Looking for the best things to do in Stanthorpe Queensland?
While some of the best places to go in Queensland definitely include the incredible beaches, if you are looking for an epic country getaway for all ages, we would highly recommend visiting the Stanthorpe “wine country” area of Queensland.
Not only are there amazing wineries to enjoy, but there are so many other attractions to do in the nearby area including tasting local produce, hiking and visiting incredible breweries, making it the ideal place to visit for people of all age and tastes.
Add these awesome attractions to your list to make the perfect Stanthorpe Weekend Itinerary! You will also find our suggested Stanthorpe itinerary below.
Best Things to do in Stanthorpe: Best Weekend Itinerary
If you are travelling to the Granite Belt region and you are looking for the best things to do in the area, we have created a comprehensive guide of the best things to do in Stanthorpe.
We have included activities that all age groups will love, whether you are travelling as a couple or with kids. Make a list of these places to create an epic Stanthorpe itinerary for your vacation whether it be a weekender from Brisbane or longer.
Dig into the World’s Best Apple Pie at Suttons Stanthorpe
Seriously one of the best apple pies in the world is found in Stanthorpe. In fact, I will go so far as saying it is the best apple pie I have ever tasted. The serving sizes are generous and big enough for 2 to share. It will set you back around $15 AUD for 1 slice of apple pie which comes with a delicious apple ice cream and cream on the side.
The apple pie is hand made on site, picked from apples on premises as the shop is located on a real working apple orchard. Aside from apple pies, there is a whole cafe of things to enjoy at Suttons including other sweet treats and hot and cold beverages galore.
If you are visiting on a hot day, it is so nice to eat outside amongst the trees. There are a lot of tables outside with umbrellas for shade. If you are visiting Stanthorpe in winter, there is also a large indoor area to dine at.
Make sure you pick up some of the best apple products to take home with you as you are leaving including delicious apple cider, apple juices, apple jam and jelly Stanthorpe honey and other locally made products.
Definitely one of the best things to do in Stanthorpe, which is great for foodies of all ages.
Website: https://suttonsfarm.com.au/
Address: 10 Halloran Drive, Thulimbah
Eat some of Queensland’s Best Cheese at Stanthorpe Cheese
If you are a serious foodie and apples alone just won’t do, head to Stanthorpe Cheese to taste some of Queensland’s most delicious local produce.
What is cool about this shop is all of the cheese is made onsite. They used to even have their own jersey cows where they sourced the cheese from but they sadly went with the new owners. Now the dairy is locally sourced from the Stanthorpe area.
There is a cafe on site you can go for a snack or breakfast. People rave over the scones with jam and cream which will only set you back around $5 if you are looking for a light snack while sightseeing.
We would highly recommend going there for their cheese tasting. It costs $3 per person to taste 12 cheeses. As you taste each cheese, a staff member talks about each one, how it is made and the story behind it. One of the cheeses you will taste is particularly interesting as it was a “mistake cheese” it was meant to be a camembert but as the cheesemaker was making it, a friend popped in with a bottle of wine and the cheese was overcooked. Luckily, this happened as now this cheese is one of their best sellers.
After you have had a chance to try the cheeses, you can purchase what you like from the store including a range of different relishes and breads that can be used with the cheese (you try some pairings at the tasting). A well worthwhile activity especially if you are staying for a few days in Stanthorpe and can take some cheese home with you for a picnic later.
Address: 4 Duncan Lane, Thulimbah
Website: https://www.stanthorpecheese.com.au/
Take a photo with the big apple
There’s another “Big Apple” and I’m not talking about New York. Stanthorpe has its own Big Apple as it is a large producer of Queensland’s delicious apples.
If you want to have an iconic photo of the Stanthorpe area, make sure you get a photo of “the Big Apple” while you are there. If you want some funky photos to post on social media, you can get a perception photo where it looks like you are holding an apple in your hand.
There’s no big factory or shop behind like say if you visit the big pineapple, however, there is a range of local cafes in the area behind if you feel like a light lunch or snack after a happy snappy.
