| Frank & Lisa's Amazing Cross-Australia Adventures |
| Hunter Valley |
| This trip actually happened in two parts on eithe end of a visit to Sydney and Canberra. We stopped in the Lower Hunter Valley (pics below) on the way south. It is a popular weekend destination for Sydney dwellers. Fortunately, we were there during the week. After our first morning's visit to Wyndham Estates it began to rain. This didn't stop us from visiting several more wineries over the two days we were there. We have since detemined that between 4 and 5 is about all the palette can take! We did pick up some nice wines from boutique wineries that only sell from their cellar door or by mail order. |
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| On our way back from Canberra we decided to stop in the Upper Hunter Valley (below left). The Upper Hunter is actually a more established wine growing region (as evidenced by much older vines - pic below right), it is just more remote,making it less attractive to tourists. Thus the wannabe hobby vinter will open their vineyard in the Lower Hunter rather than the Upper. The Lonely Planet insisted that it also has superior views to the Lower Hunter despite having fewer wineries, and it delivered on the promise (because it has fewer wineries, I reckon)! The sprawling countryside is a glorious change to the numerous touristy vineyards crowded together between country roads in the Lower Hunter. |
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| on to Sydney ...or |
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| Worthy views for the pictures from the Lower Hunter were hard to find, while the photo opps in the Upper Hunter were so numeous that we didn't know where to begin! These pics are taken from the cellar doors at Rosemount Estates (below left) and Arrowfield (below right). |
| Northern Territory: Red Centre , 2 / Top End , 2 NSW & ACT: Hunter Valley / Sydney / Canberra , 2 Queensland Coast: 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 South Australia: Barossa Valley / Kangaroo Island / McLaren Vale & Coonawarra Victoria: Great Ocean Road , 2 , 3 / Melbourne New Zealand (North Island): Aukland / Rotorua / Tongariro / Wellington (South Island): Nelson / Westland / Queenstown / Milford / Dunedin / Mt Cook / Christchurch |