Pokolbin

Pokolbin is a beautiful town that’s located in the heart of the Hunter Valley.

Pokolbin is one of the main wine towns in the Hunter Valley and is a must visit during your trip to the region. The area has award winning wineries, amazing restaurants, and attractions to see making it the perfect weekend getaway.

Find out how you can get to Pokolbin, the best time to visit, what you can do, the best eateries, and where to stay.

How can I get to Pokolbin?

Pokolbin sits in the Hunter Valley and takes around two hours to drive from Sydney. You can drive yourself with your own car or hire one and set off on your drive!

From Sydney, you drive down M1 then continue down M2 to Cumberland Highway. Exit towards Castle Hill then go down M1 in Wahroonga from M11 and keep going for about an hour before exiting towards Kurri Kurri. For the last bit of the drive, you continue down B82.

Another option is a guided tour which you can book in advance. The tour will take you through Pokolbin and visit a few different wineries for a wine tour.

Public transport isn’t ideal due to there not being a straight forward way to get to Pokolbin. The closest you can to Pokolbin is Cessnock, but you’d need to go to Newcastle via train and then get on the Hunter Region train to Maitland Station. From here you can go on a bus towards Cessnock.

As you can imagine, it’s a lot easier going on a guided tour or driving yourself to visit Pokolbin.

Best time to visit

The best times to visit Pokolbin is spring (September to November) and autumn (March to May). During these months the weather is pleasant, and you can see the vines growing and looking lush.

Summer (December to February) is the harvest season for the vines and the weather is a lot warmer. Then during winter (June to August), it’s not as busy in Pokolbin, so it could be another great time to visit to avoid crowds and have cheaper accommodation.

What can I do in Pokolbin?

Pokolbin is famous for the wineries, but there are a few other places and activities you can do!

• Wineries

  Pokolbin has some being the oldest wineries in Australia. Most of the wineries will have a wine tasting, a wine tasting with a pairing, and a wine tour. There are a lot of wineries in the area, but a few to mention are Saddler’s Creek Wines, Hope Estate, First Creek Wines, and Ben Ean.

• Hunter Valley Gardens

  The Hunter Valley has award winning and themed gardens that have a collection of exotic and native plants. The gardens have thousands of trees and shrubs, over one million ground cover plants and there are waterfalls and statues to check out too. The gardens cover about 14 hectares with eight kilometres of a walking path that weaves through to see the individual gardens.

  Aside from the actual garden itself, there is the Shopping Village which has a bit of everything. At the Shopping Village, there are shops for clothing jewellery and more or you can grab a bite to eat or a coffee at a cafe or restaurant.

  Throughout the year there are events including the yearly Christmas Lights Spectacular. With over 4 million Christmas lights used, it’s worth checking out to see the light displays at Hunter Valley Gardens.

• Hot Air Balloon

  Take in the breathtaking sunrise views over Hunter Valley as you float above the vineyards in a hot air balloon. From up above you’ll have incredible views of the farmland, mountains, and the vineyards of Hunter Valley.

  The hot air balloon ride is about one hour from sunrise as you overlook the region and take in the beautiful sunrise. But your morning doesn’t end once you touch back down on the ground, you’ll head off to breakfast at a winery.

  Whether you book with a group, a private small group, or a romantic morning for two, the experience is one to remember!

Where to eat

Pokolbin has some of the best eateries in the Hunter Valley. From sweet treats to delicious main meals, you can’t go wrong when you eat in Pokolbin.

• Hunter Valley Chocolate Company

  Indulge in the Hunter Valley Chocolate Company’s fine range of handmade chocolate and fudge! You can check out the shop and buy yourself some of the delicious chocolate treats. Or sit down at the cafe and enjoy a hot chocolate or the amazing handmade Italian gelato.

