Hunter Valley - Port Stephens - Newcastle

Today we travel down to Pokolbin, home to the stunning Hunter Valley Gardens, created by Bill and Imelda Roche and a dedicated team of over 40 landscape gardeners, architects and engineers. Spread across 14 hectares and designed with sight, colour and fragrance in mind, they encompass 10 internationally themed gardens to explore, something for everyone to enjoy, including the ever-popular Storybook Garden. After our guided walk and talk, we are free to stroll as we wish, with eight kilometres of walking paths and gardens to discover. Those wishing can also take a break and purchase a cuppa to enjoy in the Garden Terrace Cafe. Next door at the Hunter Valley Gardens Shopping Village, we can take a stroll through a unique collection of bespoke shops, cafés and cellars. A visit to this premier wine growing region would not be complete without a wine tasting. Our next stop is at the McGuigan Wines to taste some of the renowned Hunter Valley wines before returning to our motel to relax before dinner across at Club Maitland City.

Overnight Maitland: Old Maitland Inn

Meals: Breakfast & Dinner

Today we travel across through the stunning Port Stephens area to the Nelson Bay Marina. Here we board our morning Moonshadow Dolphin Watch Cruise and set off across the scenic Port Stephens Harbour exploring the spectacular headlands and eastern harbour to meet the local resident dolphins. After our cruise we are able to purchase our lunch from one of the many cafés at the Marina Precinct. This afternoon we arrive at Anna Bay and the amazing Stockton Beach Sand Dunes. After meeting our expert drivers and guides from Port Stephens 4WD Tours, we board our 4WD vehicles and tackle the windswept rolling dunes, covering an area of over 2,500 hectares along the 32 kilometre long Stockton Beach. We stop by ‘Tin City,’ a small makeshift fishing village that emerges from the dunes like a mirage! We see the WWII and historical sites, with beach activities including pipi catch and release, and ‘if we’re game’, a bit of sand boarding. After a delightful day out we return to our Maitland accommodation for a rest before dinner.

Overnight Maitland: Old Maitland Inn

Meals: Breakfast & Dinner

This morning we head north of Maitland to the historic Tocal Homestead, a heritage site with one of Australia’s finest collections of colonial farm buildings dating back to the 1830’s. Our half day experience includes a guided tour of Tocal Homestead, followed by farm lunch, visit to Tocal Chapel and EA Hunt Hall then tour of the working farms, finishing at the Tocal Dairy to see the afternoon milking. Next stop is at the Williamtown RAAF Base Fighter World Museum, located adjacent to the entrance of the Royal Australian Air Force Base. We tour the museum, a showcase of Australian fighter and aircraft related history, with over 15 aircraft from WWI. One of the great visitor experiences is the opportunity to sit in the cockpit of a Mirage fighter or Macchi jet trainer. We then travel back across to Maitland to our motel to relax before dinner.

Overnight Maitland: Old Maitland Inn

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

This morning we travel across to the East Coast and take in the history of the Port of Newcastle with our coach captain James before boarding the “Princess”. We then cruise this working port and picturesque foreshore, seeing the harbours coal loading facilities, tug boats and big ships up-close while enjoying a scrumptious Christmas themed lunch cruise, live entertainment, carols and all the Christmas trimmings. After our delightful 3 hour cruise it’s time to head back across to our motel to relax in readiness for our special evening at the Christmas Lights Spectacular. Back at the Hunter Valley Gardens we enjoy a sit down Christmas Dinner in the Garden Terrace Restaurant before witnessing the Christmas Lights Spectacular, the largest lights display in the Southern Hemisphere with over 3 Million Lights! After an amazing day and evening we return to our motel for a restful night’s sleep.

Overnight Maitland: Old Maitland Inn

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Today after checkout we travel down to the setting for Kate Grenville’s renowned historical novel “The Secret River”, as we arrive at Brooklyn on Broken Bay, at the mouth of the Hawkesbury River. The first Englishman to see Broken Bay was Captain Cook on 7 May 1770. The next Explorer to sight the bay was our first Governor, Arthur Phillip on 22 August 1778. The Riverboat Postman is Australia’s last operating mail boat and a great way to get a feel for the Hawkesbury River as she chugs 40kms up the river from Brooklyn to as far as Marlow delivering mail and other essentials to the river access only settlements. Be entertained by stories of the river whilst cruising in comfort up this spectacular waterway, enjoying morning tea and lunch on our 3hr journey. After our cruise, we disembark back at Brooklyn Wharf before continuing our drive south to the Sydney Airport. We then check in for our flights back home after a wonderful few days away in the Hunter Valley, Port Stephens and Newcastle celebrating what the region has to offer including the colours of Christmas with Trade Travel.

Flight Details: Sydney – Homeport (flight times to be confirmed)

Meals: Breakfast & Lunch