The Hunter Valley is well regarded as one of Australia’s favourite food and wine escapes for adults, but did you know kids will enjoy it just as much? Narelle Bouveng, a travel writer, shares her tips for travelling the valley with kids.
Exploring the Hunter Valley is a sensory experience, with vine-clad hills, homemade gourmet fare and plenty of small local spots to explore. The area is also home to more than 150 cellar doors. And while Australia’s oldest wine region is popular for all sorts of adult adventures, families also visit for a relaxed weekend getaway.
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Try the local cheese at Smelly Cheese Shop
Stocking up at the Smelly Cheese Shop in Pokolbin is a popular stop for all the cheese lovers visiting the Hunter Valley with kids. Hundreds of gourmet items line shelves, counters and cool rooms. The range is either made by Smelly’s themselves or handpicked local providers and artisans. My favourite part of the visit is sampling different products around the shop, with cheese, breads, meats, chutneys, jams and gelato. It’s not just any gelato, but a popular treat in the region, served from a counter where I found my kids glued to the glass with their little tasting spoons and eagerly choosing their favourite flavours.
If it all gets a little much (and I warn you, it can feel like a lot to choose from), let the experts choose your cheese plate for you, with petite after-dinner packs right through to a cheese pack perfect for a large family picnic.
Visit the Scarborough Wine Co Cellar Door
Over 150 cellar doors are located across the Hunter Valley, but with the kids in tow, we opted for Scarborough Wine Co, where a complimentary kids zone includes a massive grass area, blackboards, outdoor games and cosy picnic blankets for families to help themselves to.
We were so warmly welcomed into the family home, where the approximately $20 per person, 30-minute Wine Lover’s experience took us on a guided tasting through a flight of six wines of Scarborough’s favourites. Meanwhile, kids played happily on the lawn outside.
Scarborough Wine Co. has been producing wines in the Hunter Valley for decades. You can see their long experience in the Offshoot, Classic and The Obsessive ranges we tried in between cleansing our palates on delectable charcuterie. Kids' platters are also available on request, accompanied by apple juice that the little ones thought was pretty fancy.
You could easily turn a few hours into an afternoon here, so don’t resist wandering the beautiful property, complete with mulberry trees and rows of vines back-dropped against the Brokenback Ranges, a lovely example of the Hunter Valley landscape.
Wander through Hunter Valley Gardens
Hunter Valley Gardens has been captivating visitors since 2003, when owners Bill and Imelda Roche turned more than 60 acres of Hunter Valley land into a beautiful garden. The park is complete with 10 international themed gardens, a series of unique sculptures and fountains, and marble sourced from Italy, making it one of the best things to do in the Hunter Valley with kids.
The rose-filled Grandmother Garden pays homage to the bond between Imelda Roche and her 13 grandchildren (all immortalised here in bronze). It’s a charming space for visitors of all ages.
The Story Book Garden is also a family favourite, with life-sized nursery rhyme scenes, giant books to read along the way and characters including a tea-sipping Alice in Wonderland, Humpty Dumpty, and Wee Willie Winkie running through the town.
For me, though, it was the rose garden with more than 100 varieties of roses in bloom. Their delicate perfume filled the air, and with petals scattered along the paths, it was a nostalgic moment that reminded me of my own grandmother, who also loved roses.
The Rose Spectacular (usually held in spring) was in full bloom when we visited, and later in the year, the fabled Christmas lights spectacular would take over with millions of fairy lights, Santa’s Workshop and carnival rides at the ready to welcome in the festive season.
Stay at the family-friendly Oaks Cypress Lakes Resort
After a long day of exploring the Hunter Valley with the kids, we checked into the nearby Oaks Cypress Lakes Resort to relax and revive. The spacious refurbished villas are set amidst sprawling grounds that include a PGA Championship golf course and a range of leisure facilities, including different pools and a popular bistro and bar.
Our 2 bedroom villa had a full kitchen, laundry (so handy), and an outdoor dining area overlooking a bushland escarpment that was home to curious kangaroos and jovial kookaburras. With the living downstairs and bedrooms upstairs, it was ideal when the kids were sleeping. We lingered longer over the cheese platter and enjoyed a bottle of local Hunter Semillon for some quiet time in the evening.
Learn about the wine history at Audrey Wilkinson Vineyard
For a look at the history of the Hunter Valley wine region, head to Audrey Wilkinson Vineyard.
The Wilkinson family acquired the winery in 1866, and today, Audrey Wilkinson is recognised as one of the oldest wineries in the Hunter Valley. Audrey, the family’s firstborn son, took over the vineyard at just 15 years old after his father’s death and later became one of the early pioneers of the Australian wine industry.
Children can run freely through the vines that Audrey once nurtured while you enjoy a glass overlooking the valley. It’s easy to reflect on the region’s winemaking, making it one of the memorable things to do in the Hunter Valley with kids.
