Hunter Valley
Hunter Valley Weekend
Two hours north of Sydney, the Hunter delivers beyond Semillon. Cellar doors that pour wines you can't buy in shops, cafes fuelled by local roasters, and stays where the only noise is the kookaburras.
Usher Tinkler Wines
97 McDonalds Rd, Pokolbin NSW 2320, Australia
Mon–Sun 10am–5pm
Third-generation vigneron Usher Tinkler — who logged five Burgundy vintages including time at Domaine Étienne Sauzet in Puligny-Montrachet — returned to the Hunter Valley to open his own cellar door in 2015. The venue operates from Pokolbin's original church. The estate-grown wines are worth the detour.
Lincraft
Shop 1065/1 Park Ave, Kotara NSW 2289, Australia
Mon–Wed 10am–5pm · Thu 10am–6pm · Fri–Sat 10am–5pm · Sun 10am–4pm
Lincraft's Kotara location in Newcastle serves as a comprehensive textile and fibre resource, stocked with materials and inspiration for makers of all levels. Whether you're searching for premium yarns, fabrics, embroidery supplies, or simply seeking advice from knowledgeable staff, the shop provides genuine support for your creative practice. The range spans traditional crafts—knitting, embroidery, patchwork—to contemporary textile exploration. Open six days a week with extended Thursday hours, it's designed to fit into your creative life, offering everything from specific threads to broader encouragement for textile makers across the region.
The Farmer's Wife Distillery
1378 The Bucketts Way, Allworth NSW 2425, Australia
Mon–Tue 6:30am–10:30am · Wed–Thu 6:30am–4pm · Fri 6:30am–8pm · Sat–Sun 9am–5pm
Third-generation farmers Kylie and Gavin Sepos started distilling in an old motorbike shed on their Allworth property. Kylie runs the still; the seasonal gin range — including botanicals sourced from the farm and surrounds — has since accumulated awards and national distribution. The shed is long gone, replaced by a distillery, bar and restaurant where the Martinez is the founder's own order.
The Art Department / Clay & Sip
1/133 King St, Newcastle NSW 2300, Australia
Thu–Fri 10am–2pm
King Street studio running wheel throwing, hand building, and the Clay & Sip social class — where a $108 booking gets you clay and, presumably, a drink. Memberships work like a gym pass: weekly or monthly access to the full studio and its tools. Good for beginners chasing a one-off, better for anyone ready to commit to the wheel.
First Creek Wines
600 McDonalds Rd, Pokolbin NSW 2320, Australia
Mon–Sun 10am–5pm
Liz Silkman has won Hunter Valley Winemaker of the Year four times, plus Halliday's national title in 2025 — reason enough to book one of the cellar door tastings. The range runs from a crisp 2025 Semillon and a Merlot-based rosé at the approachable end to a single-vineyard 2017 Oakey Creek Semillon named 2026 Semillon of the Year.