Discover 11 compelling reasons to visit the Hunter Valley, from championship golf courses and luxury resorts to world-class wineries, dining and unforgettable regional experiences.
Playing golf in the heart of Australia’s oldest wine region is one of life’s joys. Apart from what’s soon to be four outstanding golf courses, the Lower Hunter Valley has the highest concentration of cellar doors across all of Australia’s wine regions. What separates the central hub of Pokolbin and the surrounding Hunter is the seasonal aspect. Visitors can bask in a sun-drenched summer’s afternoon or snuggle in front of a log fire in the middle of winter. Here are some ideas to consider:
1. Challenge the greens at Oaks Cypress Lakes Resort
Cypress Lakes put the Lower Hunter Valley on the map as a golf destination when it opened in 1992. Touring professional Brett Ogle promoted the new resort, encouraging golfers to challenge the greens and sample the reds around the Pokolbin township.
For those due for a return and others unacquainted with Cypress Lakes, the entire property has undergone a huge facelift after a change of ownership. Oaks Hotels, Resorts & Suites completely refurbished the lobby, bar and bistro at the 300-villa retreat. Recognition for the golf-course overhaul came in 2021 when superintendent Craig Molloy received the Australian turf industry’s highest accolade, the Excellence in Golf Course Management award, after a major water storage and irrigation project that added an intricate bunker-drainage system across the Steve Smyers-designed layout, which sits 88th on Australian Golf Digest’s biennial ranking of the nation’s Top 100 Golf Courses.
2. Share a cheeky pint at Harrigan’s Hunter Valley
For a cleansing post-round ale, it would be remiss to bypass Harrigan’s Hunter Valley. After opening in 2000, Harrigan’s Irish-style pub has become an institution in Pokolbin for its casual vibe. Named after a song from the musical Yankee Doodle Dandy, it’s the only pub located within the vineyards. Apart from cosy fireplaces, outdoor dining spaces and a sports bar, Harrigan’s has live music every weekend (Friday-Sunday). It’s open for breakfast, lunch and dinner seven days and has 48 rooms, plus function and conference facilities.
3. Wine tasting at Bonvilla Estate
Tourists are spoilt for choice with 174 cellar-door experiences in and around Pokolbin. Most wineries accept walk-ins for tastings. For an intimate gathering, Bonvilla Estate is a boutique winery with 100 hectares of shiraz, verdelho, semillon, chardonnay and muscat vines. Bonvilla’s wines are made exclusively from grapes grown on the property. One of its specialties is an ‘off dry’ semillon ($28 per bottle). It has weekly specials, such as six-bottle cases of ‘clean skins’ for $72. Two playful dogs (Harvey and Zen) are a great distraction for the kids while Mum and Dad can sip the local produce inside a stylish barn that serves as the cellar door. Enquire about ‘Les Vendanges’ (the harvesting of wine grapes), which is a day of picking, stomping and drinking with live music and food trucks (bonvillaestate.com.au).
4. Tackle The Vintage from the back tees
The Vintage has acquired a legion of fans for its design variety and emphasis on shot-making since opening in 2003. The Greg Norman/Bob Harrison-designed layout features the visually stunning bunker complexes that are synonymous with the Great White Shark and sees its ranked at No.53 on AGD’s Top 100 Golf Courses.
The opening quintet of holes traverse native bushland and demand pinpoint accuracy to navigate needle-like corridors. The rolling seventh is one of the most romantic holes in Australian golf. Stretching 507 metres from the back, Bimbadgen winery beckons to the left with row-upon-row of grape vines en route to a perched green in the distance. The treacherous 194-metre eighth is a ripsnorter of a par 3, playing over water to an angled, bunkered green. The more expansive second nine features wetland areas and breathtaking vistas.
Last November, The Vintage hosted the 2025 Ford NSW Open won by Christopher Wood in a three-way playoff. His six-under-par winning total around the 6,242-metre, par-71 layout is testament to its resistance to scoring. A comprehensive bunker refurbishment program has restored the visual appeal of The Vintage, just one of three courses in NSW (along with Ellerston and Stonecutters Ridge) that bear Norman’s imprimatur.
Meanwhile, the last golf-frontage land is now selling at The Vintage. Cedars Release is situated on the eastern side of the 10th green and 11th fairway. With a golf membership, residents have access to The Vintage clubhouse, Nineteen Bar + Bistro, gymnasium, 25-metre heated swimming pool and floodlit tennis courts.
5. Pamper yourself in the Spa at Château Élan Hunter Valley
Whether seeking a quick therapeutic massage or a half day of pure indulgence, the Spa at Château Élan Hunter Valley is a veritable circuit-breaker. Situated next to the 10th fairway at The Vintage, the award-winning Château Élan has 17 treatment rooms, each with a private courtyard.
