FAQs

• Our property can cater for a maximum of 150 guests with our outdoor option. The Wine Cellar (indoor setting) will accommodate 100 guests seated or 150 cocktail.
• We have 120 seats available for a sit-down reception. You are welcome to host more for a sit down in our outdoor area, please be aware this would require additional external seating.

• Yes! We offer Ceremony Only packages and Extended Ceremony Packages (if you wish to linger a little longer with drinks & canapés).
• Ceremonies on weekends (Fri-Sun) during Autumn and Spring are limited as these days are generally reserved for reception packages, but please do not hesitate to contact us for availability – it doesn’t hurt to ask! Please note, ceremony bump-in is 10am the day of the event, with bump-out 5pm.
• Ceremonies cannot be booked the same day as existing reception bookings, or vice versa. Ceremonies may be permitted on the days either side of an existing wedding booking depending on the location and subject to negotiation with the couple already booked.
• Ceremonies can be booked regardless of external cottage bookings.

• There is no limit to who can be a part of your wedding, meaning you can truly tailor it to suit you best! We have a list of vendors / suppliers we recommend that have worked at Stonehurst previously. This is not a restrictive or exhaustive list, so please do get in contact if you wanted any further recommendations.
• A few things to be aware of when organising bar & catering: There is no commercial kitchen onsite for catering purposes, meaning a food truck or pop up kitchen work great in our venue. We have a mobile cool room for your beverages which can also be used for catering purposes. All alcohol must be served by a bar operator that has public liability and RSA licensing for all staff serving onsite. No alcohol is to be self-served.
• We do have a Stonehurst Bar Package available for your bar service, please do reach out if you’d like to know more!

• For our Boutique & Exclusive, we allow access to the venue 1 day either side of a wedding for set-up and pack-down. For example – If your celebration is on a Saturday, you can have access from the Friday morning. Our philosophy is not to cram in as many weddings as possible per season, rather, we want your event to be as relaxed and peaceful as possible, so there is no rush with settings, decorations or wedding preparations. For this reason, we do not host back-to-back weddings! Bump-in for vendors/suppliers is from 10am, and bump-out is to be completed by 5pm as Stonehurst staff are onsite during these hours. Access outside these hours is not guaranteed without prior discussion.
• For our Ceremony Only Packages, set-up can commence 10am the day of the event, with pack-down to be completed by 5pm same day.
• We have put together a DIY toolkit* for couples setting up their event. It includes commonly requested items that have often been forgotten eg. hammer, mallet, zip ties, electrical tape, blu-tac, bin liners etc. There are also ladders available onsite for set-up and pack-down purposes. *This is not an exhaustive supply so please endeavour to bring all items you think you will need. Please ensure all vendors have brought extension leads with them.
• Our Cellar Door is open every day from 10am till 5pm (except Good Friday, Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Years Day). We do not permit Cellar Door visitors to access the event space to ensure exclusive hire for our wedding couples.

• Weekend Celebrations Curfews:

Bar Service: 11:00pm

Music: 11:30pm

Offsite: 12:00am

• Midweek Celebrations Curfews:

Bar Service: 10:00pm

Music: 10:00pm

Offsite: 10:30pm

• Please note, if the music is too loud for the site (and/or neighbours) then it must be turned down immediately upon request. Failure to do so will result in music being halted.

• We have seven self-contained vineyard cottages on our property sleeping up to 28 guests in total. Each cottage has kitchen facilities, spa or clawfoot baths, wood fires, private verandahs, country breakfast hampers provided, bbqs, complimentary port & chocolates and a late 11am checkout.
• Our weekend packages include 2 nights of accommodation, and our midweek packages include 1 night. Accommodation is compulsory for weekend celebrations, however it is optional for midweek celebrations.
• Exclusive Package: includes all 7 cottages (10 queen beds / 20 guests). There are 4 sofa beds that can be utilised for an additional price, hosting a total of 28 guests in total across queen & sofa beds.
• Boutique Package: includes 4 cottages (6 queen beds / 12 guests). Boutique celebrations are welcome to expand their stay into the remaining 3 cottages if they wish.
• The sofa beds are not included in the packages and are priced at $60 per adult, per night or $30 per child, per night.

