Pages

Showing posts with label Hunter Valley. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Hunter Valley. Show all posts

Monday, April 7, 2025

The ASTW Conference at Oaks Cypress Lakes Resort & Country Club, Hunter Valley, NSW


Oaks Cypress Lakes Resort & Country Club, Hunter Valley, NSW ©

How excited was I to discover that the Australian Society of Travel Writers (ASTW) was holding its convention in my 'hood'? Over the moon, actually, as I'd just returned from living overseas for many months and was trying to re-connect with my surrounds and people, including fellow members of the ASTW.

I'd been living in a 500-year-old cottage in the Cotswolds, worrying about leaving the history, countryside, ancient landscapes and, of course, friends. But when I did come back, I realised how much I had missed our mountain in Wollombi, the incredible sandstone landscapes, the adorable flora and fauna, the vineyards, the history, and a sense of place I realised I already had.

Our highly-anticipated ASTW annual conferences have been held around the world during my 30+ years of membership and there are many fabled stories. I was ASTW Vice President the years we went to Rotorua, and Lombok where there was a ton of sand involved at the beach-side awards dinner!

For 2024, with Destination NSW as a strategic sponsor, the Hunter Valley Wine & Tourism Association and Oaks Cypress Lakes Golf & Country Club became hosts (sand only in the golf bunkers at Oaks). Neighbouring partner Elysia Wellness Retreat was on hand for a welcome touch of wellbeing. 


Elysia Wellness Retreat, Hunter Valley, NSW ©

I signed up and realised that it had been a while since I'd focused on Hunter Wine Country as a destination. Living in the beautiful Wollombi Valley, our drive routes often skirt Pokolbin's vineyards, instead using Lovedale Road on the way to Maitland, and Broke Road en route to the beautiful Winmark Wines, Margan Wines & Restaurant, Whispering Brook and the Upper Hunter. Winmark is a favourite, specialising in Chardonnay with a stylish tasting room, gallery and irresistible shop as well as boutique accommodation. 

Sometimes we drive the scenic Mount View Road from Millfield, up across the Brokenback Escarpment (see photo above), past beloved Bistro Molines and down to Pokolbin, passing famous vineyards such as Sadler's Creek, Audrey Wilkinson, Tamburlaine, and Brokenwood Wines.

Hunter Wine Legends

The Hunter's historic wine families include the McGuigans, celebrating over 100 years of winemaking. Now Lisa McGuigan is taking the family name in new directions with her Vamp Wine Rooms, think Gothic/Medieval Knights+ (check the website). Lisa and the Hunter Valley Wine & Tourism Association hosted a fun cocktail party here for the ASTW.


ASTW cocktail party at Lisa McGuigan Vamp Wine Rooms
Photos © Alison Plummer

As with many Hunter winemakers, Lisa's range includes varietals from other signature Australian wine regions for the best of all worlds. From the Hunter come the likes of her Silver Pinot Grigio, Platinum Gruner Veltliner, Platinum Chardonnay and Velvet Vin-Rose, then Renaissance Cabernet Merlot and Renaissance Spartacus Shiraz from Langhorne Creek (South Australia), and Pinot Gris from the Alpine Valley (Victoria).

Australia's oldest wine region, the Hunter has around 150 wineries and cellar doors including historic estates and new boutique vineyards. Yes, something for everyone but one of our ASTW members visiting for the first time in a while remarked that the region is much more 'boutiquey' now. 

For the Hunter's own traditional Shiraz and Semillon, we love Thomas Wines where winemaker Andrew Thomas is passionate about local, producing single vineyard wines from the signature grape varietals including Kiss Shiraz, Sweetwater Ridge Shiraz and Braemore Semillon. 

Tasting menus and local produce

Restaurants trending 'feed me' tasting menus include Wood Restaurant at Brokenwood Wines and the farm-to-table experience at Margan Wines & Restaurant, Broke. Fixed price two or three course choices are also common to many including iconic Bistro Molines and  'food over fire' Yellow Billy Restaurant. Most menus feature local and regional produce. 

Fresh from the garden at Margan Wines & Restaurant.
Photo © Alison Plummer.

As well as wine-tasting and restaurants, the Hunter is a favourite wedding venue, has lovely rose and other gardens at Hunter Valley Gardens and is a top spot for hot air ballooning, horse-riding, and tours. Up for a beer you'll head to Harrigan's Hunter Valley, IronBark Hill Brewing Co at the Peter Drayton cellar door or maybe Potters Hotel & Brewery. 

Tourist Drive 33

Tourist Drive 33 through Wollombi is a scenic way to drive to the Hunter – stop off for a wander around our historic village, enjoy a gelato or coffee/snack from the General Store. Have coffee/brunch/lunch at Myrtle and Stone, shop at stylish Twine, treasure hunt at The Forge and shop for local crafts at The Roadside Gallery. We have vineyards and cellar doors, too, including Stonehurst Cedar Creek and Undercliff.

