Stanthorpe and the Granite Belt is Queensland’s only destination to truly experience four seasons. Come April and May each year, Autumn in Stanthorpe sees the parks, vineyards and orchards turn to shades of autumn crimson and gold.
What most don’t realise is that Stanthorpe with its soaring altitude on the western side of the Great Dividing Range, is a world of its own, vastly different to Queensland’s coastlines and rainforests.
Autumn delivers a full sensory experience with mild temperatures and stunning countryside scenes. The changing colours and the crunch of leaves underfoot happen during the local Harvest Season, when apples and grapes are ripe and ready to be picked.
Read on to discover where to find the colour of autumn in Stanthorpe and Granite Belt Wine Country.
Quart Pot Creekside
Quart Pot Creek flows through granite country, bushlands and down through the town of Stanthorpe.
Take the easy five-kilometre trail suitable for walking and cycling along the creek to spot the town decorated in autumn colours. You’ll find tranquil picnic and barbecue areas along the way to admire the beauty any time of year.
Rotary Park at the Stanthorpe Visitor Information Centre and Big Thermometer is a popular starting point. From here you can take the walkway in two directions, either towards The Red Bridge or following towards the town centre.
For other on-foot journeys further afield make way to Donnellys Castle or the star of the region, Girraween National Park.
Colours in the Vineyards
With over 50+ wineries and cellar doors across the Granite Belt, as you drive the country roads you’ll see rows and rows of autumn-coloured beauty.
Visit one of the vineyards during April and May and you can find the later red grape varieties being picked in the vineyards (season depending).
While the beauty of autumn engulfs the region in every direction, some favourite spots to admire from with a glass of local vino in hand include Ravenscroft Vineyard’s boutique cedar cellar door and Summit Estate Wines where autumn colours drape across their entrance and large deck. Up it one and book yourself in to wake up to vineyard views.
Take a Winery Tour
To make the most of the wineries across the Granite Belt during autumn, there’s no better way than joining a wine tour for the day. Take a group tour or organise a personalised tour tailored to your tastebuds. Find a wine tour guide here.
Set high on the Great Dividing Range, Queensland’s Granite Belt Wine Country’s cool climate, rich granite soils and four distinct […]