- Duration
- 1 day, ~350 km by car (≈ 4 h 38 min: moving and stop time only)
- Who it suits
- Adults
- Transport
- drive
- Start
- Tyrrell's Wines (est. 1858, book ahead)
- Finish
- Hunter Valley Gardens village
- Pace
- relaxed pace
- Best time
- year-round; February–March is vintage season
- Budget per adult
- from A$45 in tastings (Brokenwood A$28, Tyrrell's A$15, gin extra)Prices as of: July 2026; transport and zoo prices October 2026
Getting there
Go by car from cellar door to cellar door. The driver skips the tastings.
Stops in order
The text version of the route: stops, time at each and the legs between them. Times are estimates, without queues, traffic or swims.
1. Tyrrell's Wines (est. 1858, book ahead)~1 h at the stop
Five generations of the Tyrrell family and the benchmark Hunter semillon. Tastings are by booking. Start the day here while the rooms are quiet.
Tip: The basic Tyrrell's Experience tasting is A$15 and takes about an hour, with sessions at 10:00, 11:15, 12:30, 13:45 and 15:00; booking preferred. Cellar door hours are Mon to Sat 10am to 5pm, Sun 10am to 4pm. Have a sober driver or take a chauffeured tour.
Open on the map ↗↓ drive · 5 min · 2.7 km
2. Audrey Wilkinson: views and museum~45 min at the stop
A hillside winery with the valley's best vineyard panorama and a small estate-history museum. Worth the detour for the terrace view alone.
Tip: Booking is effectively essential: capacity is small, weekends sell out and latecomers only get what is left of their slot. Open daily 10am to 5pm; the museum in the original winery with its cement vats is free. The driver skips the tasting.
Open on the map ↗↓ drive · 7 min · 3.8 km
3. Brokenwood~45 min at the stop
One of the valley's most decorated names. The entry-level Taste is now A$28: seven varietal and single-vineyard wines over 45 minutes at a tasting pod. The flagship is the Graveyard Vineyard Shiraz.
Tip: The price in the stop name is out of date: it is now A$28, 18+ only. Tastings run 11am to 4pm on weekdays and from 10am on weekends. For food, the Match flight of six wines with canapés is A$80. Book online.
Open on the map ↗↓ drive · 9 min · 5 km
4. Hunter Distillery~40 min at the stop
A change of pace after the wine: a craft distillery at 1686 Broke Road making Copperwave gin, barrel-aged gin and vodka, liqueurs and arak. Open daily 10am to 5pm.
Tip: Book the tasting online, where the current flight price is shown. The driver skips it. Closed 25 December.
Open on the map ↗↓ drive · 7 min · 3.6 km
5. Hunter Valley Gardens village~1 h at the stop
The gardens' village: cheese and chocolate shops, cafes and an unhurried end to the day before the drive back to Sydney.
Tip: The gardens themselves are ticketed; the shopping village is free. Lunch is at Lime Leaf Cafe on Broke Road: weekdays 10:00 to 15:00, Saturday and Sunday 9:00 to 16:00. Closed on Christmas Day and Good Friday.
Open on the map ↗
Before you go
- Route times are estimates: walking, driving and a sensible pause at each stop. Add queues, traffic and swims yourself.
- Prices, timetables and trail status change. Check the venue's official site and the state transport app before you go.
- On beaches, swim only between the red and yellow flags. Use sun protection even when it is cloudy.