Off the beaten track, cultural experiences take you into the heart of the beautiful backdrop of the sandstone country surrounding the plains. Finchley Trig lookout in the Wollombi Valley is a special place for me.

 I'm delighted that my own backyard is as vast and varied as the Hunter Valley! 


Magical Mount Yengo from Finchley Trig. Photo © Alison Plummer


Planning a trip

The Hunter is an easy drive from Sydney (around two and a half hours), Newcastle Airport (around an hour). For more Hunter Valley info and inspiration visit the Hunter Valley Wine & Tourism website, and call in to the Hunter Valley Visitor Centre when you're here.

Oaks Cypress Lakes Resort & Country Club is centrally placed on Thompsons Road, Pokolbin, with a range of villas and suites, two restaurants and two bars. Leisure facilities include the resort's signature golf course, the partner onsite spa, Elysia Wellness Retreat, plus three pools and two tennis courts. 

Hunter Valley Wine & Tourism Association

Oaks Cypress Lakes Golf & Country Club

Elysia Wellness Retreat 

Vamp Wine Rooms

Winmark Wines 

Margan Wines & Restaurant

Thomas Wines Hunter Valley

Tourist Drive 33

Cultural Experiences


ASTW Awards for Excellence Sponsors

Destinations, cruises, flights & tours


Virgin Australia  Travel Writer of the Year: Winner, Dan Slater

Coral Expeditions Travel Photographer of the Year: Winner, Lyn Gail










Travel Industry



TravMedia  (Major sponsor of ASTW)


Tuesday, June 8, 2021

The Forelle Ensemble plays its way through NSW/ACT in Austrian "Schubertiaden" style.

How lovely is this? Celebrating 200 years of an Austrian musical tradition, the Forelle Ensemble is currently travelling through NSW/ACT in the spirit of Franz Schubert whose Lieder (songs) were played to small groups of friends in intimate musical soirees that became known as "Schubertiaden”. The Forelle Ensemble will perform 10 concerts, taking listeners on a musical journey to Austria in Bowral, Canberra, Albury, Young and the gorgeous setting of the Hunter Valley's Winmark Wines.

Forelle is the brain-child of James Armstrong, winner of the ‘Austria Scholarship’ granted by Sydney Youth Orchestras and Austrian National Tourist Office. Visiting Vienna and Salzburg in early 2020, James fell in love with Austrian chamber music, especially the music of Franz Schubert. 

 

The Forelle Ensemble.©

To honour Schubert and as a reference to one of the composer’s most famous chamber music pieces ‘Forellenquintett’ (Trout Quintet), James Armstrong formed the Forelle Ensemble with four fellow students of the Sydney Conservatorium of Music. Members include Lilly Bennett (double bass), James Armstrong (violin), Angela Shin (cello), Estelle Shircore Barker (piano) and Aisha Goodman (viola).

The first documented Schubertiade took place 200 years ago in 1821 and the term still refers to intimate concerts and festivals around the world, in all kinds of settings. Most famous is the Schubertiade Festival in Austria's Alpine province Vorarlberg with around 80 events and 35,000 visitors annually, making it the biggest Schubert Festival in the world. 

Musicians Schubertiade, Bregenzerwald, Vorarlberg. (Bregenzerwald Tourism, Christopher Lingg.)

“It’s a wonderful opportunity for us to be able to play this beautiful repertoire of Schubert’s music. We can reimagine it in the sense that we are performing music which was composed in the Austrian countryside and we are bringing it to the countryside here in NSW and ACT.”, says James Armstrong. “The works on the program are very colourful, each in their own way, to the extent that I imagine each piece as a postcard of Austria. The music intimately reflects the landscape and lifestyle - from the elegant and lavish decor of Viennese salons to the striking snow-capped Alps and lush green fields of the countryside. Schubert’s music illustrates these settings so sublimely.”

“James Armstrong stole the hearts of the Viennese with both his incredible talent as a young violinist but also with his curiosity and interest in Austrian classical music and culture during his time in Vienna early last year,” says Astrid Gruchmann-Licht, Director of the Austrian National Tourist Office in Sydney. “This year we were delighted to find out that James wanted to share his passion for Schubert - and for Austria - with Australian audiences in regional NSW and ACT and we partnered with the Forelle Ensemble to bring this project to life. I view it as a true collaboration and love the idea of an Australian Schubertiade”. 


James Armstrong performing Chamber Music at Hotel Sacher, Vienna, above, and enjoying beautiful Vienna, below. (ANTO, Marion Carniel.)

