New South Wales
Hunter Valley
With the highest number of cellar doors than any other wine region in Australia and new restaurants springing up all the time, the Hunter Valley is a foodie heaven waiting to be discovered. Visit in May or June to experience the Hunter Valley Wine and Food Festival, celebrating the region’s delicious wines and fresh produce, including fruit, cheese, olive oil, chocolate and beef. Cheers to that!
Location
About 165km north of Sydney, the tranquil towns of the beautiful Hunter Valley are easy to get to by car, bus, train or plane. Daily flights depart from Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and other regional cities to Newcastle Airport, where it is a short drive away.
Stay
The lavish Spicers Vineyards is a boutique five star retreat with 12 luxury suites. Plan for guests to enjoy a night in to take advantage of the suites’ individual fireplaces.
Experience
Take the flight of a lifetime over Spicers Vineyards Estate and Australia’s oldest wine region with a sunrise hot air balloon flight. Launching from your designated site, your balloon will float above the picturesque vineyards to a height of 2,000 feet where you will feel the sensation of no movement at all while gliding through the crisp morning air.