Weekend Getaways from Newcastle: Hunter Valley, Port Stephens and the Upper Hunter

Newcastle's position at the mouth of the Hunter River gives it exceptional access to NSW's most established wine region and to outstanding coastal and nature destinations north and south of the city. The Hunter Valley wine region, 40-60 minutes west via the New England Highway, is Australia's oldest wine-producing region and the closest major wine destination to both Sydney and Newcastle, with over 150 cellar doors centred on Cessnock, Pokolbin and Lovedale. The valley produces outstanding Semillon and Shiraz, with Tyrrell's Vat 1 Semillon and Brokenwood Graveyard Shiraz among the most nationally decorated wines from the region. Port Stephens, 1 hour north via the Pacific Highway, is a large natural harbour and national park with dolphin-watching boat cruises, sand-boarding on the Stockton Bight Dunes (the largest moving sand mass in the southern hemisphere at 32 km long) and the Tomaree National Park headland walks. The Barrington Tops National Park, 2 hours northwest, is a UNESCO World Heritage wilderness with snow gums, subalpine meadows and dramatic river gorges. The Upper Hunter around Scone, the horse capital of Australia, offers equestrian heritage and a growing cool-climate wine scene around Gundy and Denman.