High Tea in Cessnock & Wollombi

Getting High Tea Right

Away from the busy cellar-door strip, the southern side of the region trades estates for quiet farm valleys, and that is where a high tea here takes place. Hollybrook Hunter Valley, on Wollombi Road at Sweetmans Creek and five kilometres out of Wollombi, builds its high tea around a painting session rather than a hotel lounge. It suits a group that wants a celebration with something to do before the tiered plates arrive, and it is a private booking, so the table is yours alone.

What sets this region's high tea apart:

Format: the Art N Sip High Tea combines a guided canvas class with a tiered spread, running about two and a half hours
Group size: booked privately for at least eight people, which suits a birthday table, a hens group or a bridal party
On the table: bubbles when you arrive and through the class, then sweet and savoury treats served on classic china with teas and coffee
Setting: a former dairy farm in its own small valley off Wollombi Road, rather than a winery restaurant in Pokolbin
Adults only: Hollybrook welcomes adult groups only, so plan a family day with children elsewhere

Hollybrook's pricing starts from $88 per person. Because Hollybrook can put up to 14 people overnight across a farmhouse, a cottage and bush cabins, a group travelling in for the weekend can make the high tea part of a stay instead of a day trip.

Wollombi side: Hollybrook puts the celebration in rural Sweetmans Creek, close to Wollombi village, which suits groups after a slower, country-paced day.
Vineyard alternative: on Fridays Hollybrook also takes its painting out to Greenway Wines in Broke for a private four-hour outing that adds a tour of the vines, a tasting and charcuterie.
Locals and visitors: people coming from Cessnock or Maitland can treat it as an outing, while visitors can stay on the property overnight.
No experience needed: the host guides the painting stage by stage, which keeps first-timers comfortable.

Planning a high tea booking

Minimum numbers: the high tea needs eight or more guests, so confirm your headcount before you request a date.
Drinks: bubbles are part of the high tea; for the standard classes guests bring their own wine, beer or cider, and spirits are not allowed.
Keepsakes: each guest goes home with the canvas they painted, a natural memento for a milestone birthday or a send-off for the bride-to-be.
Requests: private sessions are arranged by email with Hollybrook, so send through your preferred date and group size.

Common Questions About High Tea Suppliers

Is high tea in the Cessnock and Wollombi area a sit-down affair or an activity?

At Hollybrook Hunter Valley it is both: a guided painting class with bubbles, followed by tiered sweet and savoury treats with teas and coffee, over about two and a half hours.

What group size do we need for the Art N Sip High Tea?

It is a private group booking for at least eight people. Hollybrook is adults only.

Can our group stay nearby after the high tea?

Yes – Hollybrook's farmhouse, cottage and bush cabins at Sweetmans Creek can sleep a group of up to 14.

Is there a vineyard option for a high tea group?

Yes, though it is a painting outing rather than a high tea: Art N Sip in the Vines heads to Greenway Wines in Broke for four hours on a Friday, with a tour, a tasting and a charcuterie platter around a two-hour class.

High Tea in Cessnock & Wollombi

Find the Right High Tea Venue in Cessnock & Wollombi