CMC Rocks the Hunter country music festival

THE CMC Rocks the Hunter festival is a great way to combine country music and the many delights of this NSW wine region.

Peppers Convent in the Hunter Valley, NSW.

"THERE ain't nothin' like a country crowd. A little bit crazy and a little bit loud"

Country music genius Lee Kernaghan might well have been describing the scene on the hill at CMC Rocks the Hunter when he penned those lyrics.

It's Saturday night and the normally reserved Hope Estate winery in the Hunter Valley is pumping. The place is a sea of cowboy hats, checked shirts, jeans and RM Williams boots.

Larger-than-life American duo Big & Rich have the amps cranked and have just launched into the unmistakable opening riff to AC/DC's You Shook Me All Night Long.

The crowd stands - hats fly, beers spill and hips sway. Suddenly there's a twist (not of the dance kind) and roars of laughter fill the cool night air as the Acca/Dacca classic is given a boot-scootin' country makeover proving that music truly is the universal language.

Festivals are big business in the tourism industry and for three nights the CMC Rocks festival fills campsites, B&Bs and hotels in the Hunter region.

A lot of beer, rum and Hope Estate wines are drunk. And of course, seeing most of these fans come from the country, a lot of meat is devoured.

Put simply, it's good for the local economy.

The headline list for the March 2014 event has just been announced, with Kernaghan, the king of Australian country, being joined on stage by Americans Toby Keith, Kellie Picker, Craig Campbell. The Eli Young Band and Love and Theft.

A three-day ticket costs $269 - which is great value when you consider that you get three days of world-class country entertainment.

It will be Toby Keith's first trip to Australia to perform. If country music isn't your thing and you haven't heard of him then turn on CMC on Foxtel and it won't be long before you hear him.

He is a big deal and a coup for organisers of next year's event. Forbes magazine estimates that Keith made $US270 million ($A290 million) from tours and records in the past five years.

Toby Keith will perform at CMC Rocks the Hunter in 2014. Picture: AP/Stephen Flood.

The Hunter is about a two-hour drive from Sydney, although if you are flying in for the event Newcastle Airport is much closer.

I stayed at the Peppers Convent resort, about a five-minute journey door-to-door from the event, last year.

The building, which was moved 600km from Coonamble in NSW, was home to the Brigidine Order of Nuns. It is now part of the Pepper Tree Winery Estate.

To be honest, the buildings and surrounds need a little tender love and care to bring them back to pristine condition, but the structure itself is sound. The rooms are spacious and the decor traditionally rich and elegant. There are plenty of hiding spots around the property to curl up and relax while reading a book or listening to some music.

Just a short stroll away is the delightful Robert's Restaurant. It is the perfect spot for a refined, and relaxed, Sunday lunch before heading back to the CMC Rocks venue.

I also headed over to Peppers Guest House - a little further away from the action - for lunch at the award-winning Chez Pok restaurant. Make time to dine here because the food is tremendous.

We spent hours enjoying a few of the Hunter's best wines and looking out over the countryside. This is a great place lose yourself for a few hours.

The writer was a guest of Destination NSW.

GO2 THE HUNTER VALLEY

Getting there

From Brisbane, Jetstar flies to direct to Newcastle Airport. All major car hire brands operate from Newcastle.

The Hunter is a two-hour drive from Sydney.

From Melbourne, Jetstar flies to direct to Newcastle Airport. All major car hire brands operate from Newcastle.

Adelaide and Perth: Fly to Sydney. From there, the Hunter is a two-hour drive.

Staying there

Go to peppers.com.au to see deals for Peppers Convent and Peppers Guest House.

Playing there

For tickets to CMC Rocks the Hunter go to cmcrocks.com

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Peppers Convent in the Hunter Valley, NSW.