryside vacation filled with beautiful views, rich history and the tastes of locally grown wines, Hunter Valley, Australia is the place to be, mate.