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23/08/2010 -HUNTER VALLEY GARDENS IGNITES THE SPIRIT OF CHRISTMAS
For the fourth year running, Hunter Valley Gardens is set to host the Christmas Lights Spectacular, Australia’s biggest Christmas lights display. A wonderful experience for the whole family to enjoy, the Gardens will be alive with colour every night from Thursday 11 November until Wednesday 5 January 2011 (excluding Christmas Day & Night). This year Hunter Valley Gardens have even more reason to celebrate as Christmas Lights Spectacular has just been awarded the Hunter Central Coast Tourism Award, in the ‘Festivals and Events’ category, for the second year running.
Hunter Valley Gardens is proud to announce that it will be hosting its third annual Chocolate Festival, on Saturday August 7 and Sunday August 8, 2010. Thousands of visitors indulged their sweet tooth last year, and in 2010 the Festival, proudly sponsored by Callebaut Chocolate, is set to be bigger, better and sweeter than ever.
The fun filled event is guaranteed to immerse visitors in a chocolate experience they will never forget. Held in the spectacular surrounds of Hunter Valley Gardens, the two day extravaganza will feature all things chocolate including master classes, cooking demonstrations, competitions, chocolate talks and walks, chocolate exhibition stalls, and of course fun and entertainment for the whole family to enjoy.
Special guests at this year’s festival include world renowned chocolatier Dean Gibson, award winning pastry chef Adriano Zumbo, Director of Savour Chocolate School Kirsten Tibbals and celebrity chef Ed Halmagyi, also known as ‘Fast Eddy’.
For the true chocoholics, new to the festival this year is a special chocolate inspired degustation dinner prepared by Adriano Zumbo in conjunction with Hunter Valley Gardens Executive Chef Nick Vivian and Andy Wright from The Cellar restaurant. The 10 course degustation dinner will be hosted at The Barrel Room at Tempus Two winery on Saturday August 7 and includes chocolate inspired delights such as Confit duck and goats cheese tart with chipotle chocolate sauce or Lamb cutlet with wild mushroom and cocoa butter sauce. Bookings are essential. (Cost: $150 pp).
Also new to the festival this year on Sunday August 8 at 10am and 2pm are two special Masterclasses, to be hosted in The Barrel Room at Tempus Two Winery. Hosted by Adriano Zumbo and Hunter Valley Gardens Executive Chef Nick Vivian, the Masterclasses give participants the opportunity to be educated by the best in the industry about working with chocolate. Bookings are essential. (Cost $120pp).
Nick Vivian, Head Chef at Hunter Valley Gardens says, “Both children and adults are fascinated by the world of chocolate, and the activities we’ve lined up this year at the Festival will be sure to satisfy that sweet tooth in all of us.”
Delectable chocolate activities taking place across the weekend will include:
Cooking Demonstrations
See cooking sensations Fast Eddy, Dean Gibson, Adriano Zumbo and Kirsten Tibballs demonstrate a range of fabulous chocolate recipes, desserts and other creations, including chocolate sculpting.
Market Stalls
Visitors will be in chocolate heaven with the tastes, smells and delights that will come alive from a huge array of market stalls. Theses pavilions will feature favourites such as fudge, fruit dipped in chocolate and chocolate fountains, as well as boutique and handmade chocolates and chocolate related goods such as soaps, candles and cosmetics to sample and purchase.
Kidspace Area
There will be lots of fun activities for the little ones with a jumping castle, face painting, party games, entertainment, chocolate treasure hunts and prizes sure to keep them occupied.
A mini chocolate factory is also sure to delight, where children can mould their own chocolates to take home. Please note an additional fee of $10 applies, which includes the chocolates and mould to take home.
The History of Chocolate Walk
Become a chocolate expert with the ‘History of Chocolate’ walk which will provide details, dates and interesting chocolate facts displayed throughout the festival grounds. There will also be daily history of chocolate talks.
The Callebaut Chocolate Dessert Competition
Following last year’s success, The Callebaut Chocolate Dessert competition is back again this year on Sunday August 8. Sponsored by Callebaut chocolate, the completion offers chefs, pastry cooks and apprentices the opportunity to take part in the chocolate dessert competition and compete for a trip to one of the Callebaut International Chocolate Academies for 3 days training valued at $5,000!
The Callebaut Chocolate Showpiece Competition
New to the festival this year is the Callebaut Chocolate Showpiece Competition. The competition is a great opportunity for up and coming Chocolatiers to demonstrate their skills from the artistic world of chocolate sculpting. The competition will be held on Saturday August 7, with the first prize being a trip to Europe valued at $5,000.
