Our 2025 annual holiday was to the Hunter Valley and surrounds in November so we could visit the Christmas lights at the Hunter Valley Gardens, one of the many highlights of the holiday.  We had an early start, leaving Oak Flats at 6.45am.  Over the next 5 days we enjoyed visits to historic houses, wetlands and a koala sanctuary.

We cruised on two ferries from Nelsons Bay to Tea Gardens and up the Hawkesbury River on the Postman's Run.  We had a tour of Newcastle City and surrounds and enjoyed morning tea every day, picnic lunches and club lunches and dinner each night at our motel in Rutherford near Maitland.

We visited Kurri Kurri, the town with over 60 murals and had a pie for lunch from the local bakery as we sat in the sunshine in the park.  We had a cheese and wine tasting experience in the Hunter Valley Wine Region and enjoyed free time in Morpeth, a historic town on the banks of the Hunter River.

Our last night in Rutherford was a Christmas Theme dinner and raffle prize time where everyone received a prize.

A lovely time was had by all and we thank our tour organisers Di and Pam and our wonderful bus driver Peter (Albo)

Report By:  Virginia Castray