• Hunter Valley Smelly Cheese Shop

  The Hunter Valley Smelly Cheese Shop has an amazing selection of local, Australian, and imported artisan cheese. The cheese is delicious without a doubt which you can buy separately or try in some of the meals. You can buy a cheese toastie, gourmet burgers, a cheesecake and a few more tasty foods.

• Blaxland Inn

  The Blaxland Inn has a nice steak range and other hearty foods while you stop by for lunch or dinner. You can order a starter and entrée before going into the main meals like a lamb pie, pan seared barramundi, or fettuccine to name a few. Check out the selection of house made desserts to finish off.

  There is also an extensive beverage list like coffee, tea, wine, beer, cocktails, and juice available.

• Cafe Enzo

  Cafe Enzo has incredible coffee, delicious breakfast and lunch meals and even some amazing desserts. For breakfast, you can expect classic meals like bacon and egg rolls, vegetarian breakfast board, baked beetroot ricotta, and some sides.

  You have a lot to choose from at lunch like a beef burger, pumpkin gnocchi, and burrata mozzarella to name a few. Then for dessert, you can enjoy a lemon tart, scones, and a flourless chocolate cake as a few of the options.

Where to stay

You can spend between two to three days in Pokolbin to see the city and explore other parts of the Hunter Valley. Pokolbin has plenty of accommodation options to pick from, so here are some great options that you can go with.

• Harrigan’s Hunter Valley

  Harrigan’s Hunter Valley has spacious hotel style rooms, suites, and apartments available. Some of the rooms overlook the Hunter Valley vineyards too. All rooms are air conditioned with a TV and coffee making facilities. The apartments are better suited for families or larger groups and has a fully equipped kitchen.

  Some of the studio rooms are equipped with accessible facilities. There are also some rooms that include fireplaces, keeping you cozy and warm during the cold winter nights.

  Not only is there accommodation at Harrigan’s there are also a bottle shop, sports bar, and a bistro! The bistro offers breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks. All meals from the bistro are delicious, with the local award winning beef and Guinness pot pie.

• Beltana Villas

  For a spacious and beautiful space and somewhere to feel at home, Beltana Villas has private villas for you. There are one bedroom and two bedroom villas available with the one bedroom sleeping two people and the two bedroom sleeping up to six people. There are wheelchair accessible villas with rooms and bathrooms.

  These villas have private ensuites, fully equipped kitchens, and a living area with a fireplace, TV, and a couch (sofa couch in the two bedrooms). Additionally, there is a deck with seating and a BBQ to cook up a delicious meal for dinner.

  Beltana Villas offers a swimming pool and a spa that overlooks the vineyards which is open from October to Easter every year.

• Mercure Resort Hunter Valley Gardens

  Mercure Resort has comfortable and stunning rooms to suit everyone’s needs. There are the studio room, superior room, deluxe room, and the king suite. All rooms sleep up to two people and selected studio rooms have disabled facilities.

  Each different type of room has different additions like a balcony, balcony, or terrace or there’s a separate shower or a spa bath! For more of a luxury room, book the deluxe room to spoil yourself.

  Mercure Resort offers the perfect wine country dining experience during your stay with breakfast or dinner. After dinner, you can even order yourself some dessert!

  The resort is also perfect for your special wedding day or any conferences or special events.

• Estate Tuscany

  Relax on a weekend getaway while staying at Estate Tuscany and enjoy the mountain views in Hunter Valley. One room has vineyard and mountain views or enjoy the Tuscan gardens right outside your door with the olive grove rooms.

  The vineyard view rooms are perfect for two people and the olive grove rooms can sleep up to four people and have wheelchair friendly rooms too. Both options include a TV, mini bar, air conditioning, heating, tea and coffee making facilities, and Wi-Fi.

  Estate Tuscany has two eateries for guests to dine including The Mill Restaurant for fine dining and Brokenback Bar for a cafe style. Lastly, Estate Tuscany can celebrate and cater your stunning wedding day, or other big celebrations.