If you are a wine lover, you are already familiar with the Hunter Valley in New South Wales. Together with the Barossa Valley in South Australia, the Hunter has made Australian wines famous. This was not an overnight accomplishment, though. The fascinating history of wine growing in the Hunter Valley goes all the way back to colonial times.
Lieutenant John Shortland stumbled across the Hunter River in 1797 while looking for escaped convicts. While he did not find the convicts he was looking for, he did find a verdant valley rich in natural resources. Shortland spread the word about the Hunter Valley and as soon as land access to the region was established, settlers started planting vines: by 1823, over twenty acres were already planted.
Some of the most prominent names in early Hunter Valley viticulture were George Wyndham, James King and William Kelman. However, James Busby, an amateur viticulturist, was arguably the biggest influence on the valley's future. After two study tours in Europe, Busby returned with over 500 vine cuttings. Many experts credit Busby as the man most responsible for turning the Hunter Valley into a major wine growing region.
James Busby had a sister named Catherine. She fell in love with and married William Kelman. Many of Kelman's first vines were some of those brought over by Busby. Others followed suit and by 1840, there were over 500 acres of vines in the Hunter Valley. Before the turn of the century, many of the most famous names in Hunter Valley wines were already established, including Dr. Henry Lindeman and the Tyrell, Wilkenson and Drayton families.
Two World Wars and the Depression hampered the development of the wine industry in the Hunter Valley, but it made up for lost time in the 1960s. In that era of increased prosperity, the dry table wines that the Hunter Valley produced became popular. The sixties were also a period of expansion in the Hunter. After over a century of domination by a handful of growers, Dr. Max Lake set the stage for the future when he started Lake's Folly in 1963. His success led to the establishment of dozens of other boutique wineries. Today, there are over 120 wine producers in the Hunter Valley.
After road improvements from Sydney were completed, the Hunter Valley vineyards became a popular tourist destination. Today, along with wine, the region has become one of the major entertainment centers of New South Wales. The largest wineries compete with each other to offer the most in-demand Australian and international artists. There are regular food, wine and music festivals in the region and a number of family attractions, such as the Hunter Gardens, have been established.
Of course, they also began to establish places for all those new visitors to stay. Whether you are a large family towing a caravan or packing tents, a couple on your honeymoon or a businessperson attending a convention, there is a Hunter Valley accommodation made for you. If you're an overseas visitor, you won't be left out, either. Transportation from just about anywhere in Australia to the Hunter Valley is readily available and package deals can be arranged to suit any budget.
Need a break away, find <a target="_new" href="http://www.bookitnow.com.au/accommodation/nsw/hunter-valley-nsw/1/">Hunter Valley accommodations</a>, things to do and other travel related information about the area on <a target="_new" href="http://www.bookitnow.com.au/">'Book it Now'</a>. Or visit our <a target="_new" href="http://travelblog.bookitnow.com.au/">travel blog</a> for more Australian holiday ideas.
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