With news the Hunter's cellar doors can reopen for wine tastings it would appear life is beginning to return to normal for the region's tourism industry.
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COVID-19 restrictions instituted fro late March had seen the district all but deserted so everyone is hoping for visitors to return on the long weekend.
Among them is Binnorie Dairy Factory at Lovedale.
Owned by Simon and Sally Gough the cheese factory and cafe had been doing it tough as the restrictions resulted in an 85 per cent drop in their sales.
They were supplying restaurants in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane.
"We were left with a factory full of cheese and no one to sell it to," said Sally.
"Local communities rallied behind the business so we sold most of the stock and we've managed to keep the business ticking along."
A morale booster came last month when its was announced they had received a delicious magazine NSW dairy produce award for their Labna cheese.
The cheese is make from milk sourced locally from the Wake family's dairy at Whittingham near Singleton. The Wakes's award winning Brown Swiss herd supplies milk to Binnorie as well as Hunter Belle another Hunter Valley based manufacturer.
"You need great milk to make great cheese," said Sally
You need great milk to make great cheese
- Sally Gough