The Pokolbin district, in the Lower Hunter Valley in New South Wales, is one of Australia's premier wine regions. Viticulture in the region has a long history, the first vineyards being established in the 1850s.

Pokolbin is something of a cross between a village and a district: it's a collection of vineyards and very small villages (Lovedale, Mount View and Rothbury), it doesn't have a single center that could be thought of as a township.

Get in

The route is about 2 hours from Sydney, 1 from Newcastle and 0.4 from Branxton.

• From Sydney, use the M1 Pacific Motorway, then continue onto the M1 until B82. Take the exit onto B82, and continue on B82 til; Cessnock. Once past Cessnock, follow Tourist Drive 33/B82 until Broke Road. From Broke Road, turn left, and at the end of the road, you have arrived at Pokolbin.
• From Newcastle, follow A15, until the M1 Pacific Motorway. Then, continue straight onto M15 Hunter Expressway for around 30 minutes. Take the exit onto B82 Wine Country Drive, and then immediately turn left. Then, turn left and follow the road for about 15 mins. Then turn right on to Broke Road, and at the end of the road, you have arrived at Pokolbin.
• From Branxton, continue down on B82/Tourist Drive 33 for 15 mins. Then turn right on to Broke Road, and at the end of the road, you have arrived at Pokolbin.

Get around

Pokolbin is large, and thus, you'll need your own vehicle to get around. Walking is quite ineffective.

See

• 1 Hunter Valley Gardens, 2090 Broke Rd, ☏ +61 2 4998-4000. Daily 9AM-5PM. Being Australia's largest display garden, these magnificent gardens are of a horticultural standard you won't see elsewhere in Australia. 

Do

• 1 Hot-air ballooning, 1/26 Lodge Rd, Lovedale, toll-free: 1800 028 568. Hunter Valley Hot-Air Ballooning. 
• Jazz in the Vines. A popular event held in October, hosted by Tyrrell's Winery. 
• A Day on the Green. A concert hosted each year by Bimbadgen Estate. 

Buy

Wine is the most obvious item to buy here, although the estates and farms also offer cheese and olives.

Wine

• Audrey Wilkinson Vineyard, DeBeyers Rd, ☏ +61 2 4998 7411. M-F, 9.30am-5pm. Widely regarded as the first vineyard in the Pokolbin district. 
• 1 Bimbadgen Estate, 790 McDonalds Rd, ☏ +61 2 4998 7585. 
• 2 Brokenwood Wines, 401-427 McDonalds Rd, ☏ +61 2 499 87559, fax: +61 2 499 87893. 
• Hermitage Road Cellars at Hunter Resort, ☏ +61 2 4998 7777. Daily tours at 9am, 11am & 2pm (booking required). 
• McGuigan Cellars, McDonalds Rd, ☏ +61 2 4998 7402. The McGuigan's complex houses McGuigan Fine Wines, the Hunter Valley Cheese Company and the Chocolate and Fudge Shop. 
• Lindemans Ben Ean, McDonalds Rd, ☏ +61 2 4998 7684. Open for tastings M-F 10am - 5pm, closed Christmas Day, Good Friday and New Years Day.. 
• McWilliams Mount Pleasant Estate, Marrowbone Rd, ☏ +61 2 4998 7505. Daily 10am-4.30pm. Established in 1921, McWilliams is the largest Australian family owned wine company in the country. Guided tours $2.20/person. 
• Oakvale, Broke Rd, ☏ +61 2 4998 7088, fax: +61 2 4998 7077. Often has value for money wines at the cheaper end of the price range. 
• 3 Pepper Tree Wines, Halls Road, ☏ +61 2 4998 7539. Open M-F 9am - 5pm, Sa & Su 9.30am - 5pm.. The tasting room is surrounded by beautiful grounds and gardens. A good place to follow up wine tasting with a picnic. 
• Rothbury Estate, Broke Road, ☏ +61 2 4998 7363. Open 7 days 9.30am - 4.30 pm.. 
• Tower Estate Wines, Cnr Halls and Broke Rd, ☏ +61 2 4998 7989. Open 7 days 10am - 5 pm.. 
• Tyrell's Vineyards, Broke Road, ☏ +61 2 4993 7000. Open M-Sa. One of the region's oldest vineyards. Winery tours are held at 1.30pm. 

Eat

Be aware that many restaurants pay to be listed in tourist guidebooks and are exorbitantly priced. It may be better to ask a local for recommendations. Rock Restaurant and Bistro Molines at Tallavera Estate are the only restaurants in Pokolbin to be awarded a chef's hat and both have a very good reputation. Other excellent restaurants are Shakey Tables, Esca at Bimbadgen Estate (especially for the wood-fired duck, which is the restaurant's speciality) and Cracked Pepper at de Iulius Estate.

Mid-range

• The Mill Restaurant, Tuscany Wine Estate, cnr Hermitage Rd & Mistletoe Lane, ☏ +61 2 4998 7288, fax: +61 2 4998 7277. 
• Amanda's On the Edge Restaurant, McDonald's Rd, ☏ +61 2 498 7900. A very popular restaurant with Australian menu. It seems to be the only restaurant in this part of the Hunter Valley that is not a winery too. 
• 1 il Cacciatore, ☏ +61 2 4998 7639. Italian restaurant. Pizza for takeaway. (updated Oct 2017)

Sleep

Mid-range

• The Sebel Kirkton Park Hunter Valley, 336 Oakey Creek Road, ☏ +61 2 4998 7680. Hunter Valley hotel offering boutique Hunter Valley accommodation in Pokolbin. Located 2hrs from Sydney, this Pokolbin hotel is ideally positioned to experience Hunter Valley wineries and attractions. 

Premium

• Mercure Grand Hunter Valley, Vintage Drive, off MacDonalds Road, Rothbury, ☏ +61 2 4998 2222, fax: +61 2 4998 2200, h5740@grandmercurethevintage.com.au. Contemporary one and two-bedroom apartments with gas fireplaces, doonas and fully self-contained. Apartments cost approx $230 - $390 per night. 

Go next

• Visit the historic village of Wollombi.
• Explore Tourist Drive 33