Words by Dorian Mode Photography by Lydia Thorpe
For our weekend away we eschew the M1 – the world’s longest open–air tunnel as my deputy editor from NRMA Open Road Magazine calls it – and take the back road to the Hunter Valley. This scenic route along the old convict–built Great Northern Road winds through stone culverts hewn by men who presumably had little choice in the matter, and pretty undulating roads that lead us through the villages of Kulnura, Laguna and Wollombi. At Laguna we stop for coffee at a charming roadhouse where the aroma of roasted beans mingles with the scent of eucalyptus drifting through the valley. Then it’s on to an antique store at Wollombi, where we browse relics that we don’t need.
At Wollombi we turn left to take the backroad toward Broke – a name that promises nothing good but delivers outstanding wineries: Winmark and Margan among them. At Margan (a favourite) we pause for a light vino (only $26 for two glasses, which in Hunter Valley terms qualifies as charity work) before wending our way to Hunter Valley Resort and Farm.
Situated in the picturesque heart of Pokolbin, Hunter Farm sprawls across 100 acres with views of the Brokenback Range and Barrington Tops that look like they’ve been airbrushed by a particularly ambitious landscape painter. Just a couple of hours north of Sydney by car, or 90mins from the sunny Central Coast, or accessible via The Wine Train for those who’ve wisely abdicated driving responsibilities, it’s an ideal short break for seniors.
What strikes us immediately is the privacy – smart cabins with those aforementioned stunning views, and a restaurant that punches well above its weight class. Through some dark culinary magic, they manage to serve an a la carte menu at pub prices. Perhaps they’re laundering money for the mob. If so, I raise my glass to organised crime because the pork belly is so tender it makes me want to weep like a mafia boss at the opera. The meat practically dissolves on the tongue, leaving behind only the memory of crackling and the faint taste of sin.
My delight multiplies when I discover a Four Pines brewery onsite – I buy the stuff at home, so finding it here feels like running into an old friend in an unexpected place. Though really, do you come to the Hunter to drink beer? We dutifully sample the resort’s own Hunter Farm wines instead. Psst! Their 2023/24 Shiraz is worth seeking out, assuming you can prise it from their cellar.
Over dinner that evening we meet, owner, Phil Hele OAM, an affable Hunter Valley icon who’s as much a fixture here as the vines themselves. I moonlight as a ghostwriter, so we chat about a book he’s planning to write on the valley’s seminal characters as the sun melts over his sloping vineyards, painting the vines in rosé hues that would make an Instagram influencer weep with envy. This is what you come to the Hunter for – the corduroy landscape of vineyards stretching to the horizon, and air so thick with the scent of ripening grapes you could bottle it.
Over a vodka martini that’s mostly vodka, Phil explains that the farm is an independent, sustainable, family operation. With four generations in the hotel business (we meet his mother and father, who live onsite and presumably provide quality control), they’re committed to shopping locally, employing local talent, and keeping the money circulating in the valley rather than vanishing into corporate coffers in Melbourne or Sydney.
If you’re traveling with grandchildren or simply enjoy animals, the resort offers swimming pools, tennis courts, and a veritable menagerie. We’re greeted by a giant ostrich performing what can only be described as an exotic fertility dance – somewhere between a feathery Michael Jackson and Tina Turner, all hip thrusts and neck undulations. It’s hypnotic and mildly disturbing in equal measure.
The following morning, after the best eggs I’ve tasted emerge from the farm’s restaurant kitchen (rich yolks the colour of sunset, whites that haven’t been bullied into submission), we explore the region. Only five minutes away sits a giant antique centre where you’ll find treasures and an impressive collection of nautical–but–nice antiques that make you wonder who exactly was furnishing their suburban homes with ship’s wheels and brass portholes.
Later we have a wine tasting at Brokenwood, recommended by my friend Simon Marnie, ex–ABC Weekend show host and certified wine tragic. What I appreciate is their “wine flight” option – three glasses that collectively equal one sensible glass – meaning you can still legally operate a motor vehicle afterward. This addresses one of the Hunter’s chief inconveniences: someone has to remain sober enough to drive. This is where Hunter Farm’s genius becomes apparent – your cabin is never more than 100 elbow–crawls from their wine cellar. You can sample modestly at Brokenwood, then give it a proper nudge at your accommodation’s superb wine cellar without risking a midnight drive through a random vineyard while singing the Marseillaise.
The following day we visit Hunter Valley Gardens and its shopping precinct, where we discover a flashback to childhood: an English lolly shop. Do you remember being ten years old when you could pop into a milk bar and buy 20 cents worth of mixed lollies and a single Alpine cigarette? Or was that just me? The sugar rush returns, untainted by modern concepts like dental health or responsible parenting.
Our second night in the Hunter Farm restaurant brings ocean trout that flakes at the mere suggestion of a fork, paired with a Winmark Chardonnay that’s crisp enough to cut glass. This is followed by deep–fried apple pie and ice cream – because we’re on holiday and consequences are for Tuesday – accompanied by a small dessert wine that’s almost certainly not small.
The next morning, I order eggs benedict, because you never make that at home and hollandaise sauce tastes like butter took a gap year and came back sophisticated. Then we drive back to the coast along the soulless M1, returning to reality one kilometre marker at a time.
handy websites & links
Resort and Farm
Hunter Valley Resort + Farm – Official site for the resort and farm activities (accommodation, cellar door, paddocks, farm experiences) www.huntervalley.com.au/
Wineries
Margan Restaurant and Winery – Margan Wines homepage (family winery in Broke)www.winmarkwines.com.au/
Winmark Wines and Winmark Art Gallery – Winmark Wines cellar door and gallery (Broke region) www.winmarkwines.com.au/
Brokenwood Wines – Brokenwood Wines official site (Hunter Valley winery and restaurant) www.brokenwood.com.au/
Attractions
Hunter Valley Gardens – Hunter Valley Gardens official website www.huntervalleygardens.com.au/
Wine Train (transport/experience)
There isn’t a dedicated standalone “Wine Train” company site, but the Hunter Valley Resort + Farm offers an express train package from Sydney Central Station as part of its booking options. See their Wine Train info here www.huntervalley.com.au/hunter-valley-wine-train/
Brewery
4 Pines at the Farm – Hunter Valley – Four Pines Brewery venue located at Hunter Farm (beer, bistro, cellar door) www.huntervalley.com.au/drink/
fact box #1
Good Life package
- From $264 per night for two guests
- Two nights’ 4–star accommodation
- Breakfast vouchers per day
- Complimentary schooner at 4 Pines at the Farm taproom
- 9am guided Vine Experience through our 55–year–old vineyard, followed by a wine tasting with our Cellarmaster
- Wine Theatre experience, including a wine tutorial
fact box #2
Wine Train
- From $470 per night for two guests
- Return express train tickets from Sydney Central Station to Singleton Station
- Meet and greet on arrival, including return transfers between Singleton Station and Hunter Valley Resort
- Two nights’ 4–star accommodation
- Breakfast vouchers per day
- 9am guided Vine Experience of our 55–year–old vineyard, followed by a wine tasting with our Cellarmaster
- Wine Theatre experience, including a wine tutorial