Putty Road & Hunter Valley Drive Pack | The Stable

The Putty Road is, by near-universal agreement, the best driving road within reach of Sydney. It runs 160 kilometres from Windsor on Sydney's north-western fringe to Singleton in the Hunter Valley, threading through the Wollemi National Park in a continuous ribbon of sweeping curves, elevation changes, and eucalyptus forest.

The road was originally a convict-built track connecting Sydney to the Hunter Valley coalfields. Today it carries minimal traffic — a few trucks, the occasional farmer, and a steady stream of enthusiasts who know that this is where you come to drive. The surface is excellent, the corners are well-sighted, and the rhythm of the road rewards smooth, flowing inputs. It is not a road for heroics; it is a road for satisfaction.

The Wollemi wilderness on either side is one of the largest protected areas in New South Wales — 500,000 hectares of sandstone gorges, ancient rainforest, and the Wollemi Pine, a "living fossil" discovered in 1994. The road passes through this landscape without disturbing it, offering glimpses of deep valleys and distant ridgelines between the gum trees.

At the northern end, the Hunter Valley opens up — Australia's oldest wine region, producing Semillon and Shiraz of genuine world class. The cellar doors range from grand estates to garage operations, and the food scene has matured into something remarkable. This is a route that begins with driving pleasure and ends with a glass of aged Semillon on a vineyard terrace.