Hunter Valley Getaway

The Boulus family (parishioners and friends) planned a few days away to the famous Hunter Valley region of New South Wales (the Aussie state in which I work). The area is known for its wineries, comparable to our Sonoma Valley in the US. Anastasia was already up there with some friends for a bachelorette party the weekend before and so Steve and Mary with their other adult child (Jacob) and I took to the road for 2 hours or so to this beautiful area. We met up with Anastasia who remained behind during the middle of the week to join us. Lovely time all around!

The day after we arrived (Australia Day, 26 January) we took a couple of winery tours. The first was Tamberlaine. From their website: "We craft award-winning organic wines while limiting our impact on the environment. Working to leave our Hunter Valley and Orange vineyards in the best condition possible for generations to follow." We took the tour followed by a wine tasting. Needless to say I needed help getting to the car!

Below are some pictures of the entrance, the counter upon entering, some vines. an old wine press, new containers and old casks. The last couple of pictures are of a crazy priest and the boulus family with me during the tasting.

Next we visited Audrey Wilkinson which sits atop a mountain range. The views knck your socks off. Though we were in the middle of a 100 degree day, the gusty breezes cooled our sweat. (Of the two, this is the place to take your wedding photos!)

Audrey Wilkinson is a man, believe it or not! Bakc then, apparently the name was used by either men or women, like "Pat" or "Lesley." At 15, the youth took over the family vineyard as his father had died. Luckily he had a good palette and made award winning wines. Below are shots of an old oak tree, a panoramic of the place with Steve Boulus in his woven hat, the colorful grapes on the vine, and more shots of the vines.

Anastasia had to work at the hotel the following day so we took a trip to the neighboring coastal city of Newcastle in hopes of hitting the beach. Well, weather had other plans. Though we did dip in the ocean, it was not pleasant for me. You can see in the third shot the choppiness of the waves and the greyness of the sky. Yuck!

Below are shots of the town centre, Jacob being cheeky by a McLaren (a very expensive sports car like a Lambourghini or a Ferrari), shots of the beach, a couple of tug boats (Newcastle is a mining town and so a port town too).

Lastly in this set is a photo of some beer cans at The Mighty Bar and Grille. (Isn't that a cool name?) The food was great but I loved the design of the cans--so unexpected for beer, even crafted ones!

Finally here is a shot of our friary cat, Leila, who has found a lovely perch on a patio table! I think she wasn't too happy with me interrupting her nap!