Address: New England Hwy, Stanthorpe
Check out the local wildlife at Quart Pot Creek
If you want to go for a lovely walk where you can also take the opportunity to spot some local wildlife we would highly recommend a morning or afternoon stroll at Quart Pot Creek.
This is a “hanging out” point of Australian cockatoos. We saw about 50 cockatoos at Quart Pot creek while we were there as well as a kookaburra.
If the weather is good, this is a great place to come and enjoy a picnic or a BBQ with some local produce. Why not bring some cheese, crackers and other local produce down and have a feast.
Image credit: Visit Queensland
Drink wine at Ridgemill Estate Wines
If you go for a weekender to Stanthorpe, it is an absolute must to visit one of the wineries in the area. If you only have time to visit one, we would highly recommend visiting Ridgemill Estate Wines.
This winery is the closest to town so it is the easiest to visit if you are travelling via your own vehicle. Tasting is free and each bottle costs between $20 – $35 which is very reasonable for the great quality of wine they have on offer there.
If you are visiting Stanthorpe with kids this is also a great place to visit as they have the cutest goats that they allow visitors to feed for free. The goats are so excited to be fed they literally gallop towards you for a feed.
If you are looking for really great modern accommodation in Stanthorpe in adorable little cabins, this is a great place to stay. In fact, if you want to stay directly on a winery, this is one of the few wineries that actually provide accomodation.
A breakfast basket is provided in room which is really nice as you don’t have to worry about breakfast while you are there. If you are on a romantic getaway in the area, you can also order picnic baskets to enjoy while on the property.
Note: There is a tiny kitchen in each of the chalets where you can bring your own supples. There is a great BBQ area which you can use if you feel like drinking and not going out for the evening.
Book your stay at Ridgemill Estate Wines.
Be Jolly at the Granite Belt Christmas Farm
People are travelling from all over Queensland now to get the best Christmas tree in the country at the Granite Belt Christmas Farm. It is without doubt one of the best places to visit in Stanthorpe.
Obviously, the very best time of year you can visit the farm is in December where from the first of the month you can come and pick your favourite tree to have for Christmas that year.
The farm was set up by a lovely couple Brad and Katrina. We had the pleasure to meet Brad and he helped us select our Xmas tree. It was started in 2017 when Katrina got created and thought of a great idea to make money while still being a stay at home mum – an epic Xmas tree farm! Brad now works on the trees for 10 months of the year to create the most perfectly shaped Xmas trees.
Along with fully grown Christmas tree you can buy your own Christmas tree seedling ($12) from the farm to grow your own tree. Bear in mind that the trees take 6-7 years to grow to full size so don’t expect to use this tree for Christmas anytime soon.
As the Christmas trees are not purchased from overseas and pre cut (you are in fact selecting your tree and getting it right from the ground), Brad guarantees that your Christmas tree will last a solid 4 weeks provided you care for it properly and it is adequately watered. You can buy a medium tree stand (for trees up to 9-10 feet) for $69 which is great as it includes a water trough.
The price of trees range from $75 for a 5ft tree to $240 for a 12ft Christmas tree. If you need a small Xmas tree (Say under 10 ft) make sure you arrive before the first weekend of December as they will be most likely sold out after that. Note: Sold out of all Xmas Trees by 12 December 2021.
If you haven’t sorted your Christmas decorations for the year, there is an amazing Christmas shop which stocks pretty much everything you need for a gorgeous Christmas.
What is really fun about the farm is that aside from getting a Christmas tree there are other activities to enjoy. First of all, the farm has an amazing cafe with some of the best hot chocolate available in the country. The Christmas fudge and chocolate is also recommended. If you want a bigger meal, the cafe is also open for breakfast and lunch. If you decide to go in peak season, it is highly recommended to make a booking. There is also animal feeding at the farm where you can feed Santa’s farm animals (which even include reindeer) for only $2.
