Making the most of The Granite Belt
Explore
With our deep local knowledge of our beautiful region,we take pride and delight in helping you experience it.
Whether you’re here for a few days or a few weeks, these are some of the things that you really must see and do.
Adventure
Girraween National Park
Set aside a day and embrace the natural beauty of the Girraween National Park, located 32 km south of Stanthorpe. Girraween is renowned for its precariously balanced natural rock formations or as us locals like to call it, rock scrambling! Girraween National Park offers vehicle access as well as a number of popular walking tracks, which are frequented by more than 120,000 visitors each year!
Pyramids lookout (Girraween)
The 360-degree views of the Pyramids at Girraween National Park is a must do for anyone visiting the area. Be sure to have a camera on hand, particularly for sunrise or sunset as these are photo opportunities that shouldn’t be missed.
Bike Trails & Tours
Hit the trails and explore the great outdoors of the Granite Belt. Trailblazers of all levels are able to explore eucalypt forests brimming with animal and bird life or traverse the Granite Belt terrain with some of the more advanced treks. Granite Belt Bicycle Tours & Hire offer fully-equipped guided tours tailored to your riding style, or if you prefer to go it alone they have a fleet of bikes for hire. They even deliver bikes to our Motel and pick you up if you’ve had enough for the day!
Family
Stanthorpe Street Art
Why not grab a coffee and meander through town where colourful graffiti, hidden street art and stone sculptures are to be found. Some of our favourites are the “Gone with the wind” public toilets behind the Farley Street Piazza and the cheeky Brass Monkey that sits outside the newsagent on the corner of Maryland and Railway Streets.
The Big Thermometer
In a state famous for sunshine and beaches, Stanthorpe is renowned for sub-zero temperatures! Situated in Quart Pot Creek just a 10 minute walk from the Granite Belt Motel, our Big Thermometer can prove it! Nestled creekside with picnic tables, toilets and the Visitor Information Centre nearby, The Big Thermometer has always got someone pulled up taking photos with it. Make sure you don’t leave town without yours!
Walk along Quart Pot Creek to Red Bridge
Grab your camera (and a coffee) and explore Stanthorpe on foot! Walk alongside the beautiful Quart Pot Creek that weaves its way through town and make your way to Red Bridge. Built in 1886, the railway bridge isn’t actually red anymore but it is a site to see and makes for a great stroll. There are 5km of creekside pathways throughout Stanthorpe so you can still enjoy your early morning walk when you visit!
Granite Belt Christmas Farm
There is plenty to see and do for the whole family at the Granite Belt Christmas Farm at anytime of year. You can explore their acres of farmland, enjoy one of their famous hot chocolates in the cafe, pick up some gifts and decorations from the gift shop, and even feed some of Santa’s animals in the petting zoo. Admission is free and they are open from April to December.
Granite Belt Maze and Mini Golf
Test your sense of direction at the Granite Belt maze. Make your way through the twists and turns while trying to solve a riddle, but watch out for those dead ends! Once you have defeated the maze, there is also a fairly challenging nine hole mini golf course and a giant chess set to play on. This is a great family activity for those that enjoy the outdoors and love a challenge.
Mt Marlay Look out
For a panoramic view of Stanthorpe (and some perspective!) head to Mt Marlay lookout. The lookout is just a short drive from the Motel and once there visitors can walk a short loop around the summit. The summit is also popular amongst the locals as a biking track.
Ashbern Farms Pick-Your-Own Strawberries
There’s nothing like the taste of freshly picked strawberries! And there’s no better day out with the family than hunting through the strawberry patches at Ashbern Farms. Once you’ve filled up your punnets you can head to the café to devour some homemade ice-cream made from fresh seasonal strawberries. Strawberry season is from October to May.
Four seasons
The weather in the Granite Belt has four distinct seasons: clear skies and fresh green budding leaves in spring, dry hot summers, colourful leaves in autumn, and cool crisp winter days where it has been known to snow! The variability of the Granite Belt’s weather means that regardless of the time of year you visit, you will always have a unique experience – there really is never a bad time to visit!