Entertainment
A variety of live music, roaming entertainment and clown shows will take place throughout the Festival so that it’s not only alive with the smell of chocolate but is a feast for all the senses too.
Free Prize Draw
All visitors will be able to enter a free prize draw to take home lots of yummy chocolate prizes, so they can satisfy their cravings once they get home!
Entry to the Gardens during The Chocolate Festival is $23.50 per adult and children 16 and older, $15 for children between 4 – 15 years of age, with children 3 years and under admitted free. For further information regarding the Chocolate Festival at Hunter Valley Gardens please call 02 4998 4000 or visit www.hvg.com.au
For all general media requests and images relating to the Chocolate Festival and Hunter Valley Gardens, please contact Laura Percy at Agent99 PR on 0417 458 928 or
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For media requests specifically relating to the Callebaut Chocolate Dessert Competition, please contact Gary Willis at Callebaut on 02 9669 2211 or
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9/07/2010 - IT’S A CHOCOHOLICS DELIGHT AT THIRD ANNUAL HUNTER VALLEY GARDENS CHOCOLATE FESTIVAL
IT’S A CHOCOHOLICS DELIGHT AT THIRD ANNUAL HUNTER VALLEY GARDENS CHOCOLATE FESTIVAL
Hunter Valley Gardens is proud to announce that it will be hosting its third annual Chocolate Festival, on Saturday August 7 and Sunday August 8, 2010. Thousands of visitors indulged their sweet tooth last year, and in 2010 the Festival, proudly sponsored by Callebaut Chocolate, is set to be bigger, better and sweeter than ever.
Couples attending the Open Day are invited to wander through the 10 International display gardens and discuss their wedding plans with Hunter Valley Gardens wedding team and local wedding suppliers who will be on hand to help with ideas for the perfect day.
For those in need of inspiration for that gorgeous wedding dress, fashion parades will be held throughout the Open Day, showcasing this year’s trends in bridal wear.
If a reception venue is the order of the day, the beautiful Garden Terrace within Hunter Valley Gardens and The Barrel Room at Tempus Two Winery, only a stone’s throw away are both elegant options.
Every couple attending the Open Day will go into the draw to win some great prizes including special offers provided by participating wedding suppliers.
Hunter Valley Gardens Wedding Experts Carly Harper and Sarah Hingeley say, "Our spectacular gardens and reception venues lend themselves to fabulous wedding settings that are simply stunning. We do everything possible to ensure a perfect event for the bride and groom and their guests, so that the day leaves a wonderful lasting memory for all."
As an incentive for attending the Open Day, couples who book a Garden Terrace reception or Barrel Room reception on the day will receive 50% off their wedding ceremony.
CHunter Valley Gardens will also be hosting an additional Wedding Open Day in February 2011.
Admission to view Hunter Valley Gardens for the Open Day is free for wedding couples. For further information and bookings please contact Sarah or Carly on 02 4998 4000 or email
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13/07/2010 - HUNTER VALLEY GARDENS OFFERS BRIDES A PICTURE PERFECT LOCATION FOR THEIR BIG DAY
Calling all Brides to Be! Hunter Valley Gardens & The Barrel Room at Tempus Two will host a Wedding Open Day on Sunday 15 August from 10am to 4pm, a must visit for couples planning an upcoming wedding. Offering everything required for an unforgettable day, including the use of a beautiful 150 seat chapel, a picturesque backdrop in award winning gardens and enchanting reception venues, Hunter Valley Gardens is sure to make every wedding one to remember.
Live music and entertainment will commence at 10am, and a stage show with the soulful Grace Knight will start at 2.30pm. Grace is an English-born, Australian vocalist, saxophone player and songwriter. She was a mainstay of Indie pop group Eurogliders during the 1980s which formed in Perth. Knight later became a solo singer and musician based in Sydney.
Along with all the entertainment, 30 stall holders with artisan and local providore goods will offer wonderful fresh produce, soul food and wines for sample and purchase. Guests will be encouraged to bring a blanket and enjoy a picnic, or a bite to eat at the cafes in the Village.
As part of giving back to the community, the Rural Fire Service will be at the event to raise funds through a gold coin collection.
Kyle McKendry, General Manager Roche Group, Leisure and Hospitality Division says, “Our Village has over 20 fabulous specialty stores that offer excellent boutique shopping, and along with the festivities on the day they will be open for guests to browse through. This is a feel good and free community event that will have activities for the whole family to enjoy.”
