Stanthorpe & The Granite Belt

Carnarvon Bridge over Quart Pot Creek, Stanthorpe

Overview

The Granite Belt is an area encompassing the Great Dividing Range in the Darling Downs region of Queensland and the New England region of New South Wales in Australia. At the heart of the Granite Belt lies Stanthorpe, in the cool, high country on Queensland’s southern border.

Stanthorpe is Queensland’s answer to Adelaide’s Barossa, Perth’s Margaret River, Sydney’s Hunter Valley, Tasmania’s Tamar Valley and Victoria’s Yarra Valley. Wineries, wineries and more wineries. In fact, there are more than 50 in the Granite Belt region.

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Enjoying life in the vineyards at Summit Estate after a wine tasting

Previously known as Quart Pot Creek, Stanthorpe took its existing name after a mining rush in 1872 (‘stannum’ is Latin for tin; ‘thorp’ is English for village). The town has a population of 5500 and is currently home to a cosmopolitan mix of residents, backpackers, travelers and eager weekend hikers.

One striking feature of the Granite Belt is its granite boulders which adorn the front yards of many homes and can be seen in their utmost glory as precariously balancing masterpieces at Girraween National Park. You’ll see boulders punctuating the highways and parks wherever you set foot.

Stanthorpe is notoriously cooler and more temperate than its nearby coastal Queensland neighbours of Brisbane and the Gold Coast, and you may even encounter occasional winter snow fall. It’s a place to enjoy winter log fires and milder summer’s with less humidity. It’s a relaxed town and one where you can visitors can sample the local produce with a takeaway coffee or find one of the many BBQ facilities to cook up a storm.

The spectacular countryside is a divine mecca of wineries, breweries, gourmet produce, bull farms, apples, lakes, bushranger hideouts, cheese factories and even a giant thermometer. Stanthorpe itself has a midlands England feel with a stunning riverside walk on the edge of the town beside Quart Pot Creek.

Amongst the giant granite boulders at Donnelly’s Castle, the famous bushranger’s hideout

If you’re a wine lover, then be sure to check out the multiple James Halliday five-star rated wineries, including Ballandean Estate, Golden Grove Estate, Heritage Estate, Summit Estate & Symphony Hill Wines (listed below). The Granite Belt has also developed a quaint initiative: The Strange Bird tour. This name refers to the numerous alternative varietal wines grown in the region. To be labelled as such, they must not represent more than 1% of the total bearing vines in Australia as defined by the Australian Wine and Brandy Corporation. When visiting a winery, just ask the friendly staff members which are their ‘strange birds’!

White wine ‘Strange Birds’:
Alvarinho, Chenin blanc, Fiano, Gewurztraminer, Marsanne, Petit Mansent, Roussane, Sylvaner, Verdelho, Vermentino, Viognier

Red wine ‘Strange Birds’:
Barbera, Durif, Graciano, Malbec, Montepulciano, Mourvedre, Nebbiolo, Nero d’Avola, Petit Verdot, Pinotage, Sagrantino, Sangiovese, Saperavi, Tannat, Tempranillo

Road signs around The Granite Belt highlighting wineries in various regions

Itinerary

Don’t leave the Granite Belt without tracking down my two favourite strange birds:
# Marsanne Wild Ferment 2018, Heritage Estate
#Tempranillo 2017, Summit Estate

Accommodation

Accommodation in the region is cosy and quaint. There are a few luxury eco stays available as well as many Airbnb, hotel and motel options. The Granite Belt Brewery also has a significant number of cedar cabins on offer, all complete with fireplace. I stayed at the Boulevard Motel in their deluxe queen room which had gorgeous views across Quart Pot Creek. The morning pink hues were delightful!

View from the Boulevard Motel overlooking the southern entrance to Stanthorpe: the Carnarvon Bridge over Quart Pot Creek

Friday

Jamworks Gourmet Foods Cafe & Larder

With more than 160 preservatives in store, your morning tea could not be finer! All menu items are made from local produce within Stanthorpe or the Granite Belt and you’ll have a variety of jams, jellies, marmalades, butters, pickles, relishes, chutneys and pastes to choose from to take home with you! There’s also a cheeky ‘boozy’ range, with jam flavours such as Plum & Shiraz and Peach & Chardonnay.

