We decided we'd make our way north a little inland this time, so turned off the M1 before Newcastle and drove along the New England Highway. These are old mining towns in the Hunter Valley - Maitland, Greta, Aberdeen (where Highland games will be held the first Saturday of July, too early again) and Muswellbrook - full of interesting old buildings and nice green countryside. Outside Muswellbrook we saw a sign to Hunterbelle cheese and remembered the young couple who owned the cheese factory had been on My Kitchen Rules last year. We called in and had a cup of coffee and tasted some cheese, buying some cheddar and some fudge. The road from Scone to Murrurrundi is called the Horse Capital of Australia and Emerites own hectare after hectare each side of the road full
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