The event won’t end at 5pm either with live entertainment continuing at both Harrigan’s Irish Pub & Mercure Resort Hunter Valley Gardens so guests can party the night away.
And for those looking to spend a weekend to remember in the Hunter Valley, there is accommodation available at Harrigan’s Irish Pub from $230 Bed & Breakfast or at Mercure Resort Hunter Valley Gardens from $250 Bed & Breakfast.
For further information, visit www.hvg.com.au or call 02 4998 4000.
For further information, images or interviews please contact Alena Pople at Hunter Valley Gardens on 0437496600 or
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02/06/2010 - FREE CONCERT AND SOULFUL COMMUNITY EVENT TO BE HOSTED AT HUNTER VALLEY GARDENS SHOPPING VILLAGE
On Saturday, June 19, 2010 the Shopping Village at Hunter Valley Gardens will be bursting with colour as it hosts SOULstice, a free community event with a special concert and market stalls that will have plenty of warmth and soul.
Hunter Valley Gardens Wedding Experts Carly Harper and Sarah Hingeley say, “With a tight economy brides and grooms often make the mistake of thinking to add that ‘WOW’ factor will put them completely out of pocket. This isn’t so as there are some clever and little known touches that can make a real impression and the world of difference to them and their guests.”
Carly and Sarah’s top tips for unforgettable nuptials include:
1. Helicopter Arrival – This is a very special way to make an entrance! For 3 people, a helicopter ride to the ceremony or reception will set a couple back from as little as $250.
2. Horse & Carriage – If tradition is the key, there is nothing more romantic than a horse and carriage ride from the Gardens to a chosen destination, with prices starting from just $250.
3. Fireworks – Couples always think a fireworks display will cost tens of thousands of dollars and are reserved for the uber wealthy, but a four minute display can start at $675.
4. Caricaturist – A great way to make guests laugh and remember the day with a keepsake is a comical sketch of themselves! Prices start at $750.
5. Photo Booths - Everyone loves a photo! This is a great way to make guests interact with each other and have a lasting memory to take home. A photo booth will cost approximately $900 to hire.
For these and other fabulous ideas, Hunter Valley Gardens will open its gates to showcase their internationally recognised display gardens on Sunday 23rd August from 10am to 4pm. Couples will be invited to wander through the gorgeous 10 international display gardens and discuss their wedding plans with the wedding team, along with local wedding suppliers who will all be on hand to help create the perfect day.
In addition, the lovely Garden Terrace will be in full wedding set up, and one of the Gardens Award winning Chefs will be on hand to discuss all of the appetising menu options. Harrigan’s Deck, just a stones throw away, will also be open for personal viewing from 10am onwards. This equally unique location will be magically transformed to showcase a wedding to remember.
Hunter Valley Gardens offers everything required for an unforgettable day including a beautiful 150 seat chapel, the perfect location for wedding photos, along with a stunning reception venue looking out onto the award winning Gardens. Accommodation is available by calling Harrigan’s Accommodation on 02 4998 4300.
Admission to view the Gardens and attend the expo is free for all wedding couples. For further information or bookings please contact Sarah or Carly on 02 4998 4000 or email
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For further information or to interview Carly Harper or Sarah Hingeley contact Sharon Zeev Poole at Agent99 PR on 02 9380 2304 or 0401 811 930 or
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03/03/2010 - ‘MAKE A SPLASH FOR LESS’ WEDDING EXPERTS SHARE TIPS FOR BRIDES ON A BUDGET
With an upcoming Wedding Expo to be hosted at Hunter Valley Gardens on Sunday August 23, 2009, many couples have been asking how they can make a splash without spending a fortune, which often comes with the territory.
Sean O’Brien, Horticulturist, Hunter Valley Gardens said, “Many schools across the country are starting to teach their students the importance of sustainability, and are demonstrating the way in which many people harvest their own fruit and vegetables to feed their family. We are delighted to be a part of this project and look forward to doing more with schools in the area as we all strive for a healthier and environmentally sound future for our children.”
As part of their studies, Nulkaba Public School is looking at the history of how people used to live and a component of that will see students nursing a winter garden and planting a summer garden when the weather warms up later this year.
In preparation for the big planting day with the students, five of the Hunter Valley Gardens horticultural team prepared the garden bed and irrigation system required to water the plants regularly.
On the day, the eager students and teachers worked with the team to plant herbs such as parsley, basil, and thyme as well as vegetables including carrots, broccoli and onions.
