There are many places in Australia to explore, but one location you should put on your travelling bucket list is Stanthorpe. This rural town, recognised as Queensland’s coldest, is jam packed with awe-striking natural wonders, mouth watering food, and award-winning wineries.
Although a day trip to the area is sure to bring many memories, it’s best to stay a while in the Southern Downs region to fully immerse yourself in all that it has to offer. With so much to see and do, here are four things you should definitely include in your itinerary in Stanthorpe:
Check Out the Girraween National Park
Girraween, which means ‘place of flowers,’ is a picturesque park packed with granite outcrops, angular tors, and balanced boulders. It essentially replaces rainforests with rocks, offering a completely different experience compared to the likes of Springbrook and Lamington. Of course, it also boasts an array of wildflower displays situated among the granite during springtime.
There are tons of activities you can do in Girraween, including camping, walking tours, and even swimming! If you want to be on two wheels, you also have the option to explore the area on a bike and wander around Girraween’s remote ‘back country’ where you can enjoy forests and springtime wildflower displays.
Food & Drink
If you’re coming to Stanthorpe for the first time, you definitely won’t be disappointed with the amount of fabulous local produce that is on offer. Well known for its wineries & stone fruit, the area also offers the chance to try local olives, truffles, cheeses, lavender farm, strawberries and much much more.
Be sure to choose a restaurant that showcases some of the spectacular local produce that the area is known for. Feeling adventurous, why not try a heartyTenterfield Venison Pie.
If you need to wash the meal down with anything, Australia has some of the best breweries and wineries in the world. Stanthorpe and the Granite Belt is home to a large number of them, offering the best-tasting beer and wine. The region is recognised internationally as a premium producer of medium-bodied wines. As well as producing traditional favourites like Shiraz, Merlot and Chardonnay, you will also find a growing number of alternative grapes such as Durif, Petit Verdot and Gewurzt. The Granite Belt Brewery has over 10 beers & ciders to sample, so you are sure to find a favourite or two.
Visit the Bushlands & experience the seasons.
The natural bushlands in Australia can be fun to drive through, and the ones in Stanthorpe are no exception. With the windows rolled down and music playing, it’s easy not to have a care in the world as you just survey the road and surrounding greenery.
Although Queensland is known for its year-round tropical climate, Stanthorpe is blessed with four distinct seasons offering 4 very different experiences.
In Spring the countryside comes alive with colour as the flowers burst into bloom, trees
spring back to life and newly born animals fill the paddocks.
With the rest of Queensland sweating through long hot summers, Stanthorpe enjoys comfortable summer averages around 28 degrees. Summer is the perfect time to enjoy the natural waterways, rivers and dams. Summer is also the season for stone fruit with cherries, peaches, apricots, nectarines, raspberries, blueberries and strawberries all available to buy direct from the farm.
Autumn is a fabulous time in Stanthorpe with the vibrant autumn colours making a stunning backdrop. The days are clear and provide the perfect temperatures for exploring the area’s national parks and the nights chilly enough to snuggle up in front of your cabin’s log fire.
Winter is Stanthorpes busiest time as visitors flock to enjoy a true winter season and hopefully a scattering of snow. Stanthorpes’s famous Big thermometer is a must-visit and is the perfect backdrop for a selfie to record the days’ temperature.
Relax at Great Accommodation
To unwind and recuperate after your busy day’s activities, it’s best to find the best accommodation that Stanthorpe has to offer.
Granite Belt Retreat is a 30-acre estate that offers private timber cabins and suites, all with log fires. There’s a lot of space in the rooms and the surrounding bush-land provides a tranquil environment for you to relax. They have a range of different cabins including spa cabins, family cabins as well as a self-contained house that sleeps 10. They even have dedicated pet-friendly cabins, so you can definitely bring along both your loved ones and furry friends along.
Conclusion
Stanthorpe is such a gem among all the locations in Australia that you can tour. Dedicating a trip to this region will be simply fulfilling, letting you make the most of your vacation while allowing you to feel right at home.
Looking for Stanthorpe restaurants to try out while visiting? Granite Belt Retreat & Brewery offers a range of different dining options that you’re sure to enjoy while basking in the sight of the Granite Belt region or cozying up in your cabin. Get in touch with us today!
