Things To Do
Things to do
Discover all the wonderful places and
adventures the Hunter has to offer
Morpeth
Just a few kilometres from Maitland and only 2 minutes by car from the Motel along the banks of the Hunter River, is the historic village of Morpeth. Once the largest inland river port in NSW, it was the gate way to inland Australia and is now classified by the National Trust. Presently you can walk the cobbled streets to see colonial sandstone buildings housing modern and inviting cafes, pubs, galleries, and other local businesses.
In May, Morpeth hosts a two-day jazz festival. Events such as these happen all year round attracting hoards of sightseers to this stunning Hunter location. The township commemorates anything from the bazaar Novelty Teapot Exhibition and Morpeth Honey and Fiery Food Festival. Morpeth Courthouse and Museum offers an historical perspective of life in the district, it also makes available tourist information for the passing traveller. An interesting assortment of museums, antiques and quaint shop fronts pepper the town with around 60 specialty boutiques. Be amazed by antiques, local craft and artwork, exquisite clothing, dazzling jewellery, unique home wears and affordable accessories.
Enjoy this unique combination of history and country charm in the Hunter Valley’s Craft Capital. Wander down cobbled streets to find colonial sandstone buildings occupied by modern inviting cafes, pubs, galleries, boutiques, antique shops and local businesses.
Maitland Gaol
A key anchor attraction of the Hunter is Maitland Gaol. Open 7 days. Maitland Gaol offers visitors the opportunity to indulge in a world class self-guided audio tour. Additionally, themed-guided tours and torchlight tours by night are regularly available and are a great way to interpret this unique attraction. Only the brave can battle a group sleepover night.
Now the cell doors have been swung open and you can join Battlezone Playlive Laser Skirmish to experience first hand the excitement and realism of live combat gaming in these unique surroundings! For more information on this activity that can be enjoyed by anyone, please call 1300 661 565.
Hunter Valley
Approximately 35 minutes drive away from Morpeth Lodge Motel are the Hunter Valley Gardens and the many Vineyards that the Hunter Valley is famous for. The Gardens are well-known for the wonderful Christmas lights on display in December as well as the beautifully maintained gardens that you can wander through. Also there is an Aqua-Golf range specially equipped with floating golf balls for those of you fancying golf with a difference!
The Gardens sit in the midst of many, many wonderful vineyards. You can take a leisurely drive through the countryside, stopping at as many vineyards as you want, or arrange a pick-up from the Motel through one of the local Tour Companies and learn about the different wines, cheeses, olives etc that are on offer. Enjoy tasting some of the beautiful wines without having to worry about driving back to the Motel at the end of the day! Hunter Valley Gardens, along with other beautiful locations such as Bimbadgen Estate and the Hope Estate, are also host to many Concerts and Events throughout the year.
The area has hosted concerts for Elton John, Rod Stewart, Fleetwood Mac, The Proclaimers, and Ronan Keating, and stars such as Rob Thomas and Whitney Houston are appearing in the near future. With Morpeth Lodge Motel situated a comfortable 35 minute drive from these locations, or close to a local coach pick-up point for most concerts, we are an ideal base for those guests wanting to stay locally with the flexibility of 1 or more nights accommodation.
Port Stephens
Nature is at the centre of all that is Port Stephens. With a resident population of bottlenose dolphins, whales in season, spectacular bushwalking and wildflowers and endless water activities such as first-class snorkelling and diving in marine parks. It is one of the few Australian coastal towns that have remained relatively unspoilt with national parks making up most of it.
Some of the Port Stephens attractions include the harsh rocky outcrops and lush native bushland surrounding the breathtaking beaches and crystal clear waterways. You will marvel at the gigantic 40 million year old volcanic peaks that rise over 200 metres above sea level and the Port Stephens estuary which was formed over 70 000 years ago when the sea levels rose 60 metres.
The underwater valley is a popular scuba diving spot where an array of interesting sea creatures can be spotted.