Ian Faulstone, Principal, Nulkaba Public School said, “These programs are vital for teaching children about healthy food sources and creating interest at an early age for ongoing participation in gardening and looking after our environment.
“The students thoroughly enjoyed themselves and we’re looking forward to seeing the Hunter Valley Gardens team again in the next few weeks to assist in the maintenance of our beautiful new garden. We value their expert advice tremendously.
“For this initiative to succeed along with professional input, it undoubtedly takes the dedication of both the teachers and students and I’m very proud of what they have achieved so far.”
The Hunter Valley Gardens Horticultural team will be looking at assisting other Primary Schools in the area throughout the year as part of their giving back to local community initiatives, and encourage schools to contact the Horticultural Department at the Gardens for further information.
To find out more about Hunter Valley Gardens, visit www.hvg.com.au or call 02 4998 4000.
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03/03/2010 - AWARD WINNING HORTICULTURE TEAM HELPS STUDENTS PLANT HERB GARDEN AT LOCAL SCHOOL
Earlier this month, Hunter Valley Gardens’ award winning horticulturist Sean O’Brien and his team visited the Nulkaba Public School in Nulkaba to help Year 1 and 2 classes plant their own herb and vegetable garden for this winter.
Mr. O’Brien says, “We look after 60 hectares of magnificent land with many pathways and more than one million plants including 6,000 trees and 600,000 shrubs throughout the 10 internationally themed gardens. So we’re very conscious about how we can “keep it green” and do our bit for the environment regularly. What we apply at the Gardens can of course be done on a much smaller scale, but it can be very effective.”
So if going green is the goal for this year, then the best place to start is in the garden. Here are some of Sean’s tips to help the garden and the environment:
Compost – Compost everything you can! Grass clippings, leaves, fruit and veggie scraps, stale bread, cardboard, news paper, even the kids left over cereal. The only real restrictions to composting are meat products, onions, and citrus. Otherwise, as long as it is organic, it can be composted, and the compost is fantastic for your garden.
Chooks – Go out and buy some chooks! If you’re not into composting, chickens are a great alternative. They will clean up all the kitchen scraps, produce great manure and supply you with an abundance of eggs.
Lawns – Keeping your lawn healthy and weed free is great for the environment. Just 58 sq metres of turf will produce enough oxygen for a person for an entire day! It will also absorb up to seven times more carbon than the carbon output of mowing. One acre of turf can absorb nearly a ton of carbon per year.
Pant a tree – The best thing for the environment is to plant a tree! One fast growing tree in its first year can absorb just over 1kg of carbon. After 10 years it’s nearly 10kg. If 10 million people planted just 1 tree that’s 1,000 ton of carbon in the first year alone.
Mulch – Mulching the gardens saves on water, but to be really effective it’s now recommended to use coarse mulch and to only spread it on up to 75mm thick. This allows the water to soak into the soil and not just the mulch. Use recycled mulches as well. Most tips now sell recycled mulch which is produced by green waste from the local area.
Charlie Carp – This liquid fertilizer is produced from carp taken from waterways around the country. It is a good mild organic fertilizer that can be used on everything and it gets rid of this pest at the same time!
Fruit and Veggie – Grow your own! It’s fresher, tastier and you know exactly what has been used on it. It may not be cheaper, but the satisfaction of eating your own produce is well worth it.
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03/03/2010 - IT’S EASY TO “GO GREEN” WITH GARDENING SAYS AWARD WINNING HORTICULTURALIST
Carbon foot printing, environmental sustainability and eco living is hitting everyone’s lips these days. And Hunter Valley Gardens award winning horticulturist Mr. Sean O’Brien says that all the buzz can be quite overwhelming to some. However, he suggests that this doesn’t have to be the case and that there are some very easy things that can be done to “go green” with gardening.
Mr. O’Brien says, “We look after 60 hectares of magnificent land with many pathways and more than one million plants including 6,000 trees and 600,000 shrubs throughout the 10 internationally themed gardens. So we’re very conscious about how we can “keep it green” and do our bit for the environment regularly. What we apply at the Gardens can of course be done on a much smaller scale, but it can be very effective.”
So if going green is the goal for this year, then the best place to start is in the garden. Here are some of Sean’s tips to help the garden and the environment:
Compost – Compost everything you can! Grass clippings, leaves, fruit and veggie scraps, stale bread, cardboard, news paper, even the kids left over cereal. The only real restrictions to composting are meat products, onions, and citrus. Otherwise, as long as it is organic, it can be composted, and the compost is fantastic for your garden.
