There’s certainly a lot of magic in a Hunter Valley romantic getaway, and if you’re in the region in Australia, we’d highly recommend it!
The Hunter Valley offers gorgeous scenery and much indulgence, it’s the perfect weekend away.
Hunter Valley romantic getaway from Sydney
With around 150 top-class wineries matched with numerous restaurants – no wonder it’s a tourist hot-spot.
Located two hours from Sydney, an impromptu trip to Australia’s largest wine region was on the cards just the other weekend, and we were not disappointed.
Hunter Valley romantic getaway: itinerary
11am
Arriving into Pokolbin I didn’t waste any time to get our cellar door hopping on, and the first stop was Kevin Sobels, a family winery with over 150 years of history and tradition.
As you walk along the entrance path there are grapevines blossoming and barrels sitting on the veranda.
Inside has a classic home feel – brightly lit with the sun shining through large church windows.
Awards and family photos line the walls and if you’re lucky you’ll see the resident St Bernard called ‘Archie’ roaming about.
The moment you chat with the team, it’s easy to see their love and dedication for wine-making.
From Merlots, Chardonnays and White Ports, the Sobels have a range of refined and classic wine. My favourite was the Verdelho 2013 – fruity, crisp and great with spicy Asian food.
12pm
Feeling famished, a lunch stop Bistro Molines at Tallavera Grove was in order – got to keep our energy up for our Hunter Valley romantic getaway!
This place took my breath away.
Located on Mount View, it boasts never-ending valley views and does alfresco dining flawlessly. Very romantic!
With its outside hilltop gazebo, you can’t help but feel like you’re in a cute village in France or Tuscany.
The food tops off the whole experience – delicious, tasty and to die for. It takes lunching to a whole new level – from pan-fried quail, stuffed calamari and braised black mussels for entrée to veal wrapped in prosciutto, pork cutlet with parsnip puree and char-grilled spitchcock for main.
It’s a culinary journey I recommend for any rustic French cuisine lover.
3pm
Next stop on the our Hunter Valley romantic getaway ‘vino train’ was Brokenwood and it remains my favourite winery in the Hunter.
Inside is small and cosy and you’re immediately welcomed by the staff who have a witty personality.
Famed for its cricket pitch heritage and its dry table wines of Semillon and Shiraz, Brokenwood not only serves up exquisite wine but great conversation with many laughs.
Here you can experience a range of tours including private room and out of the barrel tastings.
My wine of choice was the 2013 Semillon Hunter Valley – citrus/lemongrass aromas with sweet fruit flavours.
8pm
After a siesta snooze, a trip to Hunter Valley’s finest culinary venue, Circa 1876 restaurant finished off our day escape to the Hunter Valley.
Situated in a stunning cottage dated back to 1876, it’s furnished with antiques and features a cosy lounge area with a fireplace to relax and enjoy a drink before dinner.
The main dining room is beautifully decorated with dim lighting, candle chandeliers and rustic wooden walls and beams.
For a more intimate experience, the restaurant offers three private dining rooms and a dedicated wine room.
Eating here is a memorable (and also expensive) experience serving delicious contemporary dishes matched with an impressive wine list of course.
Hunter Valley Wine and Food festival
A great time to come to the Hunter Valley is in June for Wine and Food month.
Whether for a romantic getaway or trip with friends, it’s a great reason to check out the region, and to experience its unique culture, fine wine and succulent food.
Got any tips of your own on the Hunter Valley? Let us know in the comments
About the author Danielle Muller (@stuffitgotravel) is a Sydney-based travel blogger and communications professional. Follow her travel adventures, stories and recommendations at stuffitgotravelling.com.
Australia has so many unique experiences, creating a bucket list is no easy feat. It’s like choosing your favourite child, or finding free parking in Sydney. But someone had to do it, so Check-in.com.au has given it ago, and shared with TLL.
The top things you simply must do in Australia
Visit Arnhem Land
Made up of 91,000 square kilometres of tropical wilderness, Arnhem Land is as unspoiled and remote as you can get. Its small population is predominantly Aboriginal people, whose traditional culture remains largely intact, making it a huge tick on our bucket list.
