Notable Characters

JAMES BUSBY

James Busby, born in Edinburgh in 1801, colonial administrator, amateur botanist and viticulturalist, spent a total of less than 10 years in Australia, before becoming Lieutenant Governor of New Zealand (then a mere appendage of the Colony of New South Wales). Busby probably never made a drinkable wine in his life, yet remains a key figure among the pioneers of the Hunter Valley and, indeed, the Australian wine industry.

When he arrived in Sydney in 1824 aboard the good ship Triton, Busby already had some years’ study of French viticultural practices behind him - sufficient at least to qualify him for a teaching post in agriculture at a Parramatta school where he was charged with inculcating oenological principles into the sons of the local gentry.

Busby published two books on viticulture during his Parramatta tenure. Neither volume much impressed the influential New South Wales Agricultural Society - a matter which, given Busby’s prickly personality, inevitably resulted in a celebrated and very public feud which ended only when Busby departed for a sabbatical in England.

Returning some 18 months later, Busby was to cement his place in Australian colonial history.

His legacy stems from the ‘Busby Collection’ - a selection of some 433 grape vine cuttings collected by Busby in France, Spain, England and probably from points en route to Australia during his second voyage out. These cuttings were initially planted in Sydney’s Botanic Garden and later at least partially replicated at Kirkton in the Hunter Valley. Kirkton was owned by William Kelman, a fellow passenger with Busby and his sister Catherine on the Triton. Kelman had married Catherine and taken up a land grant in the Hunter by the time that Busby returned with his vines after a sojourn in Europe.

Busby’s posting to New Zealand was relatively short-lived. He was repatriated to England due to ill health and died shortly afterwards.

DAN TYRRELL

Dan Tyrrell’s father Edward, nephew of the first Bishop of Newcastle (an immigrant Englishman and himself an amateur winemaker of local reknown), took up one of the last available 330 acre selections at Pokolbin in 1858.

He named his property Ashmans after the family’s English estate, built a slab hut, planted out a vineyard, married Susan Hungerford and produced 10 children: the second of whom - christened Edward George Young Tyrrell and known throughout his long life as ‘Dan’ - was to become a seminal figure in the development of the 20th Century Hunter Valley wine industry.

Dan and his younger brother Avery early assumed responsibility for the family’s vineyard. Dan made the wine, while Avery ran the vineyard, developing viticultural practices much in advance of their time.

As a contemporary of neighbours Maurice O’Shea, Philobert Terrier and Leo Buring, Dan Tyrrell proved a quick learner and rapidly established his reputation as a master winemaker in a career that spanned some 75 consecutive vintages.

At 6’5” (196cm) in height, Dan Tyrrell was in all senses a towering figure in the Hunter, possessed of an unerring palate and remarkable instincts for the demands of a changing marketplace. On his death in 1959 - still a bachelor - Dan was succeeded at Ashmans by his nephew, Avery’s son Murray - brought up a cattleman but destined to be the third generation Tyrrell to run the winery. Murray was succeded by his son Bruce Tyrrell who with wife Pauline, daughter Jane and two sons John and Christopher still own and operate Tyrrells Family Wines.

For more information:
Tyrrells Vineyard. Tel (02) 4993 7000
Web http://www.tyrrells.com.au/

MAURICE O'SHEA

When Maurice O’Shea died of lung cancer in 1956 he was already a legendary figure, acclaimed as an amateur chef, as a professional winemaker and - above all - as a master blender.

Born of a French mother and an Irish father who had purchased the old King family vineyard at Mount Pleasant, young Maurice, already bilingual, was despatched to Montpelier University in France where his oenological studies were necessarily prolonged due to the onset of World War I.

He returned to Australia and Mt Pleasant to establish his reputation as the Hunter Valley’s and arguably Australia's greatest winemaker.

The McWilliam family bought a 50% interest in Mt Pleasant in 1932 when O’Shea ran into financial trouble with the onset of the Great Depression. O’Shea was retained as winemaker and manager and given free reign of the estate. O'Shea's wines achieved cult status well before his untimely death.

