The Hunter Valley has made Australian wines famous

The Hunter Valley needs no introduction to wine lovers. Along with South Australia's Barossa Valley, it has put Australian wines at the top of the world's list of great wine growing regions. This didn't happen overnight, though and the history of viticulture in the Hunter Valley is a fascinating one.

Lieutenant John Shortland stumbled across the Hunter River in 1797 while looking for escaped convicts. While he did not find the convicts he was looking for, he did find a verdant valley rich in natural resources. His discovery of the Hunter led to rapid settlement and within a quarter of a century, land access to the region was established and the first vines were planted: 20 acres by 1823 and that was only the beginning.

Some of the pioneers of Hunter Valley viticulture included George Wyndham, James King and William Kelman. James Busby, an amateur viticulturist, played a big part in Hunter Valley history. The 500 cuttings he brought over from Europe helped establish many of the early vineyards. Busby was an eccentric gentleman, but has been credited with bringing the cuttings that were responsible for establishing the Hunter Valley's reputation for producing fine wines.

Busby's sister, Catherine, fell in love with a fellow passenger on the steamship that brought her to Australia. They married and together with her husband, William Kelman, established a vineyard in the Hunter Valley. By 1840, those twenty acres that had been established in 1823 were dwarfed by the over 500 acres that sprang up in the intervening years. By the end of the 19th century, many of the most famous names in Hunter Valley wines had already established vineyards. These included Dr. Henry Lindeman, the Tyrrell, the Wilkenson and the Drayton families.

Two World Wars and the Depression hampered the development of the wine industry in the Hunter Valley, but it made up for lost time in the 1960s. In that era of increased prosperity, the dry table wines that the Hunter Valley produced became popular. The sixties were also a period of expansion in the Hunter. After over a century of domination by a handful of growers, Dr. Max Lake set the stage for the future when he started Lake's Folly in 1963. His success led to the establishment of dozens of other boutique wineries. Today, there are over 120 wine producers in the Hunter Valley.

After road improvements from Sydney were completed, the Hunter Valley vineyards became a popular tourist destination. Today, along with wine, the region has become one of the major entertainment centers of New South Wales. The largest wineries compete with each other to offer the most in-demand Australian and international artists. There are frequent film, food and, of course, wine festivals in the area and it has become a popular family destination, thanks to attractions like the Hunter Gardens.

Needless to say, there is no shortage of Hunter Valley accommodations. In fact, nothing is left out. From basic family campgrounds to luxurious spa resorts, the Hunter Valley has everything for every budget and lifestyle. The Hunter Valley is easily reached by car, coach or air, so there is nothing stopping you from visiting this world-class wine growing region.

Take a few days off, find Hunter Valley accommodations, things to do and other travel related information about the area on bookitnow.com.au. Or visit our Australia blog for more Australian holiday ideas.