HUNTER VALLEY - CESSNOCK AIRPORT

Cessnock provides easy access to the oldest wine-growing region in Australia. The town has a number of fine restaurants, guesthouses and galleries.

The Convict Trail is a conservation project that is restoring the convict-built Great North Road. This is one of Australia's national historic treasures.

History

Cessnock developed as a private village on the road that is now known as The Convict Trail, the original Sydney–Hunter Valley road hand-built by 3,000 convicts. Originally a service centre for travellers, Cessnock became a major mining centre at the turn of the century; however, wine and tourism have since become the major local industries.

Things to do

• Take in the scenic views from the Bimbadeen Lookout on the Great North Walk.
• See the old slab hut at Millfield – an 1830s inn which was held up by bushrangers in 1840.
• See remnants of 1880s pottery kilns in the grounds of Potters Tavern.

Don’t miss:

• Touring vineyards in the Lower Hunter.
• Historic Marthaville Arts and Crafts Centre.
• Richmond Main Mining Museum.
• The Convict Trail, a stirring chapter of Australian history.
• The historic hamlet of Wollombi.

JetFighter flys on request from Cessnock Airport, Cessnock, NSW.