Now rare examples of O’Shea’s fabled wines of the 1940s and ‘50s continue to amaze more than 40 years after the master’s departure.

For more information:
McWilliam's Mount Pleasant. Tel (02) 4998 7505
Web http://www.mountpleasantwines.com.au/

Country Pubs

Since the early days of permanent European settlement some 170 years ago, Hunter Valley Wine Country has been dotted with country hotels. Some were established as staging posts on coach and bullock-train routes; others sprang up at river ports and adjacent to the coal fields and timber camps. As the region became more closely populated, many of these old pubs readily adapted themselves to a new and rather more respectable role as the social centre and general focal point of the small villages and settlements they served.

Mostly constructed of rough sawn slab timbers the early coaching inn and tavern buildings were vulnerable to fire, flood and termite (white ant). As a consequence, most of the orginal buildings have long since disappeared - often to be rebuilt and rebuilt again on the same site with increasingly sophisticated architectural features, wide verandahs and elaborate iron lacework facades.

While a few ‘originals’ remain - and those usually extended and renovated beyond recognition - the great Australian tradition of the country pub is alive and well in the Hunter with literally dozens of pubs scattered through the towns, villages and crossroad communities of the Valley. Although many are in a battle for survival with the licenced club movement, the majority are yet again adopting to circumstances and playing an important role in the tourist trade.

Listed below is a more or less representative sample of Wine Country’s rural pubs - several of them dating back to the heyday of Australian hotel architecture extending from the mid-Victorian era (the 1860s on) to the mid-1920s.

Country Pubs:

AUSTRALIA HOTEL: 136 Wollombi Road (Cessnock) T (02) 4990 1256

BELLBIRD HOTEL: Wollombi Rd, Bellbird (Cessnock) T (02) 4990 1094

ABERMAIN HOTEL: 27 Charles St, Abermain (Cessnock) T (02) 4930 8619

ELLALONG HOTEL: Helena St, Ellalong T (02) 4998 1217

NEATH HOTEL: Cessnock Rd, Neath T (02) 4930 4270

WOLLOMBI TAVERN: Great North Rd, Wollombi T (02) 4998 3261

CESSNOCK HOTEL: Wollombi Rd, Cessnock T (02) 4990 1002

GRAND JUNCTION HOTEL: Church St, Maitland T (02) 4933 5242

HOTEL DENMAN: Cessnock Rd, Abermain T (02) 4930 4212

IMPERIAL HOTEL: High St, Maitland T (02) 4933 6566

KEARSLEY HOTEL: Caledonia Rd, Kearsley T (02) 4990 1179

LOCHINVAR INN: New England Highway, Lochinvar T (02) 4930 7216

RIVER ROYAL INN: Swan St, Morpeth T (02) 49336202

ROYAL FEDERAL HOTEL: Maitland Rd, Branxton T (02) 4938 1335

DENMAN HOTEL: Ogilvie St, Denman T (02) 6547 2207

DENMAN ROYAL HOTEL: Ogilvie St, Denman T (02) 6547 2226

CLUB HOUSE HOTEL: John Street Singleton T (02) 6572 1274

CRITERION HOTEL: John St, Singleton T (02) 6571 2712

JERRYS PLAINS TAVERN: Golden Highway, Jerrys Plains T (02) 6576 4137

AGRICULTURAL HOTEL: Munro St, Singleton T (02) 6572 1511

Language Help

LANGUAGE TRANSLATION HELP IN HUNTER VALLEY WINE COUNTRY

It is appreciated that overseas visitors unused to the nuances of ‘Australian English’ as a spoken language may encounter some passing difficulties. If you have run into difficulties in translating aspects of Hunter Valley Wine speak into terms your home audience can read or understand, perhaps we have someone who can help.

