Hunter Valley Travel Tips

Banks: 09:00 to 16:00, Monday to Thursday; 09.30 to 17:00 Fridays
Post Offices: 09:00 to 17:00, Monday to Friday; 09:00 to 12:00 Saturdays Government Departments: 08:30 to 17:30, Monday to Friday
Business Centres: 08:30 to 17:30, Monday to Friday
Shops: 09:00 to 17:00, Monday to Saturday; limited hours on Sundays

The Hunter Valley is a very safe area to visit; you only really need to worry about crime and pick pocketing in the larger cities and nowhere is truly remote here as with other bush areas of Australia.

Although located quite far south in the country, Hunter Valley still experiences hot weather including intense sun in the summer months. Wearing sun block, sunglasses and a hat is essentially if you want to protect yourself against the sun.

If you plan on walking or hiking in the national parks of Hunter Valley, always let others know where you are going and carry extra water. This particularly goes for hikers visiting Barrington Tops National Park which has some of the largest mountains in the region, as well as the Watagan mountains near Lake Macquarie.

Lake Macquarie is popular with water sports enthusiasts. Water sports present obvious dangers, while riding down the sand dunes and the surf of Port Stephens is also potentially dangerous. Having good travel insurance before arriving in Hunter Valley is therefore advised.

Electricity: 240 volts, 50Hz

Health standards in Hunter Valley are on par with the rest of Australia and the major towns of Newcastle, Maitland, Cessnock and Kirri Kirri all have good hospitals and clinics. In addition, most towns and villages have at least one pharmacy. The quality of food in the Hunter Valley is also very good, especially at the wineries, and the tap water is safe to drink.

Those planning on surfing near Blacksmiths Beach and Caves Beach should be especially careful as these beaches have some of the strongest surf in the region. The sun here is also very strong as it is up in the mountains in the summer and using a high-factor, brand-name sun block is recommended.

Most visitors don’t need vaccinations to enter Australia unless they have flown in from a yellow fever infected zone. Taking out travel insurance before visiting Hunter Valley is important, especially for those who plan on partaking in water sports and hiking.

English is the main and official language of Australia with road signs and all government literature being in English. The Australian accent can be difficult for first-timers to understand.

The Australian dollar (AU$) has been the official currency of Australia since it shelved the Australian pound in the 1960s and is today one of the world’s most heavily traded currencies. The Australian dollar has note values of AU$5, 10, 20, 50, and 100 and coins in denominations of 5, 10, 50 cents, and AU$1 and 2. There are 100 cents in one dollar and the lowest value coin is the 5 cent piece.

Australian dollars are available all over the world although you will get a better rate on arrival at the major airports, including at Sydney Kingsford Smith International Airport. Banks throughout the Hunter Valley, and particularly in Newcastle, Maitland, Post Stephen, and Cessnock, generally sell Australian dollars in return for most currencies.

Making use of debit and credit cards at ATMs is the most convenient and cost-effective way to get local currency in the travel world today. Visa, MasterCard, and Diners Club cards, as well as debit cards using Cirrus and Maestro, are generally accepted at ATMs. Most banks charge a small fee for ATM withdrawals, although some banks wave this fee.

Having a back-up of traveller’s cheques is also a good idea when visiting the Hunter Valley as some places are remote and certain villages may not have an ATM or bank. Among the most readily accepted traveller’s cheques are those sold by Thomas Cook and American Express, and many hotels will change these cheques into cash for you.

Visitors can bring limited duty-free goods into Australia including: 250 cigarettes, or 250 grams of tobacco or cigars; 2.25 litres of alcohol; and goods not worth more than AU$900. Visitors under 18 years cannot bring in cigarettes and alcohol, and the goods limit for them is AU$450. There is no limit for cash imports although visitors must declare amounts exceeding AU$10,000.

Australian immigration is quite strict, especially with regards to drugs, plants and foods. If you plan on bringing in any type of plant or fruit, make sure you declare the item; the worst that can happen is the item gets confiscated. By not declaring it and subsequently being checked and then discovering that it is banned, you may face a fine and/or imprisonment.

If you do some shopping in Hunter Valley, be sure to keep hold of the receipts as you can then claim back the 10 per cent Goods and Services Tax (GST) on your way out of the country.

Visitors are advised to be respectful when walking around towns and villages in Hunter Valley with regards to their dress. Bermuda shorts and vests are best reserved for the beach.

There is not much else to be concerned about with regards to etiquette in Australia, with most locals being reasonably laid back. Expect locals to spark up conversations with you in shops and bars as they are a friendly bunch.

Dining Etiquette
Dining generally requires little more than casual dress in Australia, although many top restaurants in the Hunter Valley will require gentlemen to wear a jacket and ladies to also wear suitable attire. Table manners are the same here as elsewhere in the Western world with the knife in the right hand, fork in the left, and elbows and knees kept off the table.

BYO restaurants (‘bring your own’) are very popular in Australia and can be found in every town in Hunter Valley. Small corkage fees apply to bottles of wine enjoyed at these places. Of course, don’t expect the wineries’ restaurants to have this format. Barbecue restaurants are also popular, especially in Port Stephens and Newcastle where you pick and pay for the meat and then cook it yourself on a communal grill.

Tipping is not popular in Australia, but many established places may expect one or indeed have a service charge. There is no need to tip heavily in Hunter Valley; however, rounding up to the nearest AU$10 is appropriate if you found the quality and service to your liking.

Only New Zealanders can enter Australia without a visa; nationals of all other countries will need to apply for a visa in advance of travel. Tourist visas for Australia are valid for up to a year with multiple entries for stays of no more than three months at a time.

ETA visas (Australian government's Electronic Travel Authority) can be applied and paid for online without the need to go to an embassy or consulate, or even to part with your passport. In addition, the ETA tourist visa is free, although you will need to pay for the service when applying via the internet. The maximum single stay is three months with this type of visa and you should apply a few weeks in advance of your departure. Travel agencies often include the visa with holiday packages to Australia.

Passport validity for at least six months beyond the end of your stay in Australia is also a prerequisite before gaining entry.

The most useful tourist information centre in Hunter Valley is the Wine Country Visitor Information Centre on Main road, Pokolbin. Phone: +61 2 4990 4477; website: www.winecountry.com.au.

The Dungog Visitor Information Centre in Dungog is also useful and the best source for information on the Barrington Tops area. Phone: +61 2 4992 2212.

In addition, there is the Hunter Regional Tourism Organisation in the town of Thornton. Phone: +61 2 4978 4000; email: info@huntertourism.com.