Fast facts
- Residential and commercial centre and gateway to Hunter vineyards
- Adjacent to the wine-growing region of the Lower Hunter Valley
- 151 km north of Sydney, population of 18,000
Why go there
Cessnock provides easy access to the oldest wine-growing region in Australia. The town has a number of fine restaurants, guesthouses and galleries.
The Convict Trail is a conservation project that is restoring the convict-built Great North Road. This is one of Australia's national historic treasures.
History
Cessnock developed as a private village on the road that is now known as The Convict Trail, the original Sydney–Hunter Valley road hand-built by 3,000 convicts. Originally a service centre for travellers, Cessnock became a major mining centre at the turn of the century; however, wine and tourism have since become the major local industries.
Things to do
- Take in the scenic views from the Bimbadeen Lookout on the Great North Walk.
- See the old slab hut at Millfield – an 1830s inn which was held up by bushrangers in 1840.
- See remnants of 1880s pottery kilns in the grounds of Potters Tavern.
Don’t miss
- Touring vineyards in the Lower Hunter.
- Historic Marthaville Arts and Crafts Centre.
- Richmond Main Mining Museum.
- The Convict Trail, a stirring chapter of Australian history.
- The historic hamlet of Wollombi.
