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Sydney Road Trip The Hunter Region
I>Great Australian Road
Trips
So, from Sydney, head up inland
to Wollombi, by taking the
Sydneysiders may fight to the freeway and turning off at Calga.
death arguing they live in the Wollombi is a great little place
best place in Australia, but, for a brief stopover. It has a
when holiday time rolls around, distinctly "rustic look" (a very
it pays to watch where they go to tired tourism platitude which
relax and unwind. very much applies to this little
place), and is armed with a
Not two hours north rests the national park of the same name
divine Hunter region, and it and some nearby wineries. Back in
makes a brilliant Sydney road the car, the next stage of your
trip. The Hunter region is best road trip is to drive up Wollombi
known as Australia's vineyard, road until you hit Cessnock,
but there's loads more you can which is about 30 kilometres
fool about in - old colonial away. This is probably the best
towns, national parks, burning place to set up camp and plan
mountains, horse festivals, and your attack on the area's
more water sports than your profusion of vineyards, most of
travel insurance is prepared to which are around nearby Pokolbin.
cover.
If you don't have a car of your To help you choose which wineries
own, do a Google search for you'd like to visit, check out
"cheap car hire deals Australia" http://www.winecountry.com.au/ or
or visit websites that pool visit Cessnock's Wine Country
together the specials of all the Tourism office for maps and
most popular car rental brochures. But among the wineries
companies. in the area you might want to
think about include: Tyrrell's breeding thoroughbreds is serious
Vineyard, which is plonked right ‘round here. The day they build
in the middle of romantic scenery a golden horse idol to worship
in the Brokenback Ranges; Pepper isn't far away. They've already
Tree Winery, which is a boutique got the horse festival in May and
wine operation just off Broke a six-week Hunter Horse expo in
road in Pokolbin; and of course, September. The Barrington Tops
you shouldn't really go past National Park is nearby. And
Lindemans - it is one of the while you're gadding about, why
biggest names in wine in not visit the biblical-sounding
Australia. Head to McDonalds Burning Mountain - which actually
road, they're open daily for wine is burning, and has been for
tastings. about a thousand years, ever
since an underground coal seam
After you've sobered up, get back caught fire.
into your car and make the short
drive north from Cessnock to Turning you're car around, the
Maitland, which is a pretty town last stage of your road trip
full of old colonial architecture involves heading back down the
and historical ambiance. You New England Highway, this time
don't need a long time here passing Maitland until you get to
though, so get back on the road Newcastle. You're now on the
and head up to Scone on the New doorstep of Lake Macquarie -
England Highway. Australia's largest salt-water
lake. It's here you'll encounter
Here, once again, you'll be a clear-water paradise with water
bombarded with all the rustic sports aplenty. Wend your merry
farmland scenery of before, more way around the shores, driving
wineries yes, but this here is through tiny villages and holiday
horse country - the business of towns like Belmont, Swansea and
Toronto. Explore the Watagan All that's really left is to take
Mountains, which flank the your time heading back onto the
western side of the lake, for a freeway towards Sydney, refreshed
sniff of fresh air and a good and ready to take on all the
view. congested traffic conditions the
city can throw at you.
About the Author:
Alyssa Betts has gallivanted all around the UK, Europe, South-East Asia and Australia. She now works for http://www.vroomvroomvroom.com.au
Source: www.isnare.com
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