Chooks – Go out and buy some chooks! If you’re not into composting, chickens are a great alternative. They will clean up all the kitchen scraps, produce great manure and supply you with an abundance of eggs.
Lawns – Keeping your lawn healthy and weed free is great for the environment. Just 58 sq metres of turf will produce enough oxygen for a person for an entire day! It will also absorb up to seven times more carbon than the carbon output of mowing. One acre of turf can absorb nearly a ton of carbon per year.
Pant a tree – The best thing for the environment is to plant a tree! One fast growing tree in its first year can absorb just over 1kg of carbon. After 10 years it’s nearly 10kg. If 10 million people planted just 1 tree that’s 1,000 ton of carbon in the first year alone.
Mulch – Mulching the gardens saves on water, but to be really effective it’s now recommended to use coarse mulch and to only spread it on up to 75mm thick. This allows the water to soak into the soil and not just the mulch. Use recycled mulches as well. Most tips now sell recycled mulch which is produced by green waste from the local area.
Charlie Carp – This liquid fertilizer is produced from carp taken from waterways around the country. It is a good mild organic fertilizer that can be used on everything and it gets rid of this pest at the same time!
Fruit and Veggie – Grow your own! It’s fresher, tastier and you know exactly what has been used on it. It may not be cheaper, but the satisfaction of eating your own produce is well worth it.
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03/03/2010 - HUNTER VALLEY GARDENS TAKES OUT TWO MAJOR TOURISM AWARDS AT PRESTIGIOUS HUNTER TOURISM AWARDS
Calling all Brides to Be! Hunter Valley
Hunter Valley Gardens is delighted to have won the ‘Most Significant Tourist Attraction in the Hunter Region’ Award and also the Award for ‘Best Festival or Event’ at the prestigious 2009 Hunter Region Tourism Awards, held on Thursday 13 August at a glittering ceremony at the Crowne Plaza, Hunter Valley. This is the sixth year Hunter Valley Gardens has won the ‘Most Significant Tourist Attraction’ Award, a tremendous honour leading into the Gardens sixth Birthday celebrations.
The ‘Most Significant Tourist Attraction’ Award category was open to attractions of state importance which market primarily to intrastate and/or interstate visitors and have significantly contributed to the tourism experience within their metropolitan or country region. The criteria to win the Award included business vision and plans, marketing strategies, innovation, customer service, and environmental sustainability.
Hunter Valley Gardens Horticultural Manager Sean O'Brien and Marketing Manager Alena Pople who accepted the Awards, paid tribute to everyone who contributed to the success of Hunter Valley Gardens over the past year including the horticultural, administration, retail, customer service, sales, marketing, functions, weddings and human resources staff.
Sean said, “We are absolutely delighted to have received the ‘Most Significant Tourist Attraction’ Award for the sixth year in a row. All of the staff at Hunter Valley Gardens work tirelessly to ensure we provide a premier tourist attraction that provides lasting memories for visitors.”
To top off the evening, Hunter Valley Gardens was recognised in the Festivals and Events category for ‘Best Festival or Event’ for the 2008 Christmas Lights Spectacular, the largest event on the Garden’s calendar to date. This Award category was open to festivals and events that have a substantial economic impact within the local community, attract visitors from intrastate and/or interstate, generate a regional media profile and positively promote the destination.
The Christmas Lights Spectacular 2008 took place from 13 Novemer 2008 to 3 January, 2009 with over 400,000 lights spread throughout five of the magnificently themed Gardens.
A total of 72,814 visitors visited the Christmas Lights Spectacular in 2008, helping Hunter Valley Gardens raise close to $17,500 for local charities including Westpac Rescue Helicopter, Cessnock and Kurri Kurri Lions Clubs, Ronald McDonald House and the Salvation Army.
On accepting the Award, Sean commented that the Christmas Lights Spectacular brings the magic of Christmas well and truly alive.
“We are delighted to have won the ‘Best Festival or Event’ Award for the 2008 Christmas Lights Spectacular which was a truly memorable experience for all who visited the gardens during that time.” Sean said.
Hunter Valley Gardens was opened by Bill and Imelda Roche in 2003 after four years of development. Set on 60 acres of magnificent land with eight kilometres of pathways; 6,000 trees; 600,000 shrubs and more than one million ground covers, and incorporates 10 internationally-themed gardens.
Hunter Valley Gardens will be hosting its 5th annual Festival of Flowers from Tuesday September 1 to Wednesday September 30. This special event will immerse visitors in a sensory experience they will never forget. For a full calendar of events and highlights, visit www.hvg.com.au or call 02 4998 4000
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