This historical and beautiful enclave close to the city of Sydney emphasizes the bucolic beauty of wine country. This is Hunter Valley, which was first settled in the 19th century. If you are seeking to take a stroll back in time and enjoy some fines wines, then this is the place to visit on an Australian holiday.
A Home to the Wonnarua Tribe
Before the Hunter Valley was known for its grapes and wines, it was the home of the Wonnarua tribe— these were aboriginal Australians that lived in this region, along with the Worimi tribespeople and the Awabakal in the south. The Wonnarua created a route for trading between the Hunter Valley (known as the Coquun Valley at that time) and the Sydney Harbour.
Lieutenant John Shortland discovered the Hunter River back in 1797. At that time, the area, including Sydney, was a penal colony overseen by the British Empire. The lieutenant had been on the search for escaped convicts until his serendipitous discovery. Since then, the land and the region have thrived. Wine-making began upon the settlement of the New South Wales section of Australia in the latter part of the 1900s. Grape-growing in the area has been a valuable source for the mining of coal and the extraction of timber. These items contributed to steamship commerce at that time.
Initial Plantings
Grapevines were initially planted in Sydney around 1788. During that time, the government promoted the planting of grapes, which they believed not only encouraged safety but sobriety as well. The belief of the official was that the promotion of winemaking would cause men to moderate the amount of the wine they drank, thereby lessening the occurrence of disorderly conduct.
Anyone taking part in the wine tours in Hunter Valley today can thank John Howe for cutting a swath through Australia’s wilderness from Sydney to the now Lower Hunter Valley in the year of 1820. The land prospector’s path is now a major highway for wine tourism between Hunter Valley and Sydney. The new wine region of the colony at the time beat out the humidity and wetness that defined the coastal area and the damage by frost in the west. The northern parts of Hunter Valley became the wine region during the early years of the winemaking colony.
Today, it is exciting to ride along the same thoroughfare that settlers developed in the 1900s when the colony was beginning to unfold. Foodies and wine enthusiasts enjoy the various kinds of wines that are offered to holiday-goers. Whether your preference is Chardonnay or Semillon—the area’s iconic wine—you will appreciate the historic aspect as well as the viticulture that has established itself in this part of New South Wales. If you are planning a travel itinerary to Sydney, you won’t want to miss out on visiting this part of wine country.
Make plans today to see the region yourself.
