← Henderson Newcastle Marathon·1 night

Hunter Valley: A Night Among the Vines

Seated tastings, long lunches and a resort night in Australia's oldest commercial wine region, an hour by road from the finish.

Duration1 night
TransitHire car, taxi or organised tour, about 1 hr by road from Newcastle
DepartsNewcastle

After the Newcastle Marathon: Hunter Valley

The Route: Newcastle → Hunter Valley (Pokolbin and Lovedale) → Newcastle Airport or Sydney Logistics: About an hour by road from Newcastle to Pokolbin. A hire car, a taxi or a booked driver is the practical choice. Nobody should drive after a tasting, so book transport for the wine days. Marathon Month: April Duration: 1 night

Newcastle ──(about 1 hr by road)──> Pokolbin / Lovedale
                                          │
Newcastle Airport (NTL) <──(about 50 mins by road)──┘

The Henderson Newcastle Marathon is run on an April Sunday, and by Monday the legs want a car seat and a chair. The Hunter Valley provides both. Wine country is an hour inland, and most of the day is spent sitting down.

April in the Hunter Valley: autumn. Days are usually in the low to mid twenties, nights are cooler, and the harvest has finished or is finishing, so the vineyards start to turn colour by the end of the month. Rain is possible. Some cellar doors and restaurants close on Mondays or Tuesdays, so check opening days before setting out.

Night One: Pokolbin and Lovedale

Pokolbin is the valley's main visitor hub, and Lovedale is quieter and close to Wandin Estate, the base of the Hunter Valley marathon in July. The terrain between the two is gently rolling, and the roads carry very little traffic away from the main routes.

The most recovery-friendly activity is a seated tasting. Many cellar doors have tables, and some include a platter. Hunter Valley Gardens in Pokolbin has around eight kilometres of paths across 14 hectares, which is a lot of walking after a marathon, so keep the gardens to a short loop. Check current prices and opening times on the gardens' website.

For a bed, Rydges Resort Hunter Valley in Lovedale is a large resort with family facilities, and voco Kirkton Park Hunter Valley in Pokolbin is a quieter resort on 70 acres. Both need a car or a driver to reach.

For a meal, Wandin Kitchen at Wandin Estate in Lovedale serves lunch on some days, and the Lovedale Smokehouse and the Deck Cafe at Gartelmann Wines are within a short drive. Check Sunday and Monday opening and book ahead.

Getting There and Getting Around

The Hunter Expressway takes most of the strain out of the drive from Newcastle. It runs west from the M1 and puts you at the edge of Cessnock in well under an hour, and the road on to Pokolbin adds a further 15 minutes or so. Once in the valley, distances between cellar doors are short, generally under 10 minutes, but the roads are narrow and winding in places and there are few footpaths, so do not plan to walk between venues. If you are not driving, book a driver or a small-group tour from Newcastle, because a public bus is not a practical option.

The Hunter Valley Visitor Centre at 455 Wine Country Drive is a useful stop for current opening hours, maps and booking help, particularly outside peak season.

Recovery-Friendly Options

Hunter Valley Wildlife Park in Nulkaba has a level, paved route around the enclosures, and it can be covered slowly in about two hours. Prices vary, so check the park's website. If you would rather sit, several estates run seated tastings and platter lunches, and cheese and chocolate producers around Pokolbin break up a day of wine. Resort pools and spas are the easiest way to ease stiff muscles overnight, so choose accommodation with one.

Getting Home

Newcastle Airport (NTL) is about 50 minutes by road from Pokolbin. For Sydney, the drive is about two hours in normal traffic. If you are returning to Newcastle, allow an hour by road. Return the hire car with time to spare before any flight.