Symphony Hill Wines

With Qantas choosing 3 of their wines to serve on business flights including the 2016 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon (with RRP $95 AUD), you can rest assured that quality is at a premium here. Surprisingly though, for all the accolades, the cellar door is friendly and inviting, relaxed and rustic. Find a place amongst the barrels for a romantic and intimate tasting.

Lunch: Hidden Creek Winery & Cafe

When you arrive at Hidden Creek you’ll understand why this is the lunch destination of choice and why a good few hours are required. You could easily spend the afternoon.

Picnic on the green at Hidden Creek Winery

A sparkling lake will greet you along the long driveway up to the cellar door, with visitors casually seated under trees with pre-prepared picnic baskets and a bottle of wine (and often a pooch or two) or at the lakeside table seating.

It’s ideallyic and magical and you’ll be wonderfully surprised. Relax and sip the afternoon away.

Mount Stirling Olives

Many brochures will point you in the direction of this previously thriving olive farm. Sadly it has changed owners and is now permanently closed, with many of the olive trees having been removed. No need to stop here folks!

Brass Monkey Brewery

At the end of a long gravel driveway lined with cherry blossoms and grazing sheep, you’ll find a lake and a wooden beer house. It’s rather understated but full of the fresh golden stuff in various flavours.

Dinner: Picnic at Mount Marlay Lookout

For the best overall perspective of Stanthorpe, look no further than Mount Marlay. Take your camera, a picnic dinner and enjoy the view at the top!

Saturday

Brunch: Sutton’s Shed Cafe @ Sutton’s Juice Factory

Make no mistake about it, Sutton’s apple pie is famous! I heard countless people referencing it along my travels in Stanthorpe. Open from 9.30am, why not tuck into a slice of their hearty warm pastry specialty with some fresh cream at the shed on their working orchard. For the naughty ones who dislike rules, have a taste of their cider. It’s TDF. If you’re feeling a little less decadent, there are also more figure-forgiving options, with all fruit and herbs grown in their garden! It’s the perfect way to start the day before a couple of wine tastings.

Stroll along Quart Pot Creek

The pretty Quart Pot Creek meanders around granite country and natural bushland, through the town of Stanthorpe and on to Spring Creek where it forms the Severn River. It provides a relaxing atmosphere to take in the beauty of the region, showcasing water-worn granite boulders which provide wonderful picnic spots along the way. There is a 5km walking and cycling track amongst beautifully landscaped gardens where you can feed the ducks, watch for birds, paddle at the water’s edge or just sit under the shade of a tree.

The Giant Thermometer

In true Australian style, Stanthorpe carries on the tradition of ‘big’ items around the lucky country. Unveiled in 2018, the $100,000 tourist attraction is another homage to Queensland’s coldest town.

The Big Thermometer along the Quart Pot Creek walk

Summit Estate

Catering to smaller groups and individuals, Summit Estate is welcoming yet refined. There’s a sense of pride here that is eager to be shown to those who appreciate great wine. The vines stretch almost as far as the eye can see and the outdoor seating overlooks this.

Tastings at the cellar door are informative but not overbearing: if you have a question, it will be met with a sparkle in the eye of the one answering. I thoroughly enjoyed my wine tasting at Summit Estate where visitors can select 5 wines from a list of sparkling, whites & reds.

My selections included:

Sparkling Marsanne 2019
Summit Estate 2017 Chardonnay
Summit Estate 2017 Tempranillo
Summit Estate 2015 Solstice Red (Cabernet Malbec blend)
Summit Estate 2017 Tannat

Pro Tip!
For a small additional fee, you can also try the Summit Estate 2016 QC (Queensland Cabernet) which is refunded if the bottle is purchased. From personal experience, don’t miss this!

Ridgemill Estate

This expansive and beautiful 10-acre vineyard lies down a sleepy country lane in the beautiful Severn River Valley. It was first planted in the 1990s with terroir similar to that of the Rioja region in northern Spain. The north-south axis of the vines allow ripening of the grapes to occur slowly and evenly, producing rich, distinctive and flavoursome wines in the cool climate Granite Belt. Why not pull up a chair at the cellar door or on the deck overlooking these vines, or alternatively enjoy a picnic on the lawns with one of Ridgemill’s delicious cheese platters or charcuterie boards.