The spa has an extensive menu of specialised packages and beauty treatments. The one-hour Float Away Package ($99) is perfect for replenishing tired limbs in a pod of heated water filled with Epsom salts. The Spa Ultimate Ritual ($720 for five hours) includes a full-body exfoliation wrap, scalp massage, aromatherapy-infused spa bath, hydrotherapy pool and infrared sauna. Day spa guests have complimentary access to the reflection lounge with two outdoor mineral spas. Château Élan also has 5-star resort accommodation in spacious Mediterranean-themed villas.
6. Cheese, wine and chocolate tasting at Fat Cow Hunter Valley
Pokolbin has an array of artisan producers scattered around the surrounding area. Fat Cow Hunter Valley provides a unique tasting experience from locally sourced products. It’s not a cellar door, nor a winery, but a tasting room full of Hunter Valley wines, cheeses, chocolates, chutneys, oils, vinegars, preserves and other condiments. The cheerful staff will kindly provide a sommelier’s advice on wine and food pairings.
Elsewhere, the Hunter Valley Smelly Cheese Shop stocks local, Australian and imported artisan cheeses. There’s plenty to do there from counter tastings, touring the ‘fromagerie’ and sampling the homemade gelato bar with 200-plus flavours. The Hunter Valley Chocolate Company has a large viewing platform that allows an opportunity to watch the chocolatiers and fudge-makers in action.
7. Envisage living at Lovedale Farm
Construction is progressing unabatedly at the Lovedale Farm residential golf community where an 18-hole layout conceived by Melbourne architect Darius Oliver is due to open in the next couple of years. The 240-hectare development borders The Vintage and the two properties will share a common roundabout on Wine Country Drive. Capital Corporation has planning approval for a 500-lot estate with 140 apartments and a luxurious 300-room resort with recreational amenities and wellness centre.
More than 75 percent of stock has been sold in the first-stage release of curated home and land, which embraces rural living. Village designer homes (with landscaping, driving and fencing) range from $1.3 million to $1.7 million. Golf-course frontage homes range from $1.8 million to $2.5 million and are due for completion in 2027. For those wishing to build, there are generous-sized lots (1,100sqm to 3,000sqm) that start from $995,000. Lovedale Farm should reach maturity in the next seven years.
8. Stay at an Alloggio rental accommodation
Planning a group escape to a regional golf destination can be a bit of a logistical nightmare. Being able to accommodate larger numbers with multiple bedrooms, ensuites and share facilities can make a golf getaway much more affordable.
Weekender by Alloggio has a diverse collection of professionally managed holiday homes in the Lower Hunter around Pokolbin, Lovedale and Broke. Alloggio’s focus is on regulated hospitality with the convenience of easy-access, privately owned homes. Its range of stays include countryside retreats for group holidays, intimate villas for couples as well as pet-friendly options. While its origins were in the Hunter Valley and Port Stephens, Alloggio Group now spans across Australia and New Zealand with more than 3,500 properties. Its portfolio of ‘Golf Getaways’ features prominently at alloggio.com.au.
9. Take the plunge at Rydges Resort Hunter Valley
In tune with its laid-back atmosphere, Rydges Resort Hunter Valley has played host to the Jack Newton Celebrity Classic in recent years. It’s proven an ideal location for the two-day/three-night extravaganza where celebrities, professionals, amateurs and sponsors assemble for the December bash at the adjoining Hunter Valley Golf & Country Club (5,775 metres, par 70).
Apart from an amateur-friendly course, Rydges Resort Hunter Valley is a family orientated facility that features a large aquatic park. An expansive swimming pool is complemented by water slides, canons, flumes and jets for the kids. The solar-heated water is conducive for year-round bathing while poolside deck chairs cater for adult supervision. Adults can also be pampered at Ubika Day Spa. And it’s a little-known secret that visitors can enjoy the aquatic park without staying as an on-site guest.
10. Snare a tee-time in the Cork & Fork
What’s been described as the greatest seven-hour round of golf is held annually at The Vintage. The Cork & Fork is an 18-hole degustation of food and wine where teams compete in a four-person ambrose. Each tee at The Vintage has a marquee showcasing various cuisine from signature restaurants where participants can also enjoy a tipple from local wineries and distilleries. The Cork & Fork has traditionally been staged in June, however this year’s event will be held in autumn, on Saturday, May 9. Contact The Vintage on (02) 4998 2500.
11. Plan your visit with Wine & Dine Hunter Valley
Navigating the culinary journey through the Lower Hunter requires plenty of forethought. Wine & Dine Hunter Valley has been the guide of choice for visitors to Australia’s most frequented wine destination since 2011. It has six Wine & Food Trail Maps to the explore the vineyards, breweries and distilleries.
A digital magazine, published by WCP Media, has detailed listings of cellar doors, restaurants and cafes, trail maps, local produce, craft beer and spirits, plus weddings and events wineanddinehuntervalley.com.au.
