When it comes to planning a long weekend of vineyard-hopping and wine-tasting, regional Queensland isn’t exactly an obvious choice, but after a whirlwind couple’s getaway to Stanthorpe on the Granite Belt, I can’t think of a better spot.
The hidden gem sits along the southern border of Queensland Country, just three hours from Brisbane – the ultimate easy road trip!
Boasting the state’s coolest climate, the area is sprawling with elevated vineyards, making it the highest wine region in the country.
From intimate sunset tastings to luxurious stays, we all need a little country drive to the Granite Belt.
Day 1: Thursday
Ever dreamt of sleeping in a giant wine barrel? Because after a two-night stay at the Barrel View Luxury Cabins, it’s all I ever do.
We parked our luggage in the Saperavi Barrel – their most premium – which comes with its own outdoor bath overlooking the bushland.
Talk about lush! First on the day’s agenda was an indulgent cheese tasting at Stanthorpe Cheese, where we nibbled on a ploughman’s platter for two.
The Thulimbah and Stanthorpe Mature were our favourite cheeses.
From there, we drove to Sutton’s Juice Factory and Cidery in search of their famous apple pie (the best in town), but it was their homemade apple syrup that stole my heart (and stomach).
Their apple juice has allegedly won over Gordon Ramsay, and after tasting it, I’m not surprised.
Last on the day’s itinerary was View Wine for a drink and good banter.
Sitting on a hill overlooking bushland and surrounding vineyards, their cellar door is not one to let ‘sip’ away.
Day 2: Friday
A peaceful morning at the cabin was accompanied by a generous breakfast hamper packed with sourdough, fruit, vegies and antipasti.
Soon after, we found ourselves at Symphony Hill Wines, learning all about winemaking.
The cherry on top was sampling the very drops we saw behind the scenes.
From there, it was off to The Church – and no, not a real one.
Nestled in the heart of Ballandean village is a collaborative wine shop set in a revamped historical church.
The coolest part? They offer self-guided tastings with a rotation of drops on tap!
It’s a must if you’re keen to stock up on local bottles that are rarely sold elsewhere, and chat to winemakers who often pop up for store takeovers.
Another non-negotiable is Queensland’s oldest family-run winery, Ballandean Estate – the godfathers of the region.
For lunch, we enjoyed local nibbles paired with a tasting of the estate’s best reds and whites.
And the stand-out? The indulgent white liqueur muscat as a finishing note.
New batches have been mixed with existing liqueur inside giant German beer barrels for 50-plus years.
They’re the oldest working barrels in Queensland!
If you’re looking for something fresh, then Dear Vincent – self-proclaimed patron saint of good times – is the place to be.
Expect funky twists on traditional and modern wines with a splash of cheek.
The vineyard’s founder, Adam Penberthy, is a bloke who loves to have fun, which you’ll get in spades.
We enjoyed a tasting on the back of a ute, coupled with a sunset, grazing platter, wild kangaroos and Adam’s quick-witted humour.
An epic day calls for an equally epic dinner, so we hit up Ballandean Pub for a classic country feed.
This local hub (also owned by Adam) offers a glimpse into the region’s nightlife.
Not to mention, a darn good meal.
Day 3: Saturday
We scored tickets to the Grazing the Granite Belt tour – held in May and November – for $155 per person.
This got us unlimited use of a bus shuttle service that travelled between nine vineyards on a loop, along with six food and six drink vouchers (each) to use.
There wasn’t enough time to visit every place on the trail, but thankfully, we’d visited a few earlier on our trip.
We first met the group in Stanthorpe’s information centre, before embarking on the journey.
Our first stop of the day was Ridgemill Estate, followed by Bent Road Winery & Distillery.
Art of Krupinski was a summer’s dream, as we stuffed our bellies with delicious Polish dumplings filled with pork and cabbage.
A stop to watch the horses grazing at Jester Hill was next.
We then found ourselves back at The Church, playing bag toss and sharing a heavenly truffle chocolate dessert from The Folly Truffle food truck next door.
Not a dessert fan? They also make an otherworldly truffled black garlic mustard (now sitting in my fridge).
Thankfully, checking in at Diamondvale Estate was a breeze after a long day of touring.
We parked our bags in the Forget Me Not cottage.
Here, we were greeted by smooth country music playing in the background, lit candles and the owner’s cat purring at our feet.
Despite our grazing, we still made a short trip to Varias for dinner.
Once a training ground for hospitality and viticulture, it now beckons visitors to come and taste the finest of the region.
The fried artichoke with sunflower queso and cabbage as an entree was a stand-out!
Day 4: Sunday
We began with a hearty breakfast at Jamworks Gourmet Foods Cafe and Larder.
I wandered through their shopfront and stocked up on goodies to mail home.
We grabbed sweet and savoury jams, along with flavoured dry pasta and their infamous peri-peri sauce.
Soon after, we found ourselves at Ashbern Farm, where we picked strawberries fresh from the fields.
Followed, of course, by their delicious, homemade strawberry swirl ice-cream – YUM!
Arriving at Girraween Environmental Lodge, we were greeted by curious, wild kangaroos in the surrounding bushland.
Nature-lovers often come here for hiking trails through the Girraween National Park.
After settling into our lodge, we got to feed carrots to the pet reindeer.
We toasted to our last night with a sunset wine tasting at Balancing Heart Vineyard.
Their seasonal wine range was a beautiful blend of refreshing white drops and cooler, playful reds.
A glass of their 2024 White Liquor Muscat ‘Aphrodisia & Romanticism’ on the rocks was a sweet finish.
We ordered stone-baked pizza before wandering through the vineyard while they prepared the feast.
I still fantasise about their prosciutto crudo and pineapple pizza (with optional chilli flakes).
Not to mention, the sticky date pudding was the best I’ve ever had.
Day 5: Monday
Walking into Granite Belt Christmas Farm feels like stepping into your favourite Christmas movie.
It’s warm, cosy and made me wish I lived in the Northern Hemisphere.
We stopped by Mrs Claus’ Cafe to grab their famous hot chocolate, which we sipped while snooping through thousands of festive decorations.
Outside, a field of real Christmas trees lined up in rows, surrounded by reindeer, donkeys, chickens and other farm animals.
It was the perfect end to our time in the Granite Belt – I just wish I had more of that hot chocolate for the road!
The ultimate three-day experience in South Australia’s Riverland wine country
What is a Strange Bird?
The Granite Belt boasts an abundance of Strange Birds – alternative (or emerging) wine varieties that are lesser known and rarer to find in Australia.
As a rule, a wine variety can only be labelled as a Strange Bird if the grapes are grown on the Granite Belt and represent less than one per cent of Australia’s vines.
So, while other regions might be famous for more mainstream wine varieties (shiraz being Barossa Valley’s signature), Granite Belt makers have a flair for the extraordinary.
Head to granitebeltwinecountry.com.au to read up on the region.