For a cute romantic date idea (or even as a fun thing to do with kids) there are now picnic baskets available that you can buy to enjoy a picnic among the Christmas trees. It is $40 for a couples picnic basket or $65 for a family picnic basket. The picnic baskets include: shaved Ham & Salami, crumbed chicken, mixed Leaf salad, white crusty loaf, brie cheese, relishes, aioli, Rocky Road & chocolate coated pretzels along with seasonal fruit. Picnics must be pre ordered. The farm does allow you to BYO your own wine or beer to enjoy on your picnic.
Address: 321 Aerodrome Rd, Applethorpe
Website: granitebeltchristmasfarm.com.au
Image credit: Granite Belt Xmas Farm IG
Go Beer Tasting at Granite Belt Brewery
If you love craft brewery’s you simply have to visit the Granite Belt Brewery while you are in the Stanthorpe area.
We would recommend getting the beer tasting paddle which included 4 different beer samples (includes about 3 standard drinks so if you are driving this is good to share between 2 people) for $22.
There is a fabulous outdoor deck that you can enjoy your beers in the sunshine which is really nice. It overlooks a grass paddock and a creek.
If you are wondering what beers to try, we would highly recommend the Apple Cider it was absolutely delicious and made from locally sourced apples as well as the Session Ale and Lager. We also tried the Chocolate Beer as well as the Chilli beer for fun however, these were not ones we liked much – fun to try though!
The brewery is also open for lunch and dinner. Keep in mind if you do visit, it is a set menu only which includes a 2 course or 3 course meal. A 2 course lunch is $30 pp and a 2 course dinner is $45 pp. The restaurant is open until 9pm for dinner. As we are not big desert people we would have preferred being able to purchase a meal only.
You can also stay the Brewery if you love beer and are looking for great accommodation in the area. Click here for accommodation at the Brewery during your dates.
Have breakfast at the Little Larder Stanthorpe
Coffee lovers rejoice because if you are a fan of good coffee you will be happy to know that Stanthorpe has a range of really good coffee shops to enjoy.
One of the top places for coffee and breakfast in Stanthorpe is the Little Larder Cafe. We tried the coffee here and it did live up to expectations the baristas knew how to do a good cup. If you are wondering what coffee beans they have, they use Merlos coffee in store. If you want breakfast at the cafe, one of the most popular items on the menu is the delicious smashed avocado on sourdough and eggs benedict.
What we loved about the cafe is the local community feel to it. If you are feeling generous you can buy a coffee for someone else. You get a little photo up on their love board if you choose to do so.
Along with serving up a mean coffee, there is local produce in store to buy including honey, chutneys and jams.
Have dinner at Essen Stanthorpe
If you want to enjoy dinner at Essen Stanthorpe you first will need to fight off the locals! One of the most popular places to dine for locals in Stanthorpe is Essen.
Essen is so popular as it is home style cooking from farm to table. It is open from Wednesday to Sunday for dinner only. The restaurant is BYO ($3 corkage) so you are able to enjoy a bottle of wine from one of the local vineyards while you dine here which is always nice.
The menu is set and everyone eats the same thing which is one of the fun, quirky things about Essen. It does regularly change so if you want to check out what is currently on offer you can check out their website.
Two course is $54 (entrée + main OR main + dessert) and a three course dining experience $68. It is well worth it for the quality of food on offer here. While they generally have one set menu, they are willing to cater for dietary requests where possible.
Example of a menu:
- Entree: Kingfish ceviche, smoked sweet potato, lemon, red beard, herbs from our garden
- Main: Main Wood fired pork, knodel, salsa verde, jus
- Dessert: Kniekircherln, lemon thyme crème patisserie, blood plum
Go strawberry picking at Ashbern Farm
If you find yourself in Stanthorpe between October and May, Ashbern Farm strawberry picking is an awesome activity to do for the whole family.
We went there in December and it was way too hot to get out on the fields to pick yourself but there is an awesome cafe on premises where you can just buy a punnet from the shop or perhaps some delicious strawberry ice cream.