• Within a short drive of Stonehurst Cedar Creek there is an array of other local accommodation providers – from farmstays and B&Bs to guesthouses and luxury villas. Visit the following sites to search and book online:

www.visitwollombi.com.au

www.huntervalleyescapes.com

www.wollombistays.com.au

• If you would prefer all your guests to stay in the one location, we recommend the following larger hotels:

www.winecountrymotorinn.com.au (20 minute drive)

www.rydges.com (25 minute drive)

• Unfortunately, we cannot have camping or campervans onsite due to our insurance policy and the damage they can have on the property.
• We do allow Glamping for your guests if all accommodation has been utilised. We have 2 preferred suppliers – Go Glamping & Belle Glamping. Get in touch to view our Glamping Policy.

• All wines served for the duration of your event must be Stonehurst wines. We have a great organic selection, with something to suit everyone! Come visit our Cellar Door to sample our range.
• All other drinks (beer/ciders/spirits) are BYO, and to be supplied by the couple. This means you can choose to provide your favourite craft beers, cocktails and whiskey bar!
• All alcohol must be served by a bar operator that has public liability and RSA licensing for all staff serving onsite. No alcohol is to be self-served.
• We do have a Stonehurst Bar Package available for your bar service, please do reach out if you’d like to know more!

• Yes! We are a pet friendly venue and would love to welcome your dogs to be a part of the day! We have 1 pet friendly cottage which they can stay in if supervised. Get in touch with us for the conditions surrounding your pet’s stay.

• Mobile reception and GPS are unreliable throughout Wollombi Valley. Perfect for private ‘unplugged’ weddings!
• Wifi access (at the Cellar Door/Wine Cellar/Grove Cottage/Poplar Grove) is available for cottage guests only. There is also a landline phone.
• Optus and Telstra users will get full coverage at both Wollombi (10min drive) and Millfield (4 min drive). We also have full Telstra coverage in our Cellar Door and garden courtyard.

• It is our recommendation that you organise a shuttle bus/coach if you have a large group of guests requiring transport to and from our venue, here’s a few of our recommendations:
  • Grape Experience Tours www.grapeexperiencetours.com.au 0414 457 956 (Melissa)
  • The Hunter Hopper www.hunterhopper.com.au 0455 747 071 (David)
  • Wollombi Wine Tours www.wollombiwinetours.com.au (Col)
  • Peaks Mini Bus Hire www.peakhire.com.au
  • Rover Coaches www.rovercoaches.com.au

• The local taxi service is Wine Country Taxis. We would highly recommend prebooking your trip to ensure you have a ride as taxi service is limited in the Hunter Valley.

• Pampas Grass: We strictly cannot have pampas grass used onsite on any occasion. We are a fully functioning farm and pampas grass is a noxious weed that will disrupt the property. In NSW it is an offence to grow, sell or buy pampas grass. If your heart is set on the look, we would recommend the faux alternatives.
• Open Flame Candles: We can have open flamed candles both inside and outside (pending local fire ban rulings). We recommend having some form of casing / hurricane glass for any outdoor candles as if there is a slight wind on the day, it can be impossible to keep the candles alight.
• Confetti: We allow bio confetti, eco confetti and dried flower petals. We do not allow rice or plastic confetti. Any dyed confetti’s must be brushed off white chairs & deck during clean-up to avoid stains & damage.
• Fireworks/Sparklers: We do not allow fireworks. As we are a working farm even *silent* fireworks can scare the livestock. We can have cold sparkler machines both inside and outside if you still wish for a firework feel. Normal sparklers are very welcome, and we recommend the longer option to get the most amount of sparkle!
• Firepit: We have a landscaped firepit area available for use, firewood for the firepit is BYO. The use of the firepit is reliant on the local fire ban rulings on the day and must be pre-approved by us.
• Bathrooms: There are 2 bathrooms included in the venue hire. For celebrations of over 100 guests, we do require additional bathrooms to be hired for the comfort and convenience of your guests.