Access to Arnhem Land is so restricted that only selected tour operators who have earned the trust of traditional landowners may bring visitors in. If you’re looking for an even more exclusive affair, head to Bremer Island, 3.4 km off the north-eastern corner.
At Banunanu Wilderness Retreat (pictured), a sustainable resort with a maximum of eight guests at a time, you can join a private fishing charter. The pièce de résistance is returning to the beach restaurant made from driftwood where your catch of the day will be cooked for you.
Dive with great white sharks in Port Lincoln
Cage diving with deadly great white sharks is not only thrilling, it has a 100 per cent non-fatality rate. Adventure Bay Charters or Calypso Star Charters run shark diving expeditions from Port Lincoln and they’ll take you way out to sea to a location known for its abundance of sharks, sea lions and fur seals.
You can’t do this on a whim, it’s a full day out at sea and once Jaws is spotted, you’ll be dropped into the ocean with nothing but a metal cage to protect you. If you really can’t face the sharks, try the cheeky option of swimming with sea lions.
Cruise the Kimberley
If the Kimberley isn’t on your bucket list, then you’re going to live a long and uninspiring life!
The region is often named amongst the top destinations in the world by reputable travel sources – and we are inclined to agree. It’s one of the last true wilderness areas on Earth, with iconic outback landscapes which cover nearly 423,000 square kilometres in north WA.
One of the best ways to see the area is by cruise ship where you can get up close to the rocky shores and ochre-coloured gorges as they meet the lush waterfalls, breathtakingly blue waters and white sandy shores. Carved by millions of years of extreme tidal patterns, the coastline’s complex river systems provide access to this contrasting scenery and make travel by small cruise ship the ideal way to explore the area. Award-winning Aurora Expeditions will take you there on a 35-metre luxury catamaran with just 44 guests.
Drive the Great Ocean Road
California has the Pacific Coast Highway, but in Victoria you can get your kicks on the Great Ocean Road. Hire a car in Melbourne and take a journey along the country’s stunning south-east coastline. Drive through the iconic surf spots of Torquay and Bells Beach (this break should be on any surfer-worth-their-salt’s bucket list), then onto the laidback town of Lorne and the spectacular Twelve Apostles.
Walk through waterfalls and lush forest in Otway National Park and watch whales from historic Warrnambool. For the ‘well-heeled’ traveller, consider the Great Ocean Walk, an eight day walk from Apollo Bay to the Twelve Apostles.
Special mentions: must do in Australia
We can’t neglect: Camping on Fraser Island; Cruising the Whitsundays; Skydiving above Byron Bay; Learning to surf at Bondi Beach; Taking a journey on the Ghan; The Great Barrier Reef in Cairns.
What’s on your ‘must do in Australia’ bucket list? Share with us in the comments below, and we’ll endeavour to share some travel stories on the destination(s) with you.
If you’re tempted to take a break from your new year’s resolution, do something to make it worth breaking and take a detour to the Barossa, Australia. The award-winning gourmet food, quality wine and luxury hotels in the Barossa are just a few great excuses to place your resolutions on hold. Travel website Wotif.com has suggested ten irresistible options for us to share with you…
Top ten Barossa
1. Diet – go off course with degustation
If you’re tempted to ditch the calorie counting and craving some delicious morsels, take a gourmet food detour to Hentley Farm, where dining is more than a meal – it’s an experimental food journey. Enjoy dinner or lunch in the restored stables surrounded by the Farm’s 150 acre estate with sloping vineyards. Choose between two set seasonal menu options offering matched wines. Try a four dish course or why not take your time and let the chef take you on a culinary adventure with the ‘Discovery’ menu.
2. Money saving – splurge on luxury On the North Para River you’ll find the lavish Kingsford Homestead, once the set of the popular ‘McLeod’s Daughters’ TV series. It’s Georgian style charm and Gothic features will take you back to another era. If you’re taking a break from your New Year’s budget, stay two or more nights in one of the suites or the cottage – it’s well worth starving the piggy bank for a week. You’ll be treated to an all-inclusive stay with gourmet country breakfasts, sunset canapés and drinks, as well as five and three course alternating dinners. The homestead also has a slate-floored cellar where you’ll be treated to vintage wine tasting. Take a walk along the river gorges or relax in the al fresco bath situated in a hidden corner of the property.
