Reset your mind and body with 3 days in the Granite Belt

Want to recharge your soul, but short on time? Reconnect with nature and nourish your body and mind with three days in the Granite Belt.

Known as Queensland’s wine country, the region is home to more than 50 wineries as well as fruit farms, charming country towns, and even our very own ‘Big Apple’.

Forage for truffles, hike past giant boulders balanced on granite outcrops, picnic in the vineyards or indulge in grape therapy—there’s no better place to hit reset.

Ready to get away? We’ve put together a three-day itinerary highlighting the best things to do in the Granite Belt.

When to visit and how to get there

Situated high in the New England Tablelands, the climate in the Granite Belt is unique by Queensland standards, with four distinctly different seasons, each offering its own appeal.

Summer brings roadside fields of yellow sunflowers before the leaves turn orange in autumn and the vineyards are harvested. Winter is the perfect time to snuggle up around a fireplace before the wildflowers—and the region’s one million apple trees—bloom during spring.

Whichever time of year you visit, the best way to get here is by car, with Stanthorpe (where our journey begins) a three-hour trip from Brisbane.

Day one: morning

Your first stop is Sutton's Juice Factory Cidery & Cafe, across the road from the Big Apple, one of Queensland’s famed ‘Big Things’ (don’t forget to take the obligatory photo pretending to eat it).

Enjoy a slice of Sutton’s famous apple pie and apple cider ice cream—made from apples grown on site at the family-operated working orchid. Before you leave, make sure you check out the range of apple products, from gourmet juices to brandy, preserves and syrup.

Next, admire the street art as you wander down Stanthorpe’s boutique, gallery and café lined High Street. This is also where you’ll find the Markets in the Mountains, where local artists show off their creations on the second Sunday of every month.

Afternoon

Lunch today is at The Little Larder. Run by a former flight attendant, The Little Larder brings the flavours of the world to Stanthorpe, combining them with local produce and know-how—the relishes and jams are straight from a generations-old family recipe book.

Then, it’s wine time! Your Granite Belt wine discovery begins at Tobin Wines in Ballandean. The old-world philosophy here is all about the grape (as Alex Tobin puts it: “No winemaker is gifted enough to make those wonderful flavours and aromas—all of the work happens out there in the vineyard”). Each varietal limited to 160 cases to uniquely express the flavour of the grape.

Evening

You’ve heard of farm-to-fork produce, how about garden-to-fork? Ingredients from the kitchen garden at Essen are incorporated into this family-run restaurant’s homestyle menu, which changes every week to reflect the availability of local produce.

Tonight’s accommodation is a wine barrel. Yes, really! The self-contained giant wine barrels at Barrel View Luxury Cabins in Ballandean combine all the luxuries (private ensuite, luxurious king-sized bed and of course fluffy slippers and fireplace for those crisp winter nights) with panoramic views of Sundown and Girraween National Parks. One night here isn’t nearly enough, so you’ll be staying two.

Day two: morning

Stary your day with breakfast at Brinx Deli & Café (look out for the pink shopfront), where you’ll find some of the best coffee in town alongside breakfast favourites with an Italian flair, and a deli offering locally sourced preserves, jams, cheeses and more.

Next up, you’ll be going foraging at The Folly Truffles, Queensland’s first commercial truffle farm. The truffiere offers tours all year round, but the best time to visit is during harvest season (from the end of June to August), when you can hunt for French Périgord truffles before tucking into a truffle pasta lunch.

Afternoon

The strawberries taste sweeter here in the Granite Belt, and they don’t come any sweeter than those at the family-run Ashbern Strawberry Farms. Stop in here between May to October to pick big, juicy strawberries straight from the vine.

With a basket full of strawberries in tow, the afternoon is yours. Head back the Barrel View Luxury Cabins for some R&R or spend the afternoon winery-hopping.

Stop in at Ballandean Estate Wines, home of the Viognier, the ‘red-wine drinkers white wine’, or Heritage Estate Winery, where you’ll find some of Queensland’s highest rated wines at the cellar door, once a 1940s apple store.

Evening

Dinner tonight is at Seventh Wines in Ballandean, one of the newcomers in the Granite Belt wine scene. Inspired by the seven deadly sins, pair your paella or pork belly with local wine and live music.

Day three: morning

Rise and shine! It’s an early start this morning as you make your way to the spectacular Girraween National Park (Girraween is an Indigenous word meaning ‘place of flowers’).

Discover giant granite boulders, precariously balanced as if placed there by magic, alongside incredible rock formations, set amongst eucalypt forests and open heathlands. You’ll also encounter diverse animals and bird life, from blue wrens and bearded dragons to echidnas and wombats.

The views in Girraween are jaw-dropping any time of the year, but especially during spring when brushstrokes of golden wattle and brightly coloured pea flowers light up the landscape.

You’ll find walking trails for all fitness levels, from the 30-minute Granite Arch trail through to the full-day hike to the top of Mount Norman, complete with Grade four trek and rock scramble.

Other popular trails include the five-kilometre Castle Rock trail, with panoramic views from the peak, and the Pyramid Trail, a four-kilometre leg-burner that rewards you with views of Balancing Rock.

There’s only one thing that makes stunning views even better, and that’s a picnic. Pack your own or get someone else to do the hard work.

Pick up a grazing platter from Brinx Deli (the platters are as Instagram-able as they are delicious) or hit up Stanthorpe Cheese, the highest and coldest cheese shop in Queensland—they’ll even throw in cold packs for extra-long days.

Afternoon

Had your hiking fix? There are lots of places in Stanthorpe for you to spread out the picnic blanket, from Lions Park with its serene views of Quart Pot Creek to Donnelly’s Castle, the original hide out of New England bush-ranger Thunderbolt. Or dial up the romance and picnic amongst the vineyard at Summit Estate Wines or enjoy a pre-made hamper as the sun sets over Ridgemill Estate.

Evening

For your last night, you’ll be staying at Alure Stanthorpe, a couple’s retreat on 50 acres of private bushland. Stay in a secluded luxury hilltop villa or glamp in the African Safari tent and kick back and relax in the spa with a glass of wine and hand-made soaps from Washpool Supply Co.

The next morning

It’s almost time to leave, but before you hit the road, head back into town for one last leisurely stroll down the High Street. Get a caffeine hit and browse the clothing and gifts boutique at Little Pomme before hitting up ZEST Pastries for some goodies for the trip home.