3-night getaway to Stanthorpe & the Granite Belt

A couple of weeks ago, Mike and I took a short break and explored the area of Stanthorpe and the Granite Belt. We wanted a leisurely few days away seeing some sights, taking in a winery but also having time to chill out. Getting away for short breaks or drives falls nicely into my philiopshy of ‘being an active participant in life’ so off we went.

Neither of us had been to Stanthorpe and surrounds before so I was looking forward to discovering the area. I was very surprised at how much there is to see, taste and enjoy so we will definitely be making another trip there. It is a 3 hour drive from Brisbane so not far for a long weekend or mid week break.

Stanthorpe & The Granite Belt

What to see

The Granite Belt/Stanthorpe area offers something for everyone and we only saw a small sampling. It is definitely a place you can return to and discover new things. It is also popular for Winter weekend getaways to enjoy good food, wine and cozy times in front of the fire.

So what’s on offer?

• Wineries
• Nature
• Hiking and scenic walks – suitable for al levels and ages
• Scenic drives – there are 7 seven suggested tourist drives on the Granite Belt and we selected two
• Delicious produce – cheese, wine, jams, fruit
• Peace and Quiet

Where we stayed

Granite Gardens Cottages and Lake Resort

Mike and I wanted a short getaway combined with some sightseeing and relaxtion. The Granite Gardens Cottages & Lake Resort gave us that and more. With only 3 cottages on 35 acres, situated 5kms past Stanthorpe we felt relaxed as soon as we checked in. The gardens are lovely, full of birdlife and there were some friendly bovine neighbours who said hello over a morning coffee.

The property is the perfect location for visiting the wineries and surrounding areas. You would need a car to get there but you would need a car to tour around anyway. The cottage was well appointed with a spa bath and bathroom products of handmade soaps, bath and shower gels provided by the local Washpool Company and a fully stocked fridge with local produce for breakfast or snacks. Chris and Lynne thought of everything including Lynne’s homemade rocky road and were wonderful hosts. we will definitely be back.

Our Itinerary

Day 1 – Brisbane to Stanthorpe via Warwick

We left home around 9:30ish and headed towards Warwick which is is a town and locality in southeast Queensland, Australia, lying 130 kilometres south-west of Brisbane. It is the administrative centre of the Southern Downs Region local government area.  It is just over a two hour drive from Brisbane along the Gateway Mwy and Cunningham Hwy.

After a hour driving we stopped at the little village of Aratula. A rural town in the Scenic Rim of South East Queensland with a population of around 532 as at the 2016 census.

There is a fabulous bakery Arther Clive’s Family Bakehouse right on the highway and is the perfect place to stop for a coffee and refreshments. It was pretty full by the time we stopped at around 10:30am.

After a refreshing coffee and toilet stop we headed to Warwick for lunch at the Criterion Hotel. This heritage hotel was welcoming and I loved the interior design. Just look at the gorgeous tiled floor and stained glass windows. For lunch we opted for the Chicken Parmi with a glass of red and were not disappointed. The servings were very generous which is typical of country hospitality.

A quick walk around after lunch, we picked up some supplies for an easy dinner and headed to our accommodation the Granite Gardens Cottages and Lake Resort, Stanthorpe.

Day 2 – Stanthorpe , the Armistice Way and getting lost sort of!

After a leisurely breakfast, enjoying a coffee on the verandah of our cottage we headed into the Information Centre at Stanthorpe. The staff we so friendly and gave us more than enough information on the area.

There are several scenic drives around the Granite Belt area and for Day 2 we opted for a look around Stanthorpe and a drive of the Armistice Way. 34km via Thulimbah, Pozieres and Amiens

In Stanthorpe we visited the Town Creek Walk, a walk through the main street and then a quick drive to Sentimental Rocks for an easy walk through clusters of giant granite boulders along the bush walking tracks at Sentimental Rocks.

Back to the car for a drive along the Armistice Way which was a 34 kim drive taking in the area where veterans returning home settled after World War 1. The veterans named roads and hamlets after battles from WW1. Our first stop was Amiens Legacy Centre which has a train carriage full of memorabilia and history about the life of returned soldiers in 1920s.

