If you’re coming or going the long way, swing past sleepy Laguna where Rosanna Marsh runs one hell of a rest stop at Trading Post Laguna, which operates as a bakery, general store and wine shop. Smoke curls over the valley from the open fire, vines clamber over the corrugated tin roof.
Coffee is Allpress, brunch is wholesome, and dinner (Fridays only) could be beef dolmades followed by beef and Guinness pot pie. In nearby Wollombi? Don’t miss the chance to pull into the Wollombi Tavern for a steak sandwich, live music on the deck and the opportunity to have a swig of Dr. Jurd’s Jungle Juice, the legendary local concoction.