3. Detox – wine not? Rather than a quick trip to your local bottle shop, head to the Barossa and take your time and sample fine drops made from some of the oldest vineyards in the area. With 150 wineries producing divine Shiraz, Sauvignon Blanc, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, fortified wines and more, you’ll be spoilt for choice. Make sure you visit the cellar door of Australia’s oldest family owned winery Yalumba. To wander along some of the oldest surviving vineyards in Australia, visit Langmeil winery. You might also like to visit some of the well known household names from Penfolds to Peter Lehmann or visit the boutique wineries such as Tscharke, where you can do a tasting in the gardens overlooking the vineyard. A guided tour is the best way to see what the Barossa vineyards have to offer, try the Best of Barossa Gourmet Food and Wine Tour for two.
4. Cut back on rich food – say cheese Forget eyeing off that ordinary lump of cheddar in your fridge, save your cheese cravings for the delicious selections at The Barossa Valley Cheese Company. With more than 18 different types of cheese, from the award winning Barossa Washington to Camembert, Brie and a range of goat milk cheese, you’ll be glad you waited. Try a cheese tasting and then choose from your favourites and compliment with crisp bread and other condiments sold at the shop.
5. Get fit – swap sparring for spa-ing No gym clothes here, just plush bathrobes and slippers at Novotel Barossa Valley Resort’s Endota Spa. Relax and choose from a soothing massage, footbath and facial or treat yourself to all and more with an all-day spa experience. With the Barossa Valley as your background, a fitting match would be indulging in the day spa’s red wine soak. Spa guests will also have access to the facilities at the Novotel Barossa Valley Resort. Bask by the heated pool on the terrace or play a leisurely game of tennis or chess with the giant outdoor set.
6. Stay grounded – blow me away Start the day watching the sunrise over the fields of vineyards in a floating basket. Going on a one hour air balloon ride with Barossa Valley Ballooning is an exhilarating way to see the Barossa’s countryside. Once you’re back on your feet, indulge in a buffet breakfast with local produce and sparkling wine at Harry’s Restaurant, at the Novotel Resort.
7. No more dining out – picnic at Maggie’s Pack a picnic rug and spoil your taste buds at Maggie Beer’s Farm shop. Here you can choose from mouth-watering pates, olives, cheeses and wood fired bread or pick up a picnic basket with a selection of treats. Try Maggie’s delicious Orchard Sparkling Apple Juice made from pink lady apples to compliment your picnic spread. The blue lake, surrounding olive trees and orchid make it a perfect spot for a luxury picnic. For a second course, satisfy your sweet tooth with a seasonal fruit tart or Maggie Beer’s ice cream.
8. Budget with Cleanskins – go vintage Save your wine sampling for a unique experience at Seppeltsfield winery. It’s famous for the Centennial Collection which includes the world’s only range of consecutive line of Tawny. Featuring every year from 1878, you can take a tour of the cellar and taste the Tawny from your birth year. For an added treat, purchase a bottle from an anniversary year or take home a bottle of the century old Tawny.
9. Eat less sweets – bakery delights Freshly baked Danishes, warm cinnamon scrolls and crusty pies are hard to resist at the best of times but the irresistible delicious range of German influenced goodies at Lyndoch Bakery will make you forget you even had a new year’s resolution. Sit down for a hearty bakehouse breakfast, a traditional German lunch or try the Steak and Shiraz Pie. Expect to walk out with baked treats for later as you wipe away the crumbs.
10. Be thrifty – go on a shopping spree The towns of Tanunda and Angaston offer boutique shops with jewellery, antiques and home wares that will persuade you to take window shopping to the next level. You’ll find quality hand jewellery at Barossa Birthstones. For locally designed home wares, clothing and shoes check out the selection at Alabaster. Vintage shoppers should take a look at the original pieces at Dragonfly Antiques and search through the knick-knacks at Pioneer Antiques.
Sound good? More info here.
Do you have any Barossa tips to add? We’d love your advice or input – drop us a line in the comments below.
Weekend markets in Sydney are a ritual for many and they’re a great way to experience the city’s culture, food, art and fashion. You’re guaranteed to get a bargain, acquire something unique and best of all each marketplace has its own character and vibe to absorb.
