Okay, let’s slow down.
You’ve spent your life hurrying to fit everything in, meeting every deadline, hitting every milestone. Between ever-filling baskets of washing, weekend sport that never seems to end (surely cricket doesn’t really go for eight hours!?), minding grandkids, minding big kids (well, it feels like it sometimes), you haven’t had a moment to just be.
Halfway through the drive to the Mudgee Region, as the scenery opens to green fields and the traffic disappears, you realise: we don’t need to do that any more.
Because this is officially your time. Time just for the two of you. No work to get back to, no mandatory checklist of kid-friendly sights to see and activities to race through, no children to entertain (they have kids of their own to entertain now – see how they like it!)
This Mudgee Region getaway is about indulging in quality experiences – whatever that looks like for you.
Let’s start with accommodation.
So you want a classic country stay, right in the middle of town? The Winning Post Motor Inn is just about as close as you can get to the heart of Mudgee without actually sleeping under the clock tower. With a pool on-site and a cosy restaurant and bar, you can get very comfortable here. Cast your eyes outside – the shops and cafés of Mudgee are a short stroll in one direction, while the local tennis court is over the road in the other. Perfection.
If you’re more of a “heritage charm meets contemporary chic” holidaymaker, book into one of the Perry Street Hotel’s luxurious, stylish rooms. Located inside Mudgee’s former Mechanics Institute, this classic red-brick building has been divided into apartments furnished with a Berlin influence. The heritage features still show through in the high-ceilinged hallways and broad balconies made for relaxation. Yes please.
For dinner, make your way (slowly!) to The Oriental Hotel – a country pub that sets its standards high. Dig into a rich, rare steak matched with a Mudgee red, or pair a local chardonnay with a chicken parmigiana. Whatever you order, it’s going to be the best you’ve had – that’s why ‘the Ori’ is heavily frequented by the locals. Start chatting between tables and you’ll soon be part of the neighbourhood…
The wineries are Mudgee Region’s best-known drawcard, and one of the region’s longest-established vineyards is Robert Stein Winery. Fun fact: the Stein family were the first to successfully plant Riesling in Australia in 1838 (ooo, go Mudgee!) and Stein’s crisp, dry, award-winning Riesling is still one of Mudgee’s must-taste wines. Ditto for the Gewürztraminer – we can’t get our mouth around the name, but the wine itself is a different story. Lush. Oh, and while you’re there, check out the Motorcycle Museum for a range of classic bikes from the 1920s through to the 1970s.
Next stop: the Mudgee Arts Precinct – a small art gallery with big exhibitions. And we mean REALLY big. The gallery is currently home to original works from big-name international artists like Andy Warhol and Roy Lichtenstein, on loan from the National Gallery of Australia. A bit of a coup for little ol’ Mudgee. Its summer exhibition, featuring women artists taking inspiration from birds, is also stunning, quirky and well worth a wander.
To pick up something Mudgee-made to take home, drop into Mainly Mudgee Gifts on the main street. Sue has the best of all things made in Mudgee – from chocolates and chilli to soap and socks. Snap up a little piece of the Mudgee Region to carry with you until you come back again – which can’t be too far off; didn’t you check out the real estate listings while you were here? We’ll see you very soon…