If you do decide to pick yourself the amount you pay is just based on the weight of the punnet (currently at $10 a kilo). To give you a cost comparison, Woolworths sells strawberries at $12 a kilo so it is a little cheaper than the supermarket for strawberries and you get to do a fun activity!
Note: If you do decide to visit, it is only open to 3pm. We hope that they decide to open later in the future as in summer it is still very hot at 3pm!
Address: 2 West Rd, Stanthorpe
Visit Castle Glen
While it may be pretty hard to find an old medieval castle built anywhere in Australia, you can find a modern medieval castle replica at Castle Glen. This replica castle was built in 1994 as a winery and distillery.
What is pretty cool about the castle is inside is an array of different colours – they literally create every flavour and type of liqueur you can imagine. If you are into unique liqueurs or if you are looking for a cool unique gift this is a great place to go. All the beverages which are made on premises are 100% Natural, Chemical Free and Preservative Free.
If you feel like doing a wine tasting, you can also do that here. Outside is a great spot in Stanthorpe to get a photo.
Address: 3184 Amiens Road, Thulimbah
Enjoy a sunset at Mt Marlays Lookout
At the end of one day in Stanthorpe heading to Mt Marlays lookout is a simply must do. It won’t take long – you can drive right up and park 10-20 metres away from the lookout point but the view and especially the view at sunset is well worthwhile.
There are free mounted binoculars you can use at the lookout to get a more up close and personal look at Stanthorpe. If you have time and are able to make it a little before sunset, there is also a short walk around the summit that you can take. It is a quickie so it will only take you 15 odd minutes to complete – just make sure you are back in time for the sun setting.
While we were there, we noticed locals eating pizza out of the back of a ute as they watched the sunset and that looked like a mighty fine idea. There is a dominos in town if you feel like an easy meal one night.
Address: Lock Street Stanthorpe
Best Time to Visit Stanthorpe
The best time of year to visit Stanthorpe is really quite subjective. Many people love visiting Stanthorpe in the winter months because it is very cozy in front of a warm log fire in one of the cabins in the area. It is also not too hot during the day which is also nice if you feel like getting out and about.
Obviously, if you want to pick at Christmas tree at the Granite Belt Christmas Farm, the best time of year to visit the area is in December during Summer. To guarantee you get a tree we would recommend you visit before the second weekend of December. Believe it or not, the nights do still get rather chilly so bring a light jacket with you even at this time of year.
How to get to Stanthorpe
Stanthorpe is a really nice 2.5 hour drive from Brisbane in Queensland. After some rain the countryside is beautiful, green and lush so it is really a magical drive to take.
If you want to head to the amazing Sunshine Coast to continue exploring more of what Queensland has to offer, you can take another picturesque country route through Warwick and Toowoomba which is a lovely town to visit. It takes around 4 hours to reach the Sunshine Coast beaches from Stanthorpe if you are planning a longer trip around Queensland.
If you are coming in summer, you might like to make a stop to see the sunflowers fields near Warwick on your way.
Where to stay in Stanthorpe
There are so many great places to stay in Stanthorpe which really vary depending on your budget. If you are looking for a cheap getaway, there are plenty of clean cheap motels in town which only cost around $100 a night.
There are also fabulous slightly more expensive places to stay such as incredible chalets and cabins with log fires which are perfect if you want something a little more special, especially if you are visiting Stanthorpe as an anniversary trip or honeymoon.
Here are our suggestions on where to stay in Stanthorpe depending on your budget.
Best Budget Motels in Stanthorpe:
Apple and Grape Motel – One of the best affordable motels in the area is the Apple and Grape Motel.
If you are just looking for a no frills but clean and comfortable place to stay in the direct centre of Stanthorpe this is a good option. Stanthorpe Apple & Grape Motel is just 50 m from Quart Pot Creek and several walking tracks. It is a 10-minute drive from Summit Winery and a 15-minute drive from Aloomba Lavender Park.
High Street Motor Inn – Another great place to stay in Stanthorpe for the budget conscious traveller. Set opposite Stanthorpe Showground, next to Stanthorpe Golf Course and just 2 minutes’ drive from central Stanthorpe, this is a great place to stay for all that Stanthorpe has to offer. Girraween National Park is a 35-minute drive away.
