Hunter Valley Resort and Matilda Bay Brewhouse gets a rebrand and new look
A new venue has arrived in the Hunter Valley, which should give us all a little something to smile about, and it's all about the amber brew.
Located at Hunter Valley Resort on Hermitage Road the venue is the Hunter Valley’s longest continuously operating hospitality venue celebrating its 30th anniversary on 1st August 2021.
Today the longstanding site known as Hunter Valley Resort and Matilda Bay Brewhouse will be known as Hunter Farm, taking things to new heights, announcing an alliance with the northern beaches 4 Pines Brewing brand.
Hunter Valley Resort’s Philip Helé OAM is a name long associated with hospitality. His family hail from Denmark with Philips Great Grandparents owning the famous Grand Hotel in Copenhagen. His hotelier Grandparents also happened to be the official caterer to King Frederik IV of Denmark and Queen Ingrid for many years, and his parents both worked for the Hilton Hotels group worldwide until settling in Australia in the 1960’s. It’s hardly surprising that fourth Generation hotelier Philip followed in their footsteps.
After years of owning hotels such as The Sackville in Balmain, The Ascot in Wahroonga, Bel Air in Newcastle and the Yachtsman in Lake Macquarie, the Hele’s singlehandedly took pub dining to a new level by presenting high quality local produce together on a buffet – top quality Australian beef, fresh, crisp salads and local condiments, the quintessential Australian Grill with buffet.
When they purchased Hunter Valley Resort in 1991 they brought bistro dining to the Hunter Valley. Now, on the eve of their thirtieth anniversary, the Helé’s are taking bistro dining up another notch, working with the team at 4 Pines Brewing to bring their established brand to the Hunter Valley. Also being rebranded is the Adventure Centre, now as the Hunter Farm.
No strangers to the brewery business, the Helé’s together with advertising guru John Singleton created quite a stir in the Hunter Valley in 2003 when they opened the region’s first craft brewery Bluetongue, which started a shift in offerings in the state’s most visited regional destination that was previously primarily known as a wine region.
In 2014, Philip was awarded the Order of Australia Medal (OAM) for services to Australian Tourism and the Hunter Valley for his contribution to tourism in the region.
In a Hunter Valley first, Hunter Farm is a venue which offers something to everyone with a tap bar and bistro, 4 star accommodation, farm animals, horse riding, carriage rides, Segway rides, workshops, wine tastings, beer school and so much more can be enjoyed.
Set amidst their fifty-five-year-old Helé family vineyards on the ridge where Hermitage Road and Mistletoe Lane intersect, the 30 hectare property will become a wonderland for locals and visitors alike.
Opening to locals and regional travels on 1st August Hunter Farm is set to be the go-to destination in the Hunter Valley this summer.