A cultural shift towards "mindful drinking" has prompted a Newcastle-based small-group tour company to offer non-alcoholic tours of the Hunter Valley.
And it costs nothing extra.
Newy Tour Co co-founder Keira Bourke believes the bookable tour is the first of its kind in the region.
Guests simply tick the "Non-Alcoholic Wine Tour Option" online when they book, and they can sit down to the same guided cellar door tastings as everyone else on the tour, with premium de-alcoholised wines poured.
There's no token glass of water or soft drink here.
If you're unfamiliar with the term, mindful drinking is being aware of how much you are drinking, why you are drinking, and how it affects your health. It is often linked to the "sober-curious" movement which encourages people to reflect on the role alcohol plays in their life.
A Flinders University study that analysed two decades of data from more than 23,000 Australians found that younger generations - particularly Generation Z - are turning away from alcohol at unprecedented rates.
There has also been a marked increase in the popularity of non-alcoholic "functional drinks" which use clinically-studied plant compounds to alter mood and relieve stress.
In response, many wine labels are investing time, effort and money into improving their non-alcoholic offering.
Tamburlaine Organic Wines at Pokolbin, for example, is one of the regular stops on Newy Tour Co's new bookable non-alcoholic group wine tour. McGuigan Wines is another.
Jac & Jones is a recent addition to the itinerary, offering a range of non-alcoholic verjuice for tastings.
"Plenty of tours will let a non-drinker come along," Ms Bourke said.
"What has not existed until now is a Hunter Valley wine tour you can actually book as an alcohol-free experience, with real tastings put in front of you rather than a glass of water and an apology.
"There is no separate tour, no cut-price version, and no surcharge. It is the same day out, the same seat in the van and the same price."
Other cellar doors rotate through the itinerary, and the line-up will keep growing as more Hunter producers move into the category.
Guests who skip the alcohol are still tasting wine made by Hunter winemakers, from Hunter fruit, a few kilometres from where it is grown.
Ms Bourke says the idea came from the people in the back of her van, including international tourists, not from a marketing plan.
At trade events, travel agents would tell her they'd consider sending more tourists to the Hunter Valley if there was a bookable non-alcoholic tour available.
"I kept having the same conversation on tour after tour: someone would tell me their sister would have loved the day but she was pregnant; or they do not drink for religious or cultural reasons and had assumed a wine tour was not for them; or they had simply cut back and did not want to be the odd one out," she explained.
"These days people are more likely to question their relationship with alcohol and how much they're wanting to consume, particularly young people.
"However, many people still wanted the vineyards, the stories and the long lunch. They just did not want the alcohol.
"We wanted to have a non-alcoholic option on every tour rather than running a separate private tour. It's about being more inclusive and giving people choices."
Launched in 2023 by Ms Bourke and Nathan Corrigan, Newy Tour Co was named Newcastle's Best Tourism Experience in 2026 and won two Newcastle Tourism Industry Group awards in 2025.
Every Newy Tour Co guide is, Ms Bourke says, a local who loves sharing this region with visitors from around Australia and all over the world. The company runs small group and private day tours across Newcastle, the Hunter Valley, Port Stephens and country NSW, capped at 11 guests, with door-to-door pick-up and guides who tell the stories behind the places rather than reading from a script.
"Wine country is about far more than what is in your glass," Ms Bourke said.
"It is the view over the Brokenback Range, the person behind the cellar door telling you why this vintage was hard won, and a day where somebody else does the driving.
"None of that requires a standard drink. What I felt strongly about was not charging for it. The moment you put a price on the non-alcoholic version you make it the lesser option, and it isn't. It is the same tour."
All wine tours remain strictly 18 and over. Details at newytourco.com.au
NAB is investing $1.5 million to upgrade its Charlestown branch.
The branch has temporarily closed while renovation works are completed, and is expected to reopen in October with "more ways to bank, including face-to-face support, virtual specialist appointments and improved self-service banking options".
Customers will also have access to two Smart ATMs and a Business Express Machine for deposits and change services.
"Over the past decade, Charlestown has grown into one of the region's busiest centres. More people are choosing to live here, more businesses are opening their doors, and every day we see customers coming from right across the region to work, shop and access services," NAB Charlestown branch manager Sigrid Jones said.
"As the community grows, so do their banking needs. This investment will create a modern branch that's built around how people bank today, without losing the personal service that's always mattered."
A record 300 entries were received for the 2026 Business Hunter Awards.
This year's awards feature 20 self-nominated categories recognising outstanding achievement by businesses and business leaders.
In addition, the coveted Business of the Year Award will be selected from the winners of 10 business excellence categories, while the President's Award is a discretionary honour awarded to an individual or organisation that has made a significant contribution to the Hunter Region through leadership, community impact or business achievement.
Business Hunter CEO Bob Hawes said the calibre and diversity of this year's finalists reflected the strength of the regional economy and entrepreneurial spirit across the Hunter.
The most competitive categories this year included the Excellence in Micro Business (0-5 employees) and Excellence in Small Business (6-20 employees) awards, with more than 30 entries received in each category.
The Outstanding Employee and Outstanding Community Organisation categories also attracted strong fields.
The winners will be announced at a gala ceremony at NEX Newcastle on September 11. The full list of finalists is on the Business Hunter website.
Ampol has expanded its partnership with Rural Aid with a three-year commitment to disaster assistance, infrastructure, and programs to support farmers, farming families and rural communities through everyday pressures, hardship, disaster, recovery and longer-term resilience. The partnership will also create opportunities for Ampol employees to volunteer alongside Rural Aid teams
