The Mudgee region has been producing quality wines, particularly reds and chardonnays since 1858, and where there is great wine, delicious food follows – albeit 150 years later. The perfect location for a weekend escape, book yourself into the Parklands Resort and build your weekend itinerary over a delicious cooked breakfast in the Vine Restaurant. Here are just a few suggestions to help you:

Inhale the fresh forest air and take an early morning hike in Ferntree Gulley Reserve, which has a number of bushwalking tracks that take you past amazing ferns (no surprises there), beautiful orchids and stunning rock formations. Some of the walks require a good degree of fitness and maybe a little scrambling, so be prepared!

Refuel after your bush hike with a bacon and egg roll or hunk of cheese from one of the many markets, whilst perusing stalls for things you didn’t know you needed. Various markets operate on different Saturdays of the month, check out the NSW visitor guide for an updated list.

Invigorated and refueled, treat yourself to a unique experience and take a helicopter sightseeing ride over the Mudgee area. Alternatively, you probably feel you’ve already waited too long, so best hit the wineries for a little sampling session. Time Out have a list of what they think are the best wineries… check it out here.

If you need inspiration for where to eat on Saturday evening, here are a few options, although obviously you can’t beat the Vine Restaurant at Parklands Resort for a delicious feast of local Mudgee produce and a glass or two of the finest local wine.

Make the most of your Sunday with another early start, and take to the skies hot-air ballooning. Most trips start at sunrise, so hopefully you were restrained with the wine the night before. However, even if you are not at your brightest, the stunning views from above the rolling hills of Mudgee will be a great distraction.
Back on solid ground, why not work up an appetite for a final feast and go cycling around the local area? There are a range of routes from short rides around town to longer and more challenging trails for the more experienced. Of course, you could combine a few more wineries with your cycling trip as they’re quite close to each other and the terrain is pretty flat.

The hidden gem of Mudgee is quickly being discovered for many very good reasons. Enjoy your trip and we look forward to seeing you return time and time again!