 

Tour Dates 

Friday 11th June, 6.30pm: Schubertiade Opening Concert, Sydney 

Sunday 20th June, 2.30pm*E: St Jude’s Church, Bowral 

Wednesday 23rd June: Residence of the Austrian Ambassador, Canberra 

Thursday 24th June: Hausmusik event at private residence, Albury 

Friday 25th June, 7.00pm*E: St Matthew’s Church, Albury 

Saturday 26th June: Hausmusik event at private residence, Young 

Sunday 27th June, 12.00pm*: Ballinaclash Orchard and Cellardoor, Young 

Tuesday 29th June, 6.00pm*E: Young Regional School of Music, Young 

Friday 2nd July, 6.00pm*E: Winmark Wines, Hunter Valley 



James Armstrong  with Astrid Gruchmann-Licht, Director of the Austrian National Tourist Office in Sydney, at a Viennese Kaffehaus. (ANTO, Marion Carniel.)

* Public events: tickets and more information are available on Eventbrite (E) or via the venue website

Winmark Wines

Austria information

Source: Austria National Tourism news release

Monday, March 15, 2021

Midnight Oil, Makaratta Project at Hope Estate, Hunter Valley, NSW


Peter Garrett and Midnight Oil, Hope Estate. Image © AP

What a thrill to be at Hope Estate, Hunter Valley, NSW, for Midnight Oil's Makaratta Project. The moving and engaging welcome to Wonnarua Country was followed by powerful performances from Alice Skye, Troy Cassar-Daley and the mighty force of Peter Garrett/Midnight Oil and guests. What a show, what a message for reconciliation. 


The Welcome to Wonnarua Country. Video © AP

Midnight Oil onstage, Hope Estate. Image © AP


Troy Cassar-Daley and the crowd we were part of at Hope Estate. Image ©AP

Alice Skye's quiet, awesome ownership of a stage set up for a phenomenal rock band still sends shivers down my spine. Playing piano and accompanied by twins on guitar and drums, Alice, a Wergaia/Wemba Wemba person from Horsham, Victoria, played her heartfelt songs including her own I Feel Better, but I Don't Feel Good, also Terror Australia , written by Peter Garrett and Bones Hillman (Wayne Stevens) who sadly died in November 2020.


Alice Skye at Hope Estate, Image © AP

Hopefully heading out of Covid are we going back to a better, more thoughtful world? 


https://www.midnightoil.com


Friday, November 9, 2012

Hunter Valley Uncorked at Balmoral

The laid-back Sunday crowds were out in force as the Hunter Valley brought its wines to Sydney against the stunning backdrop of Balmoral Beach last Sunday. The day was perfect for a picnic and the chance to meet the winemakers and their teams and sample trophy and gold medal wines, iconic Hunter Semillons, new release whites, Hunter Valley Shiraz as well as chilled bubbles and rose. The Hunter Valley's Andy Allen, aka Masterchef 2012, was a special guest preparing seafood to complement Hunter Valley Semillon and beef to pair with Hunter Valley Shiraz.

Three-piece band Mimesis took centre stage on the iconic bandstand, delivering sounds that really suited the day and the tastes of the Hunter were a reminder of how good it is to spend a weekend away just a two-hour drive from Sydney!



WINERIES INCLUDED:
  • Adina Vineyard
  • Allandale Winery
  • Audrey Wilkinson Vineyard
  • Bimbadgen
  • Brokenwood Wines
  • Colvin Wines
  • De Iuliis Wines
  • First Creek Wines
  • Glandore Estate Wines
  • Margan Winery
  • McGuigan Wines
  • McWilliams Mount Pleasant
  • Oakvale Wines
  • Peterson House
  • RidgeView Wines
  • Saddler's Creek Wines 
  • Tempus Two
  • Thomas Wines
  • Tulloch Wines
  • Two Rivers
  • Tyrrell's Wines
RESTAURANTS:
  • Restaurant Cuvee
  • RidgeView Restaurant
  • The Verandah Restaurant
  • Twine Restaurant
Fresh Produce by:
  • Pukara Estate - olives, olive products and vinegars
  • Hunter Valley Cheese Company - cheese & antipasto platters
  • Nelson Bay Seafoods - fresh seafood
  • Australian Regional Food Store - gourmet products
  • Lushberries - chocolate dipped berries
  • Lil' Groovers - fresh lemonade
  • Bar Coco - Coffee, drinks and gelato





Thursday, April 1, 2010

Volkswagen Eos & Hunter Valley Test Drive


Lucky us - we drove a Volkswagen Eos around the Hunter Valley last week for the Volkswagen Magazine. The weather was perfect so we had the roof down most of the time. We drove the Peat's Ridge Road off the F3, north of Sydney, stayed in Wollombi and drove to Pokolbin where we stayed at the brand new Chateau Elan, dined at Legends on Tony Maher's delicious food and had a massage at the divine spa.

We photographed The Vintry, a contemporary 'green' house on DeBeyers Road, photographed at Talit's, a Provencale house in Broke and loved the gnocchi at Margan's Restaurant (above), close to Whispering Brook. The full feature will be posted soon ..

Images © Ken Martin/True Blue Cockatoo