Pro Tip!
Stay in one of Ridgemill’s studio cabins or their 3-bedroom winery escape house, which are all pet friendly, for a romantic escape from the city. On top of amazing vineyard views and underneath a stunning southern night sky, there’s also bicycles, books, a BBQ, DVDs and board games for guests.

Fun Fact!
Collect some food from reception to feed the adorable energetic goats at the winery / accommodation! They will poke their heads (and tongues) through and over the fence to get to the food!

A very well fed and happy goat at Ridgemill Estate

Lunch: The Barrelroom, Ballandean Estate Wines

The Barrelroom offers casual fine dining amongst 150 year old port barrels with eclectic modern Italian-Australian fare. Fresh and seasonal ingredients accompany the most delicious pasta and breads, all handmade on site. After sitting down to a highly aromatic dish of beef carpaccio with garlic aioli, baby leaves, fried capers, grated regiano and black truffle oil, whilst sipping on a glass of Ballandean Estate’s ‘Messing About’ Shiraz Viognier on French oak, the relaxation and contentment was palpable.

Golden Grove Estate

Located in Ballandean, Golden Grove Estate sits at an altitude of 820 metres and vineyards are drip irrigated from the nearby Accommodation Creek. The property has changed considerably since Mario and Nita Costanzo first settled there in 1946, growing grapes and stone fruit for local markets with left over grapes processed into bulk wine and sold to the Italian immigrant community. Since then, family members have taken over to produce commercial wine, specialising in lesser known varietals in more recent years.

Dinner: Varias Restaurant, QCWT

Varias restaurant lies within a state-of-the-art $8.5 million education and training facility, the Queensland College of Wine Tourism. The College is located on the campus of Stanthorpe State High School and provides specialist education and training facilities for the wine tourism industry in conjunction with University of Southern Queensland.

The award winning restaurant and function centre sits amidst the Banca Ridge Vineyard and Cellar Door. I couldn’t go past the two specials for the evening paired with two ‘strange birds’:

Cauliflower and blue vein soup, paired with Banca Ridge 2019 Marsanne
Grilled ocean trout with sautéed prawns and pearl cous cous, paired with Banca Ridge 2019 Fiano

The food was impeccable, service delightful and décor inviting!

Sunday

Breakfast: Brinx Deli

A gourmand’s paradise, this deli is packed to the brim with sweet and savoury pantry goods, as well as more pastes, sauces, dry pastas, specialty chocolate and nougats than you could ever hope to carry as presents for friends or memoirs of your trip.

With breakfast options such as bacon and egg bagels, croque monsieur toasties, egg florentine toasties, acai bowls, quiche and gluten free fritatas, Brinx keeps mornings fun and tasty!

Walk around Stanthorpe Main Street

Stanthorpe is a beautiful country town with old style buildings juxtaposed with modern cafes and wall art.

Enjoy a stroll down the main street to soak up life in the slow lane.

If you return in the evening you’ll be surprised by charming fairylights.

The Brass Monkey statue

At the intersection of Maryland and Railway Streets is the Brass Monkey in Stanthorpe. It is a visual reminder that this town, at 800m above sea level, holds the record of the lowest temperature recorded in Queensland and is a symbol of the colloquial expression: “cold enough to freeze the balls off a brass monkey”.

The plaque reads:

“In long ago wars, artillerymen had a brass plate called a monkey, which sat alongside the cannon. The plate held 30 cannonballs stacked pyramid-like, until on freezing nights the monkey would shrink and the balls would fall off”

The Brass Monkey Statue, Maryland Street, Stanthorpe

The Big Apple

Technically the Big Apple is in Thulimbah, 13km north of Stanthorpe along the New England Highway. It stands proudly outside a historic icon of the region, Vincenzos cafe and deli. It represents the region where Queensland’s apple crop is grown with orchards dotted around the countryside and even an apple and grape harvest festival every second year in February/May. Be sure to stop past for a fun photo!

Lunch: “Nips & Nosh” (Fri, Sat or Sun lunch) at Heritage Estate Wine

Directly off the New England Highway is the satellite tasting cellar for Heritage Estate Wines. It’s in a beautifully restored small old church and provides for a very relaxed tasting.