We continued on and about half an hour later realised we probably weren’t on the right road. A passing local stopped and told us we had missed the turn off ‘way back’. We retraced our steps, and found our way back just enjoying the time out. We weren’t on a schedule so the detour didn’t really matter but at least we found out sooner than later.

We stopped in at the Stanthorpe Cheese Factory then on to The Big Apple and the popular Vincenzo’s Deli and Cafe for lunch where we enjoyed a delicious pannini and I treated myself to a woollen poncho in daring Red and Black!

After lunch we stopped in at the Kent Saddlery and I treated Mike to a leather carry bag for his birthday.

Home to our cottage to relax with a good book and enjoy and afternoon walk around the property. It is Autumn so the glorious Autumnal colours were everywhere.

Day 3 – The Highland Drive, a national park and a wine tasting lunch

Today, we were heading to Ballandean Estate Winery for a grazing board and wine tasting as part of an early birthday celebration for Mike.

We started out back at Stanthorpe to take in the town’s murals and then the lookout over Stanthorpe and surrounds at Mt Marlay. It was then on the Highland Drive which took us to Storm King Dam, Girraween national park and our destination of Ballendean. The Girraween National Park has so many walking trails and hiking trails. On this occasion, we didn’t explore as Mike currently has a hip issue which prevents him walking too far. The area looked beautiful so hopefully on a future visit we can explore more.

There are many wineries in the area but Ballandean had been recommended to us. Ballandean Estate is Queensland’s oldest family owned and operated winery. Located in Ballandean on the Granite Belt, 850 metres above sea level, the estate is home to some of Australia’s oldest Shiraz vines, and rarest wine varietals. Their winemaking practices combine the best of the old and the new. 

We enjoyed a leisurely few hours eating delicious morsels from the grazing board for two and tasting several wines. As it was mid week the restaurant wasn’t busy and we happily chatted with another couple who were celebrating their 52nd wedding anniversary.

We selected 4 wines each to try and they were all great choices. The Merlot was Mike’s favourite and mine was the White Muscat which is a dessert wine. I don’t usually drink dessert wines as they are too sweet but the White Muscat hit the right mark – not too sweet.

A quick look at the local ‘pyramid’ which was hand built in one of the local’s fields and then home to enjoy a last night in our cottage.

From Wikipedia:

The pyramid was built after a local resident, Peter Watters (Watters Vine Management Service), asked the land owner Stewart Morland what was to be done with the surplus amount of granite rocks that were excavated for land tillage, humorously suggesting that a pyramid could be constructed.^[2] Four hours later Morland decided to build the pyramid and contracted the work to Ken Stubberfield at a cost of more than $100,000.^[2][3][4]

Day 4 – Stanthorpe to Brisbane via Warwick

We enjoyed our last morning on the verandah with coffee and then reluctantly packed to come home. We both agreed it would have been nice to stay an extra couple of days to enjoy some time out at the cottage. It’s a reason to return that is for sure.

After saying farewell to Chris, our host, we headed to The Christmas Tree farm just out of Stanthorpe. On our trip to Tassie a couple of years ago we had discovered The Christmas Shop in Richmond, so I was determined not to miss The Christmas Tree farm. Acres of Christmas Trees growing which will be ready for Christmas plus of course two large areas full of Christmas decorations. We purchased a couple of decorations for our tree as is our custom when we travel and then headed for Warwick.

We had planned a trip to the Queen Mary Falls, but alas it was windy and showery so just made a quick stop in Warwick before heading down to Aratula and the delicious bakery for lunch.

We arrived home late afternoon and both agreed it had been a wonderfully relaxing getaway and one we would like to repeat.

I would highly recommend a visit to the area and perhaps 5 days would really give you time to experience what is on offer and also include some down time.

Have you visited Stanthorpe and The Granite Belt?

We came home feeling relaxed, rested yet in the mood for more travel! We’ve just booked a trip to Cairns in North Queensland for 6 nights at the end of July.

I’m joining Min from Write of the Middle for #WWWhimsy Wednesday Words & Whimsy link up

Women Living Well After 50

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