Tonic

Local restaurants

Poole’s Rock Winery Estate (576 Debeyers Road, Pokolbin; +61 (0)2 4998 6968; www.poolesrock.com.au) offers the Firestick Café by day and the Rock Restaurant by night. Enjoy delicious wood-fired pizzas while overlooking 90-year-old shiraz vines over lunch, or award-winning regional cuisine – try the scallop tortellini – in ultra-modern surroundings at dinner. Roberts Restaurant (Halls Road, Pokolbin; +61 (0)2 4998 7330 www.robertsrestaurant.com) dishes up delectable Modern European fare. This rustic but beautiful old log building with its vast ceilings, enormous fireplace and antique sideboards filled with crockery and Australian memorabilia is perfect for a romantic dinner. At Hungerford Hill Winery (1 Broke Road, Pokolbin; +61 (0)2 49987666; www.hungerfordhill.com.au), you can dine in the airy, modern Terroir Restaurant and Wine Bar. The stylish wine bar has over 20 wines available by the glass where you can enjoy a simple salad or antipasto plate in relaxed surrounds. Next door is their stunning tasting room. Perfect for lunch, little boathouse-style café Leaves & Fishes (737 Lovedale Road, Lovedale; +61 (0)2 4930 7400; www.leavesandfishes.com) hoiks its freshwater perch straight out of the adjacent ponds and slaps it straight on the grill. It doesn’t get much fresher than that. At old Hunter fave Esca Bimbadgen (Bimbadgen Estate Winery, 790 McDonalds Road, Pokolbin; +61 (0)2 4998 4666; www.bimbadgen.com.au), you’ll dine well on seasonal modern Australian cuisine while enjoying great views.

For a full list of eating and drinking recommendations in Hunter Valley, check out our Hunter Valley eating & drinking guide

Worth getting out of bed for

Wine-tasting has to be top of your list. You are right in the middle of one of Australia’s premier wine regions, and there are no less than 120 wineries to discover. Make sure you have a designated driver. The Boutique Wine Centre (Broke Road Pokolbin; +61 (0)2 4998 7474; www.boutiquewinecentre.com) is a good place to taste several labels under one roof. Alternatively, get the VIP treatment on a small-group tour with Hunter Valley Boutique Wine Tours (+61 (0)419 419931; www.huntervalleytours.com.au). See the beautiful Molly Morgan Range on horseback, courtesy of Hunter Valley Horse Riding & Adventures (288 Talga Road, Rothbury; www.huntervalleyhorseriding.com.au) – you’re likely to spot a kangaroo or two. Appetite for the local area whetted? Sail over the vineyards at sunrise in a hot-air balloon with Balloon Safaris (Cessnock Airport, Polkobin; www.balloonsafaris.com.au). If it’s culture you’re after, then see an opera performance among the vines. The historic Wyndham Estate vineyard on the banks of the Hunter River holds an annual opera gala under the stars in October. To book tickets, visit www.tickettek.com.au.

For a full list of recommended activities in Hunter Valley, check out our Hunter Valley destination guide