Pokolbin, New South Wales facts for kids
Quick facts for kids PokolbinCessnock, New South Wales |
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Sunset over a Pokolbin vineyard
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Pokolbin vineyard
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 Pokolbin
Location in New South Wales
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| Established | 1800s | ||||||||||||||
| Postcode(s) | 2320 | ||||||||||||||
| Time zone | AEST (UTC+10) | ||||||||||||||
| • Summer (DST) | AEDT (UTC+11) | ||||||||||||||
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| Region | Hunter | ||||||||||||||
| County | Northumberland | ||||||||||||||
| Parish | Pokolbin | ||||||||||||||
| State electorate(s) | Cessnock | ||||||||||||||
| Federal Division(s) | Hunter | ||||||||||||||
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Pokolbin /pəˈkoʊlbɪn/ is a small, rural area in the Hunter Region of New South Wales, Australia. It's part of the Singleton Council area and the city of Cessnock. This place is famous for being the heart of the Lower Hunter Valley wine region. It's also a special area for birds, known as the Hunter Valley Important Bird Area.
History of Pokolbin
The Darkinjung people, especially the Wonarua tribe, lived in the Cessnock area, including Pokolbin, for over 3,000 years. They were the main group living there when Europeans first arrived. Sadly, this meeting was very hard for the Darkinjung people. Many died from new diseases or were harmed. Their traditional lands were also taken, which caused problems between different groups.
The story of growing grapes for wine in the Hunter Valley often starts with James Busby. In the 1820s, he studied how to make wine and wrote books about it. In 1831, he traveled to vineyards in France and Spain. He brought back 570 grape cuttings, with 363 of them surviving the trip. Half of these went to the Royal Botanical Gardens in Sydney. The rest went to his family's farm, Kirkton, near the Hunter River.
Other early vineyards also started around this time. George Wyndam planted vines at his Dalwood estate in 1828. The first shiraz grapes were planted there in 1830. The Drayton family started a vineyard in Pokolbin in the late 1850s. Tyrrells Estate was set up in 1859. Frederick Wilkinson also planted vines at Oakdale in 1866.
After the Robertson Land Act was passed in 1861, it became easier for smaller landowners to get land. This led to more people settling in the Rothbury and Pokolbin areas. Farmers grew wheat, tobacco, and grapes, and also raised dairy cows. By the 1930s, Pokolbin was well-known for making excellent wines.
Wine in Pokolbin
Pokolbin is surrounded by the Pokolbin subregion, which is part of the larger Hunter wine region. This area has many wineries, from big international companies to small family-run businesses. Many of these wineries are popular places for tourists to visit.
Tourism and Fun in Pokolbin
Pokolbin is a popular place for tourists because of its wine industry and its closeness to Sydney. Sydney is about 163 km (101 mi) south of Pokolbin, and you can get there using the Pacific Motorway.
There are many places to stay, like country resorts, golf resorts, motels, and guest houses. You can also find many local restaurants where you can try the delicious wines made in the area.
Things to See and Do
Some of the fun things to do in Pokolbin include visiting the many wineries and exploring Pokolbin village. The Hunter Valley Gardens are huge, covering over 25 hectares (62 acres) of land. They are located right in the middle of the Hunter vineyards, at the foot of the Brokenback Range.
Potters Brewery, which opened in 2002, was the first small brewery in the Hunter Valley. It's located in the historic "Brick Beehive Kilns of Nulkaba." If you like walking, the Great North Walk is a long trail between Sydney and Newcastle, and it has a path that goes to Pokolbin.