Here are my recommendations for the best weekend markets in Sydney
Glebe Markets
Bohemian-style suburb, Glebe hosts a vibrant marketplace featuring everything from vintage clothing, bric-a-brac, records, arts and crafts and gourmet food. Home to over 200 stalls it’s a never-ending labyrinth of diverse treasures waiting to be discovered. Why not get your bohemian-chic on and sample the multicultural food stalls, enjoy the live music and search for a vintage fashion piece or original artwork. Afterwards you can explore this hip suburb boasting numerous restaurants, cafes and retail outlets on Glebe Point Road. Located: Corner of Derby Place and Glebe Point Road, Glebe Open: 10am to 4pm (Saturdays) glebemarkets.com.au
Sydney Fish Markets
A visit to the Sydney Fish Markets always guarantees a delicious foodie experience. Packed with tourists and locals it’s a must-do attraction being the largest of its kind in the southern hemisphere. Experience what it’s like to be in an authentic working fish market and jump on a tour to see where the seafood buyers battle it out during their morning auctions. Otherwise freely roam and observe the seafood mongers crack open oysters, finely slice tuna and work the crowds. Be sure to grab some fresh seafood for dinner or try the seafood platters featuring moray lobster, deep fried prawns, calamari, oysters and more. Located: Pyrmont Bridge Road, Pyrmont Open: 7am to 4pm (Daily, except Christmas Day) sydneyfishmarket.com.au
The Rocks Markets
Where else can you walk through the birthplace of modern-day Australia? The Rocks Markets is undoubtedly a Sydney institution attracting nearly one million visitors each year. With over 200 market stalls you can pick up anything from Australian-designed fashion items and accessories, original artwork and prints, speciality food and one-off jewellery. It’s also a lovely spot to waste the day strolling aimlessly while taking in the views of the Opera House, Harbour Bridge and Circular Quay. Located: Playfair Street, George Street and Jack Mundey Place, The Rocks Open: 10am to 5pm (Saturdays and Sundays) therocks.com
Kirribilli General Markets
A bustling marketplace with harbour bridge views, Kirribilli Markets is your one-stop-shop for all things ‘new and recycled’ in fashion, homewares, antiques and collectables, bric-a-brac, arts and crafts, produce, plants and gourmet food. Anything is pretty much sold here running through Burton Street Tunnel and Bradfield Park Bowling Green. From emerging designers to savvy fashionistas offloading their wardrobes – you might uncover a classic designer item or handbag. Otherwise check out the random knick-knacks, children’s toys and my favourite vintage typewriters and cameras. Be sure to visit the food stalls sampling such treats as Dutch pancakes, Vietnamese Banh Mi Rolls and Dim Sum. Located: Bradfield Park – Corner of Alfred and Burton Streets, Milsons Point Open: 8.30am to 3pm – Fourth Saturday of the month (January to November) and first and third Saturday (December). kirribillimarkets.com
Paddington Markets
Operating since 1973 the Paddington Markets has become a popular attraction. Originally started to promote emerging fashion designers, craftspeople and artists, this bustling market features around 150 stalls showcasing various Australian-made and designed products. Check out the local fashion, sample handmade chocolates, try on cutting edge jewellery and brighten up your day with some flowers. Also don’t be afraid to bring your four legged-friends, as dogs are welcome and easily roam with their owners. Located: 395 Oxford Street, Paddington Open: 10am to 4pm (Saturdays) paddingtonmarkets.com.au.
Have you visited any of Sydney’s weekend markets? If so, tell us your favourite spots – drop us a line in the comments below.
About the author Danielle Muller is a Sydney-based travel blogger and communications professional. Follow her travel adventures, stories and recommendations at stuffitgotravelling.com.
If there’s one thing you can rely on in Melbourne, it’s that every day there’s something new to experience. New cafes, bars, restaurants, events and pop-ups are well, popping up, quicker than most can keep track, leaving many visitors and locals paralysed with choice when the weekend rolls around.
Whether you’re relishing in a hotel Melbourne CBD or just keen to play tourist in your own backyard, here are a few ideas on how to have a quintessential Melbourne experience without waiting in line for the latest hot spot.