Over the last couple of centuries the Hunter Valley has attracted permanent residents, individuals and families from around the world. We are thus blessed with a team of local people between them fluent in most of the mainstream European languages & also Indo-Aryan languages. We have a much more extensive list of local contacts who are fluent in the languages below but also in Japanese, Thai, Dutch, Norweigan, Portuguese, Spanish, Serbian/Croatian & Mandarin; so if you require a translation from English to any of these languages, please contact our Marketing Department on (02) 49 900 930 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. & they will put you in contact with the right person.

Any of the people listed below would be happy to attempt to answer your queries:

French

Daniel Nikles at Chez Vous Villas (02) 4998 7300
Robert Molines at Bistro Molines  (02) 4990 9553
Frederic Aubineau at Cedar Creek Cottages (02) 4998 1576

German

Jorg Gartelmann at Gartelmann Estate Wines (02) 4930 7113
Bernd Beitmann at Cessnock Motel (02) 4990 2699

Italian

Jan Gartelmann at Gartelmann Estate Wines (02) 4930 7113
Robert Molines at Bistro Molines  (02) 4990 9553

Hunter Valley and Beyond

Stay a little longer… and discover some of the Hunter’s other secrets. After you’ve enjoyed our fine wine and food experiences, you can take a day trip to neighbouring Newcastle, Port Stephens or the Central Coast and relax on a beautiful sandy beach. If hiking through the rainforest is more your thing, the World Heritage-listed Barrington Tops National Park is a scenic drive north. Then there’s the Upper Hunter, famous for its impressive horse studs, Lake Macquarie for boating and fishing, and the historic country city of Maitland to explore. You’re spoilt for choice.

NEWCASTLE

Newcastle, Australia's seventh largest city is located just 45 minutes drive from Hunter Valley and is bordered by a stunning coastline with beautiful beaches.

LAKE MACQUARIE

Beach, lake and mountains - Lake Macquarie, a unique city located on the shores of one of the largest coastal salt-water lakes in the southern hemisphere.

SINGLETON

A delightful mix of heritage, country charm and modern sophistication combine to make Singleton, in the heart of the Hunter Valley, an intriguing getaway destination. Singleton is home to all the pursuits you would expect from this region and a few unexpected surprises to keep you entertained, relaxed and inspired.

MAITLAND

Made up of a patchwork of places, townships, colourful communities and immense history. Located just 20 minutes drive from Hunter Valley, explore the various destinations on offer you will notice the uniqueness and warmth which makes Maitland, the wonderful area it is. On arrival to the area, adventure, exploration, indulgence and relaxation await you.

PORT STEPHENS

Port Stephens is known for its nature and abundance of aquatic and land activities on its uncrowded sandy beaches, sheltered bays and unspoilt national parks. Located just 1 hours drive from Hunter Valley, the aquatic reserves in and around Port Stephens are unparralled in terms of beauty, variety and ease.

DUNGOG

Dungog Shire is renowned for its forests, mountains and picturesque river villages. It is bordered in the north by the Barrington Tops plateau, which is part of the Great Dividing Range. 

GREAT LAKES

Whether you're seeking relaxation, a family-fun packed stay or craving adrenalin fuelled adventure - the Great Lakes is the perfect holiday destination to visit all year round.

UPPER HUNTER

Come on up to Upper Hunter Country and find yourself amongst wilderness areas, distinctive wineries, world class horse studs, historical homesteads, vibrant wildlife and good old fashioned country hospitality. Lying just north-west of Newcastle and south of Tamworth, Upper Hunter Country is a paradise for outdoor enthusiasts.

CENTRAL COAST 

Surrounded by stunning scenery and fresh coastal air, the Central Coast is home to a number of picturesque towns and villages including Umina Beach, The Entrance, Avoca Beach, Terrigal and Ettalong Beach. With an abundance of natural beauty, beaches and fantastic restaurants, take a walk through lush bushland, kayak or canoe in the region's gentle waters or follow one of the many cycle paths that weave their way through the area.