In a sleepy little corner of the Hunter Valley, about 15 minutes westwards along Broke Road from the hustle and bustle of Pokolbin lives the quaint village of Broke – and the part of the Hunter Valley that we call home.
The village of Broke was founded when land grants were given to John Blaxland in 1824 and by the late 19th Century Broke was a thriving town with several hotels, a school, a post office, two churches, a butchery, bakery and a blacksmith.
Once the railways took the main trade away from the Great North Road between Singleton and Sydney, the town reverted to being the quiet village it had originally been and today is home to around 700 people and mixed industry of agriculture, mining, hospitality and tourism.
Obviously, no trip to Broke is complete without a visit to our unique cellar door, but what are our tips to get the most out of your visit to our little village?
Accommodation
There are a plethora of accommodation options within Broke and the surrounding area.
AirBnB has, at last count, over 30 properties available on any given weekend. One of our local favourites is the Winemaker’s Cottage, just two doors further along Milbrodale Road from Glenguin Estate. Featuring two bedrooms, a complete kitchen, and views across the Brokenback Range, this cottage will best suit a couple or small family.
Glen Eden Cottages is a property that’s made for bigger families and groups. The property boasts two cottages, Rosebower featuring 3 bedrooms and Lemonthyme with two and can be booked as a complete package of both cottages or singularly. With its location just five minutes south along Wollombi Road from Broke, it’s the perfect place to start your Broke Fordwich wine adventure.
Food
During the week, food options in our village can be quite limited however by the time the weekend comes things a very different indeed.
Margan Restaurant is a full garden to plate experience featuring modern European cuisine and a strong emphasis on locally grown and reared produce. A one-acre kitchen garden is the highlight, but anything they cannot produce themselves they source locally, making for an exceptional agri-dining experience.
Mount Broke Restaurant have recently employed a new Italian chef and is the perfect place in Broke for al fresco dining and wood-fired pizzas. A share platter of salumi to die for and pizzas to delight every palate make Mount Broke a must-visit location. They are occasionally open on Friday nights as well, so make sure you call ahead if you’re heading to Broke for a long weekend.
Wine
Whilst Glenguin Estate should be the number one location on your list of cellar doors to visit, there are at least another ten more in the Broke Fordwich region.
Catherine Vale Wines is one of our other favourites, especially for lovers of Italian varieties. Being one of the few producers in the Hunter Valley of Barbera, and an Arnies that leaves you salivating, a trip to Broke would not be complete without visiting their cellar door.
Greenway Wines have probably the best Merlot in the region and a Gewurztraminer that Glenguin’s Cellar Door Manager Phil describes as ‘the single most aromatic wine I’ve experienced in the Valley’. High praise indeed. An architecturally designed cellar door completes the picture and makes Greenway a must stop on your Broke Fordwich wine tour.
The Village
Our village may be small, but we are immensely proud to call Broke Fordwich, and the wider Hunter Valley, home. The region can produce wines of stunning elegance, food experiences to die for, with accommodation fit for kings.
We are only two hours away from Sydney making the Broke Fordwich sub-region of the Hunter Valley the perfect escape for day-trippers, weekenders and more. We call it the ‘tranquil side’ of the Hunter Valley, and nothing could be more accurate.