Venues such as The Astor Theatre in St Kilda (pictured above) still offer a memorable cinema experience, often with the option of dressing up and singing along, for typically under $20.
While the films might not always be the latest Hollywood blockbusters, they’re the classic cinema and gems from childhood you’re certain to have a soft spot for.
With new places to drink and dine opening and closing every week, why not grab a table somewhere that’s proved itself consistently over the years.
Travel tip: Stay in a fab Melbourne CBD hotel
Get amongst the action, whether you’re visiting or simply seeking a staycation.
The Italian on 101 Collins Street in the city (pictured) also offers a classic Melbourne dining experience that’s been ‘hatted’ by The Age’s Good Food Guide for five years running.
It’s tucked away and offers couples an ideal pre-theatre date night dining spot as a variety of the best theatres are all an easy stroll away.
Those seeking something a little bit different should consider a Melbourne coffee tour. As a place with a reputation for having world-class baristas, why not enjoy one of the things this city does best?
While there are a variety of tour providers to choose from, typically these are walking tours roughly around 2-3km in distance and let participants experience not just great coffee, but also some of the unique architecture, laneways and street art that endears the city to so many.
As an added plus, they usually run in small groups, so if you’re keen to meet new people, it’s a great way to do it.
And while you’re on foot, the Royal Botanic Gardens offers an absolutely vibrant Aboriginal Heritage Walk. This is one of the more popular tours through the Gardens for good reason, as it provides both an informative as well as serene way to appreciate the spot as well as its traditional owners. Tours are run by an indigenous guide and include a smoking ceremony, guided walk and talk about traditional uses for food, medicine and many other surprising bits of information we often take for granted among the hustle and bustle of daily life.
In a city where there is always something new to do, it’s easy to overlook some of the classic experiences that have consistently impressed visitors and locals alike. Remember, it’s not always about the next best thing.
About the author Gwen O’Toole is an accomplished writer focussing on travel, events management and food and wine. She also published a fiction novel while spending the past eight years as a magazine editor and travelling the globe before launching The Ideas Library, a creative services and event management company. She is regularly featured in a variety of travel and leisure publications and blogs.
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Made up of 91,000 square kilometres of tropical wilderness, Arnhem Land is as unspoiled and remote as you can get. Its small population is predominantly Aboriginal people, whose traditional culture remains largely intact, making it a huge tick on our bucket list.
age diving with deadly great white sharks is not only thrilling, it has a 100 per cent non-fatality rate. 
If the Kimberley isn’t on your bucket list, then you’re going to live a long and uninspiring life!
California has the Pacific Coast Highway, but in Victoria you can get your kicks on the Great Ocean Road. Hire a car in Melbourne and take a journey along the country’s stunning south-east coastline. Drive through the iconic surf spots of Torquay and Bells Beach (this break should be on any surfer-worth-their-salt’s bucket list), then onto the laidback town of Lorne and the spectacular Twelve Apostles.
Bohemian-style suburb, Glebe hosts a vibrant marketplace featuring everything from vintage clothing, bric-a-brac, records, arts and crafts and gourmet food. Home to over 200 stalls it’s a never-ending labyrinth of diverse treasures waiting to be discovered. Why not get your bohemian-chic on and sample the multicultural food stalls, enjoy the live music and search for a vintage fashion piece or original artwork. Afterwards you can explore this hip suburb boasting numerous restaurants, cafes and retail outlets on Glebe Point Road. Located: Corner of Derby Place and Glebe Point Road, Glebe Open: 10am to 4pm (Saturdays) 
A visit to the Sydney Fish Markets always guarantees a delicious foodie experience. Packed with tourists and locals it’s a must-do attraction being the largest of its kind in the southern hemisphere. Experience what it’s like to be in an authentic working fish market and jump on a tour to see where the seafood buyers battle it out during their morning auctions. Otherwise freely roam and observe the seafood mongers crack open oysters, finely slice tuna and work the crowds. Be sure to grab some fresh seafood for dinner or try the seafood platters featuring moray lobster, deep fried prawns, calamari, oysters and more. Located: Pyrmont Bridge Road, Pyrmont Open: 7am to 4pm (Daily, except Christmas Day) 