Dining
Essen Restaurant | Stanthorpe | For fine dining & cosy atmosphere
Essen brings German inspired cuisine to the heart of Stanthorpe! This true family-run restaurant is inspired from the family’s heritage and features traditional recipes from Austria and Germany, using the best local produce to create a delicious selection of home style meals. Recently awarded a Chefs Hat!
Varias | Stanthorpe | For fine dining and view of the vineyard
Varias Restaurant is a hospitality training venue showcasing food and wine created, prepared and presented by students from the Queensland Wine College. Their rotating menu remains local and seasonal and the food is always imaginative as students hone their fine-dining and culinary skills. They are open for morning tea, lunch and dinner and also offer picnic hampers to go for your adventures on the Granite Belt.+
The Little Larder | Stanthorpe | For a café that serves alcohol
Recently opened, The Little Larder is a New York inspired café open for breakfast, lunch and dinner. There is plenty of space for families with both indoor and outdoor seating. They also offer a Sunday bottomless brunch for when breakfast is just too early and lunch is just too late!
Hanasaku | Stanthorpe | For Japanese and sushi
Craving some Asian for your tastebuds? Hanasaku is the place to experience authentic Japanese cuisine and where sushi lovers go to eat on the Granite Belt.
St Judes | Ballandean | For cellar door & bistro dining
Serving up hearty bistro style food for breakfast, lunch and dinner, St Judes is the kind of place you head to when you want something more than a pub feed but not so fancy that you’ll be wondering which set of cutlery to use first. We recommend arriving early to do a wine tasting before lunch!
Zest Bakery | Stanthorpe | For patisserie style treats
A trip to the Granite Belt is not complete without leaving with some delectable treats for the car ride home! Zest is a locally owned café and bakery offering freshly roasted coffee, high quality sweets and pastries baked in house.
Granite Belt Brewery | Just outside of Stanthorpe | For large bookings & craft beers
Whet your whistle and enjoy a premium hand-crafted beer or farmhouse cider at the Granite Belt Brewery. The tasting paddles are thoroughly popular as you can enjoy a taste of all the signature beers as well as the seasonal brews. The brewery is also a good spot to stop for lunch as the pub grub is well priced.
Brinx Deli & Cafe | Main street of Stanthorpe | Campos coffee, so many great local Granite Belt products
Brinx Deli & Cafe specializing in gourmet ingredients from here and far. With a huge range of local products made on the granite belt. Multi cultural & diverse Brinx has goodies ranging from all over the globe with great & unique gift ideas ! The menu is revolved around their deli & we dare to be different. They also have a wide range of gluten free & vegan products & menu options. Serving Specialty coffee – CAMPOS COFFEE
Wineries
Discover the unique flavours and characteristics of Granite Belt wines.
For a full listing of the 45 wineries in the Granite Belt and to create a self-guided tour itinerary click here.
Daytime Experiences
Strange Bird Wine Trail
Despite the name, the Strange Bird Wine Trail doesn’t involve birds, but it certainly does involve wine! Strange Birds refers to unusual wine varieties. Our cooler climate and unusual growing conditions on the Granite Belt are actually perfect for lesser-known grape varieties. And this wine trail takes wine enthusiasts on an alternative wine “treasure hunt” across the Granite Belt. Don’t just stay with Cabernet or Chardonnay, try something different!
Sutton’s Juice Factory & Cafe | Applethorpe | For the BEST apple pie
No trip to the Granite Belt is complete without a visit to S
utton’s Juice Factory & Cafe to try their famous apple pie. Featured in Australia’s TOP 10 pies not to be missed of 2020 their pies certainly live up to their reputation! Each pie is hand made from scratch in their on-site kitchen with no additives or preservatives. Located at Applethorpe, it’s also a great place to stop on the way out of Stanthorpe to grab a pie to take home.
Stanthorpe Cheese | Thulimbah | For locally made farmhouse cheese
We love to visit Stanthorpe Cheese, its a great place to experience the taste of locally made cheese products. You can taste the difference in a true framhouse cheese. Stanthorpe Cheese is Queensland’s highest and coldest dairy farm cheese shop.
