Hunter Valley Gardens
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Why go
- Nursery-rhyme statues and murals, including Alice in Wonderland, in the Storybook Garden.
- A corkscrew-shaped Rose Garden inspired by nearby vineyards, with rose-lined paths.
- A 10-metre waterfall and pergola in the Sunken Garden.
- 6,000 trees, 600,000 shrubs and more than one million ground covers.
Opening hours
Today09:00 – 17:00Show all
Monday09:00 – 17:00
Tuesday09:00 – 17:00
Wednesday09:00 – 17:00
Thursday09:00 – 17:00
Friday09:00 – 17:00
Saturday09:00 – 17:00
Sunday09:00 – 17:00
Don't miss
- Chinese GardenEnter through a traditional Moon gate flanked by two bronze temple guardians.Chinese Garden
- Indian GardenAntique Indian gates, bronze elephants, topiary elephants and a tea house.Indian Garden
- Italian GrottoA statue of Saint Francis of Assisi stands among wisterias, citrus and olive trees.Italian Grotto
- Oriental GardenA two-storey Japanese pagoda stands beside a koi pond, with Japanese and Korean garden influences.Oriental Garden
- Border GardenFrench Parterre design, Indian marble water features and seasonal statues.Border Garden
Facilities
- Shopping village outside the garden entrance Beside a picnic area, barbecue, playground and Aqua Golf & Putt Putt course.
- Wedding chapel and ceremony settings The grounds include a purpose-built chapel and several settings for wedding ceremonies.
- Associated accommodation Harrigan’s Irish Pub & Accommodation and Mercure Resort Hunter Valley Gardens.
History
Shaping the site involved moving more than 900,000 cubic metres of soil and clay and adding 300,000 cubic metres of topsoil.
- 1999–2003Bill and Imelda Roche created the gardens through the Roche Group after retiring. More than 40 landscape gardeners, architects and engineers built them over four years on former horse paddocks and vineyards.
- 10 October 2003New South Wales Premier Bob Carr officially opened the gardens.
How to get there
- 120 minCarFrom Sydney, drive about two hours via the M1 and Cessnock/Vineyards Exit. Follow signs through Cessnock to Pokolbin.
- 50 minCarNewcastle Airport is a 50-minute drive from the gardens.
- On footA dedicated path beside the vineyards connects the gardens with Harrigan’s Hunter Valley accommodation.
Accessibility
- Wheelchair-accessible paths Eight kilometres of paths link the gardens. They use local crushed sandstone.
Sources: Hunter Valley Gardens - Wikipedia · Pokolbin - Wikivoyage (see) · Home - Hunter Valley Gardens · Visitor Information - Hunter Valley Gardens · About - Hunter Valley Gardens · checked 24 Sep 2026
Where
Broke Road, Pokolbin
- Website
- huntervalleygardens.com.au/
- Phone
- +61 2 4998 4000
Plan from here: Evening walk →
Questions and answers
Are Hunter Valley Gardens open on Christmas Day?
No. The gardens are closed on 25 December.
Is there a café at Hunter Valley Gardens?
Yes, there is a café on site.
What landmarks are near Hunter Valley Gardens?
Roche Estate and its concert venue are across the road.
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