Mudgee

Day Trips

Float gently above rolling vineyards at dawn as the sky shifts through hues of pink and gold. The pilot shares local stories about Mudgee’s pioneering spirit and the fertile soils below. Touch down to a champagne breakfast amid dew-kissed vines.

Return to town for a guided cellar door experience featuring Riesling, Shiraz and boutique blends. A winemaker explains the family heritage behind each label as you sample cheese pairings crafted by a local affineur. Afterward, visit a nearby olive grove to taste cold-pressed oils under a shady veranda.

Head to a cozy bistro for a farm-to-table dinner highlighting seasonal produce and award-winning Mudgee lamb. Sip on a pinot noir while enjoying live acoustic music drifting through the dining room. End the night stargazing from a hilltop lookout with a nightcap under clear country skies.

Embark on a guided walking tour through a historic vineyard planted in the 19th century. Learn about sustainable farming practices and taste freshly picked grapes in the vineyard rows. Enjoy a grazing platter beneath a century-old willow tree overlooking the vines.

Visit a boutique winery specializing in organic whites and sparkling varieties. The winemaker leads a blending session where you craft your own wine label and sample barrel-aged chardonnay. Cap off the tasting with a gourmet picnic in a lavender-scented courtyard.

Dine by candlelight in the winery’s restored barn, feasting on slow-roasted pork belly and seasonal root vegetables. Local sommeliers pair each course with small-batch fortified wines. Wind down on the terrace with a sweet dessert wine and panoramic views of illuminated vineyards.

Set off on a bushwalk into Wollemi National Park to discover ancient Aboriginal rock art and towering eucalypts. A ranger guides you along secluded tracks to a tranquil glen beside a cascading creek. Pause for a riverside morning tea of bush-style damper and wildflower honey.

Launch a canoe onto the clear waters of the Cudgegong River for a peaceful paddle among river gums. Stop on a sandy bank for a picnic lunch of fresh quiches, garden salads and local sparkling rose. Spend a few hours birdwatching for kingfishers and white-bellied sea eagles overhead.

Return to your eco-lodge for a spa treatment using native botanical oils. Savor a healthy dinner bowl of grilled barramundi with lemon myrtle alongside an estate sauvignon blanc. Relax by the firepit under a blanket of stars, listening to the night sounds of the bush.

Drive to the gold-rush village of Gulgong and stroll its heritage streets lined with 19th-century facades. Visit the Miner’s Cottage museum to handle antique tools and hear tales of the town’s boom days. Stop at a vintage tearoom for scones, clotted cream and tea served in fine china.

Join a horse-drawn carriage tour past ornate hotels and classic guild buildings. Browse artisan shops offering hand-woven woolens, local jams and traditional ceramics. Sample a famous vanilla slice at the town bakery before heading back to Mudgee.

Have dinner at a restored quarryside restaurant overlooking the sunset. Enjoy charcuterie boards featuring locally cured meats, pickles and sourdough. Conclude the night with a ghost tour of Gulgong’s historic laneways, lit by lanterns.

Borrow e-bikes and set out along a shaded rail trail that winds through vineyards and farmland. Stop at lookout points to admire rolling hills and snap panoramic photos. Enjoy a packed picnic of artisanal breads, cheese and fruit in a secluded meadow.

Cycle to a microbrewery hidden among the vines and sample a flight of handcrafted lagers, ales and ciders. Learn the brewing process from malt to mash under the guidance of a head brewer. Break for gourmet wood-fired pizzas topped with local heirloom tomatoes and basil.

Return bikes and head to a riverside bar for a cold craft beer as the sun dips below gum-tree silhouettes. Order small plates of spiced nuts and caramelised onion jam on crostini while live jazz fills the warm summer air. Finish with a moonlit stroll along the riverbank.

Saddle up for a guided horseback ride through private cattle stations and shady gullies. The wrangler tells stories of pioneering stockmen as you canter beside flocks of sheep and herds of cattle. Pause in a grassy paddock for a rustic morning tea of billy-tea and damper.

Visit a working sheep station to try your hand at sheep-shearing demonstration and wool classing. Learn about sustainable wool production before enjoying a barbecue lunch of grass-fed steaks and salads. Explore the farm’s wool craft studio to see spinning and felting workshops.

Unwind back at your country homestead with a hearty dinner steered by generations of station cooks. Sip on a robust full-bodied red wine by the open hearth as farm dogs settle at your feet. Drift to sleep in a heritage guest room, lulled by the sounds of nocturnal wildlife.

Browse the Mudgee Farmers’ Market for fresh produce, homemade condiments and organic breads. Chat with local growers about seasonal harvest methods and take home jars of native pepperberry jam. Enjoy a coffee brewed from beans roasted just down the road.

Tour the town’s galleries showcasing Indigenous art, landscape watercolors and contemporary sculpture. Meet an artist in their studio and watch live demonstrations of printmaking and ceramics. Stop for lunch at a laneway café known for its truffle-infused risotto.

Join an evening art cruise on the Cudgegong River, sipping sparkling wine while admiring illuminated riverside scenery. Enjoy a plated canapé selection made from local heirloom produce. Return to town for a twilight gallery opening paired with live piano music.

Wander through century-old olive groves on a guided tasting tour of cold-pressed oils and tapenades. Learn about hand-picking and traditional stone milling while sampling herb-infused variants. Enjoy a light tasting platter of marinated olives and artisan crackers.

Head to a boutique chocolate factory for a behind-the-scenes experience crafting truffles and pralines. Blend your own chocolate bar with native ingredients like lemon myrtle and wattleseed. Savor hot chocolate made from single-origin cacao with a dash of local wine reduction.

Dine at a romantic vineyard restaurant featuring degustation menus paired with sweet fortified wines. Watch the sunset paint the sky from a balcony overlooking olive orchards. Conclude with a nightcap of olive-infused gin in a cosy lounge setting.

Indulge in a signature spa treatment using indigenous botanical extracts and mineral mud wraps. Relax in a eucalyptus steam room and take in panoramic vineyard views from the hot stone lounge. Enjoy a wellness breakfast of chia pudding, fresh cut fruit and herbal teas.

Join a private tasting of reserve barrel samples at an award-winning winery. The sommelier guides you through blind tastings of premium cabernet sauvignon and merlot. Complement the experience with a cheese masterclass featuring local goat and blue cheeses.

Experience candlelit dining in a vineyard grotto with a chef-curated tasting menu. Each course highlights foraged mushrooms, heirloom vegetables and grass-fed meats. Pair the meal with library vintages, then take an after-dinner stroll along vine-lined paths under twinkling fairy lights.

Set off on a self-drive loop through the Cudgegong Valley, stopping at lookout points for breathtaking panoramas. Visit quaint hamlets for last-minute shopping of olive oils, wines and handcrafted souvenirs. Enjoy morning tea at a roadside café overlooking paddocks dotted with sheep.

Have lunch at a winery perched on a hilltop, paired with a final tasting of your favourite varietals. Wander through the cellar gardens filled with lavender and rosemary. Capture the beauty of sunlit vineyards in photographs against a backdrop of rolling hills.

Return to Mudgee for a farewell dinner at a riverside bistro specializing in local seafood and seasonal vegetables. Toast to your trip with a glass of vintage sparkling wine as the Cudgegong River gently flows by. End the evening with a gelato stroll through the historic town center, savoring every last moment.