Apple and Grape Motel
Mid Range Accommodation in Stanthorpe:
There is also some fabulous mid range accommodation in Stanthorpe which is not too expensive but not too cheap. Perfect when your visit is not a special occasion but when you want to stay somewhere half decent.
Honeysuckle Cottages – A great place to stay if you want somewhere really cute and quaint in Stanthorpe to stay.
Surrounded by native bush, Honeysuckle Cottages each feature a log fireplace, charming interiors and 1900s style furnishings, a fully equipped kitchen, a dining setting and a flat-screen TV with free in-room movies. Being just a 3-minute drive north of Stanthorpe’s city centre, and within a 5-minute drive of Stanthorpe Heritage Museum, Stanthorpe Regional Art Gallery and the Stanthorpe Airport, it is the perfect place to stay for exploring all that Stanthorpe has to offer.
Granite Belt Brewery – If you are a beer lover, it is so fun to stay right on a brewery, right next to the beer action. The accommodation at the brewery kind of reminds you of what an American camp would look like so basically clean and comfortable, a bit original but not too fancy. Still a pretty fun place to stay and very decent rates.
Honeysuckle cottages
Best Luxury Accommodation in Stanthorpe:
Serenità Stanthorpe – If you are looking for a really cool glamping experience which is the essence of luxury, you can’t miss Serenità Stanthorpe – quite literally the definition of glamping in luxury.
Ridgemill Estate Wines – Really great affordable luxury which is what we really like about this place. Plus the fact that it is located directly at a winery so you are able to grab a bottle of wine directly from premises during your stay.
Stanthorpe Itinerary (Weekend 2 nights)
If you are wondering how long you should stay in Stanthorpe honestly 2-3 nights is a really amount of time to get an amazing feel for the area. Many people come from Brisbane and just spend a weekend or a long weekend and that is plenty. It is nice to be able to keep going back and discovering more and more each time you visit.
Here is an itinerary we would suggest for 2 nights, 3 days in Stanthorpe.
Friday
Drive from Brisbane to Stanthorpe. Book your stay at Ridgemill Estate Wines. If you have time do a wine tasting at Ridgemill (must arrive before 5pm) to stock up on wines for the weekend ahead. Start your weekend right with a great meal at Essen. Yum!
Saturday
Get ready as a big day of fun in Stanthorpe is ahead of you. Enjoy the breakfast basket provided to you by Ridgemill Estate Wines. After this, go for a stroll along Quart Pot Creek. By this stage, I am sure you are ready for food again so lets stop by Suttons for a round of Apple Pie and perhaps a coffee.
As the cheese factory is in the same area as Suttons, after apple pie, is a good time to stop in for some cheese tasting. It won’t take too long and you can stock up with some goodies for the evening ahead.
During the middle of the day, you might like to go and pick your own strawberries at Ashbern Farm or check out/ do some wine tasting at Castle Glen.
Make sure you make it to the Granite Belt Christmas Farm by 4pm. As we would highly recommend having a cup of their famous hot chocolate, we would suggest getting there no later than 3pm. This leaves you time to pick a tree and feed the animals.
After the Granite Belt Christmas Farm, head up to Marlays lookout. This lookout has the best view of Stanthorpe and is an absolutely incredible spot to watch the sun go down – think epic orange colours over Stanthorpe.
For dinner, have a BBQ dinner at Ridgemill Estate or enjoy one of the best pubs in downtown Stanthorpe.
Sunday
Check out of your accommodation. Have a coffee and late brunch at Little Larder Stanthorpe.
Of course, there’s always room for a Sunday sess so head to the Granite Beer Brewery and enjoy a beer paddle on the back deck before heading back to Brisbane. Remember the beer paddle is 3 standard drinks so keep this in mind when staying under the legal driving limit.
Want a momento of your stay? Get a quick happy snap of the Big Apple before you head home.
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Other Qld Activities: