FACTS:
The Hunter Valley was originally inhabited by the Darkinjung people for many thousands of years.
The first sighting of the Hunter River by European's was when Lieutenant John Shortland - a British naval officer chanced on it while searching for escaped convicts from Sydney Cove in a stolen cutter in 1797.
Shortland failed to track down the escapees and speculated that a gap in the breaking seas marked an out flowing current and he sailed over the bar and westward upstream through the mangrove-lined waterway to emerge amid the lush forest-clad plains of the lower valley.
In his report to Governor King, Shortland noted extensive growths of mature cedar trees which was at that time in great demand for use as masts and spars on sailing vessels.
The valley supported good grasslands and numerous coal outcrops.
Originally named Hunter's River (after Governor John Hunter), the waterway was for many years known as Coal River before assuming its contemporary name - Hunter River.
It was the early 1820's that wine grapes were first introduced to the valley and by 1823 over 21 acres of vineyards had already been planted on the northern banks of the river and what is now the Dalwood /Gresford area between Maitland and Singleton.
No record exists of who planted the first vines.
The Hunter Valley stretches from the Goulburn River and Wollemi National Park to the south right up to Barrington Tops National Park to the north.
The majority of the vineyards can be found in the Lower Hunter, although the Upper Hunter also has its own attractive quality with its vast horse breeding and racing as well as several vineyards.