00:00Set out to explore the Hunter Valley just north of Sydney and you'll discover there's
00:21far more than just vineyards.
00:24The noble horse reigns supreme here.
00:29There are jazz festivals, hot air balloon rides, rodeos, not to mention charming buildings
00:41of all kinds.
00:43It truly is a most inviting slice of Australia, overflowing with classic images of a countryside
00:49where time, in most parts, ticks at a very sedate and contented pace.
01:02The essence of all life in the Hunter Valley are the waters that flow out of the lush rainforests
01:07of the Barrington Tops.
01:09High up, the fresh water sustains exotic plants and wildlife.
01:17Further downstream, domestic animals thrive.
01:20And as one stream flows into another, there forms a most substantial waterway, the majestic
01:26Hunter River.
01:31The fertile valleys of the Hunter lie in the shadow of the Brokenback Range, just a two
01:36hours drive north of Sydney.
01:39Here can be found Australia's oldest wine producing area.
01:42For more than a century and a half, some of Australia's most famous winemakers have developed
01:47their finest creations here.
01:50And now their picturesque rows of trellis greenery produce vintage drops that are prized
01:55around the world.
01:58February is grape picking time.
02:00It's taken the grapes five months to grow and now they'll be crushed in seconds.
02:05The reds are normally processed after the whites, with up to 11 days allocated for them
02:10to ferment before bottling.
02:13Leave it for a further five years for the very best tastes to develop.
02:19It's in this leisurely part of the world that cricket is played for pleasure in majestic
02:23pavilions like this one, built by the producer of the TV series, A Country Practice.
02:33Pleasure seekers will thrill to properties like Casuarina, set amongst lush grapevines
02:38with its eight exquisitely designed theme rooms.
02:48For sheer indulgence and style, there's Pepper's Guesthouse, adorned with flowering blossoms
02:54in spring.
02:59Or what about the Divine Convent?
03:02This century old masterpiece was once a nunnery, relocated here from Kurnambul in the country
03:08in 1990.
03:17Restaurants like Robert's specialise in fresh duck, roasted in a wood oven.
03:35One uplifting way to see the beauty of the Hunter Valley is to rise with the sun and
03:39take to the air in a hot air balloon.
03:42Today we're flying with Balloon Aloft, piloted by Australian ballooning champions Judy Lynn
03:47and Peter Vizard.
04:02Travel an hour north of wine country and you're in the Upper Hunter, surely one of Australia's
04:07luscious rural settings.
04:09They rise early in these parts, waking to the sounds of bellowing Friesians.
04:13Their udders full and heavy with all that natural goodness, the Friesians line up for
04:18their morning milking and a bit of relief.
04:29Crops like lucerne flourish on these rich plains, irrigated by a water supply that is
04:34pumped from Lake Glenborne.
04:39The lake is fed by the Hunter River and provides not only drinking water to both the Upper
04:44and Lower Hunter, but also a super spot for boating and fishing.
04:52Up in backwaters like the Shadows, you can fish for Murray Cod and Golden Perch.
04:58But of all the sights and experiences that the Upper Hunter offers, the image that predominates
05:04is that of the Noble Horse.
05:07This truly is the horse capital of Australia, and no matter where you go, you'll see them.
05:14These newborn foals are called Weanlings and have been raised on the arrow field stud just
05:18north of Scone.
05:21Most of them will go on to be prized racehorses, making them worth a lot of money.
05:27The stallions they're importing to produce such quality horse flesh are valued up to
05:31$50 million.
05:34Just before the annual Easter sales, select groups of buyers will check out the yearlings,
05:40taking careful note of every aspect of their conformation and gait.
05:53Also revered are horses that Scone stages its own horse festival every year.
05:58To the country sounds of a line dance, horses of all varieties are ridden in for the day.
06:04There are groups as diverse as hunt clubs with their beagles, to former military cavalry
06:11units like the Light Horsemen.
06:20At this year's festival, female riders are excelling.
06:24Sally Bunsen is riding Idle Delight in the dressage event, demonstrating the precision
06:29needed to compete in the Olympics.
06:33Then there's Nikki Bishop, a contestant in the Atlanta Olympics, and today clearing the
06:37jumps on her mount, making ground.
06:43And what about Kirstie Sullivan?
06:45She's competing in a tournament of the state's top polo players.
06:51East of Scone, there's a course for city slickers, where newcomers learn how to control a horse
06:56and round up cattle.
06:58This exercise will take the next week, with the latest recruits members of Australia's
07:02Defence Forces.
07:04It's compulsory here to groom and care for your own horse, a bonding experience before
07:09the city slickers round up the cattle together.
07:12Along the route, there are plenty of scenic rewards.
07:15That property below is Elliston, the Packer family's multi-million dollar polo ground.
07:23Our next horseback experience is the Reg Lindsey Rodeo.
07:27Dangerous stuff here, as bareback rider after rider gets thrown from their bucking horses.
07:33This rider is just back after five years recovering from a broken pelvis.
07:44It's an evening of high drama, as these cowboys try to rope a calf and wrestle it to the ground.
07:54And finally, the feature event, gliding bulls bareback.
07:58Aim here is to hang on for at least eight seconds.
08:01Few succeed.
08:02And with prize money of $1,000, there's plenty of tough, young thrill-seekers willing to
08:07go for it.
08:29Old fashioned skills are cultivated in these parts.
08:32Jan Williams is a master milliner, whose finely crafted hats are in demand.
08:38Jan's creations cover the entire spectrum of fashion.
08:43Another craft being revived in the Hunter is broom making.
08:46Farmer John Wright hand makes a broom every 20 minutes.
08:59In the valleys of nearby Lockenbar, there's another famous resident, publisher Kevin Weldon.
09:06Kevin has also planted his own vineyard, like a true Hunter Valley local.
09:10But the real treasure on his property is safe inside these hangers.
09:16Every weekend, Kevin and his mates take to the skies above his property to test out the
09:21old machines.
09:27And adrenaline pumping stuff as they loop the loop.
09:40Flying west, they transport us to a truly superb town of old, that is made up entirely
09:45of grand heritage buildings.
09:48We're in the historic township of Norpeth, almost 200 years old.
09:53This weekend, their annual jazz festival.
09:57All along the main street, jazz band after band swings and grooves.
10:15And on the Sunday, a very special religious celebration of jazz, led by singer Lee Gunness.
10:38The church of immaculate conception is overflowing with fans, as Lee performs with Jeff Bull
10:44and the Olympia Jazz Band.
10:57The rainforests of the Barrington Tops are where you'll find the Barrington Tops Guesthouse,
11:01and a marvellous collection of Australian wildlife.
11:07Kangaroos, possums, emus, crimson rosellas, redneck paddy melons, and a bandicoot or two.
11:21A superb way to end our experience in the stunning Hunter Valley.