Down the road in Cottonvale is the landmark estate, with lunch options such as their famous 5 course ‘Nips & Nosh’ which pairs wines with the likes of French chevre, prawns, truffled mushroom soup, arancini and Angus beef cheek; as well as a 7 course “5 senses” degustation for dinner.

Casle Glen liqueurs

Castle Glen is impressive from its exterior: a solar powered castle with a long driveway past the vines.

Unfortunately I was swooped by a magpie on entry so my visit was off to a poor start! The interior is quite dark and foreboding, much like a real castle.

It is an interesting stop if you have the time and with around 200 liqueurs to choose from, there’s something to suit all tastes. The traditional English method of fermentation and fortification is used to convert fresh and natural ingredients such as fruit, nuts, dark and white chocolate and liquorice root into some delicious concoctions.

Cheese tasting at Stanthorpe Cheese & Jersey Girls Café

If artisan cheeses made from a single herd of pure bred Jersey cows from one farm is a concept that piques your interest, then make sure you visit one of the most pleasurable and satisfying places in the Granite Belt! I was completely besotted with this place and the warm welcome from staff was priceless. Cheese is dependent on local conditions: if it’s raining and the grass is rich and luscious, cheese is bright yellow and has an earthy aroma. If it’s frosty or snowing and the cows are cold and being fed hay, then cheeses are more intense in flavour and lower in yield.

I walked into the industrial shed of the dairy farm and was immediately whisked away for an impromptu cheese and gourmet produce tasting! After the cheese we tried various local produce such as garlic metwurst, quince paste, plum and chilli jam, New England Larder lemon butter and New England Larder toffee apple syrup.

The cheeses on offer included:

“Jersey Cow Feta” – lighter on salt and in brine
“Tait” – this one comes with a hilarious story after the inebriated cheese maker produced a delectable washed rind with camembert
“Thulimbah” – washed rind curd
“The Outlaw” – hickory smoked flavours ideal with potato bakes and carbonara
“Rex” – named after the puppy who would greet everyone at Stanthorpe Cheese; a rich sharp and crumbly Romano
“Stanthorpe Pepper” – rich, crumbly and spicy with whole peppercorns
“Stanthorpe Matured” – creamy, crumbly, full bodied aged cheddar

My favourites were undeniably the Tait and Stanthorpe Pepper which I devoured with my favourite Granite Belt wine purchases later that week!

Donnelly’s “Bushranger” Castle

At the end of a long winding dirt road (which is remarkably well known but inconveniently not that well sign posted) is the famous granite rock site used by bushranger ‘Captain Thunderbolt’ as his hideout!

Impressive sign posting towards Donnelly’s Castle

First things first though, it’s not actually a ‘castle’. This quiet spot is a wonderland of huge granite rocks which form caves and crevices, as well as a lookout on top of one of them. Thunderbolt was the longest roaming bushranger in Australian history and it’s no surprise he managed to elude authorities here!

For an alternative dinner option, stay on at the local park with BBQ facilities and enjoy the sun going down as a bushranger would do!

Dinner: Granite Belt Brewery & Restaurant – 3 course set menu

Established in 2012, Granite Belt Brewery offers ales and lagers that are hand crafted 1000 litres (9 barrels) at a time. The microbrewery offers paddles with a selection of 4 beers in either 85ml sizes or 200 ml sizes. I went with the Applethorpe Cider, Session Ale (Kolsch), Strawberry Kolsch and Lager.

Diners can pair a Brewers Platter with their beers, which includes four delicious dishes, or book ahead to experience the set dinner menu, which includes an entree, main and dessert selection. Make sure to step outside for a beautiful view across the lake.

Monday

Hike in Girraween National Park

After all of the indulging at restaurants and wineries in Stanthorpe, don’t miss my post on Girraween National Park, located just a short drive away and full of stunning nature walks and vistas to burn off that extra energy!

The Balancing Rock at Girraween National Park near Stanthorpe

Picnic lunch in Girraween NP

Pack a picnic and take a seat at the Bald Rock Creek Day Use Area which hikers can use to recharge after an unforgettable adventure through Girraween National Park.