CHEAT SHEET: Picnics on the Granite Belt Made Easy!
Spend time with a friend, or score romantic ‘brownie points’… Here’s your ‘cheat sheet’ to creating the perfect picnic in Granite Belt Wine Country: Stanthorpe, Ballandean and surrounds.
NOTE: Listed prices current as at March 2021.
NEW! Picnic in the Christmas Trees
NEW Enjoy a picnic amongst the avenues of real Christmas trees at the Granite Belt Christmas Farm. There are lots of Santa’s animals to meet and feed too, plus a Mistletoe Store to browse.
Pets: Sorry no pets allowed onsite.
Picnic Baskets for Two: $40
Picnic Baskets for a Family: $65
Pre-order your picnic basket via www.granitebeltchristmasfarm.com.au
Location: Granite Belt Christmas Farm, 321 Aerodrome Road APPLETHORPE QLD
Picnic baskets available: Daily
NEW! Robert Channon Wines Picnic Baskets
Gourmet picnic baskets are now available to purchase at Robert Channon Wines. Picnic baskets are created by resident winemaker and gourmet artisan foods expert Paola and are ideal for a lunch on a wine tasting day out on the Granite Belt. Each picnic basket will feed 2 to 3 adults for lunch.
Guests are also welcome to BYO a picnic lunch.
Enjoy your picnic with a BYO rug or use one of their picnic tables on the lawn, with beautiful valley views over the Singing Lake and through the valley towards Stanthorpe.
Pets: Your dog is very welcome to join on your picnic at this cellar door.
Location: Robert Channon Wines, 32 Bradley Lane, Stanthorpe Qld
Picnic boxes are kept in stock, however it is recommended to phone ahead to reserve one if possible Ph: (07) 4683 3260
Gourmet Picnic Basket at Hidden Creek Vineyard
image credit @ashleyseychelle
Dining alfresco is what Hidden Creek Vineyard & Cafe do best, with gorgeous shady trees and lake and vineyard views. The cafe menu is very popular and full of local Granite Belt foods. With a picnic basket option you can take your dining experience anywhere on the property!
Pets: Your furry friends are also welcome to join you for your picnic in the vineyard.
Picnic Baskets for Two: from $75
Picnic Baskets for Four: from $120
Includes: Gourmet fare, picnic rug, wine glasses, cutlery and plates. (Can be V, GF on request)
Pre-orders required, ph: (07) 4684 1383 or 0416 182 027
Location: Hidden Creek Vineyard & Cafe, 2271 Eukey Road, Ballandean Qld
Picnic baskets available: Friday to Monday.
Summit Estate Sunset Picnic
image credit @the_original_catcat
How does a vineyard picnic in bean bags sound… or even more unique – a cellar door that stays open until sunset! Head to Summit Estate Wines on Friday or Saturday evenings and BYO picnic for their sunset sessions and soak up the amazing sunset views across the vineyard.
Pets: Your dog is very welcome to join us on your picnic, both inside AND outside the cellar door!
Grab one of the many bean bags and place them on the lawn, or bring your own picnic rug. Summit Estate truly invite visitors to do sunset sessions their own way and suggest some of these ideas: bring a picnic, order takeaway, have a wine tasting to buy wines to accompany your picnic, set up your portable BBQ, bring a birthday cake to celebrate, bring a musical instrument, bring a football or lawn games, practice your whip cracking, try their locally made craft beers… the sunset sky is your limit!
Location: Summit Estate Wines, 291 Granite Belt Drive, Thulimbah, Qld
We recommend phoning in advance, just to check there isn’t a special event or private function on. Ph: 07 4683 2011. Mobile: 0439 350 848
Gourmet Picnic Hamper at Ballandean Estate
A picnic in Ballandean Estate‘s vineyards couldn’t be easier… your hardest job is choosing your favourite private spot. Here at Queensland’s oldest operating winery the onsite restaurant The Barrel Room, prepares gourmet picnic hampers laden with fine local foods, a bottle of wine and everything you need for you picnic!
Your picnic at Ballandean Estate starts with a complimentary wine tasting at the cellar door, so you can choose your bottle of picnic wine for your basket. Then collect your gourmet picnic hamper and find a secluded corner in the vineyard, or set up under the shade of the grapevine-clad gazebo.
Pets: Dogs are welcome in the outdoors and vineyard areas of the winery.
Picnic Basket for Two: $85
Pre-orders & pre-payment required, 24hrs prior: (07) 4684 1226 or email info@ballandeanestate.com
Location: Ballandean Estate Wines, 354 Sundown Road, Ballandean Qld
Picnic baskets available: Thursday to Monday
Balancing Heart Vineyard Picnic Tables
Pets: Dogs are welcome!
Location: Balancing Heart Vineyard, 221 Old Wallangarra Road, Wyberba via Ballandean Qld
Lunches available: Daily
Sunset pizza dinners: Fri, Sat and Sun nights from 5pm
Picnic at Ridgemill Estate
The picnic hampers are prepared to order, packed with specialist deli items and gourmet foods from local suppliers. Have your hamper delivered to your cabin, pull out a Ridgemill picnic rug or enjoy the rustic picnic table setting under the trees over looking the vineyard (pictured above). The goats here are extra friendly and a feeding station allows an unclose encounter.
Pets: Dogs are permitted both in the vineyard and also ask for a dog-friendly cabin when you book.
Pre-order picnic baskets 24 hours prior ph: 07 4683 5211
Location: 218 Donges Road, Severnlea near Stanthorpe, Qld
Open: 7 Days
Gourmet Picnic Hampers or BBQ Packs Ready to Pick Up
The Queensland College of Wine Tourism in Stanthorpe makes picnics so easy it’s almost cheating! Phone ahead at least 24 hrs and order either a ready-to-go gourmet picnic hamper, or a gourmet BBQ picnic pack. View cost and what’s in the packs.
If you’re planning a bbq picnic, take it back to your accommodation and picnic outside there, or bring along your own bbq utensils, picnic rug and hamper with plates and the rest and just pop in to the college to grab your bbq pack enroute to your picnic location. Banca Ridge Cellar Door onsite can also help with the perfect picnic wine.
Location: The QCWT, 22 Caves Road, Stanthorpe Qld
Order BBQ Packs ph: 07 4685 5050
Open: 7 Days
Where to Order Take-away Picnics
Platters by The Little Larder Stanthorpe 0424 112 670
Platters by Brinx Deli & Cafe (07) 4681 3321
Take-away Ploughman’s Lunch by Stanthorpe Cheese & Jersey Girls Cafe (07) 4685 2277
Picnic hampers & BBQ packs by Varias Restaurant (07) 4685 5050
BBQ & Picnic Facilities at Bungawarra Wines
Bungawarra Wines in Ballandean is spots that’s a 100% boutique experience and part of the friendly welcome extended by owner/winemaker Jeff Harden is the invitation to use the picnic and barbecue facilities onsite.
The vineyard at Bungawarra was first established over 100 years ago and today you can still see muscat vines that are now over 80 years old – how special! While Bungawarra Wines could boast about their many wine awards, they believe your own tasting of the wines is the important part – so enjoy selecting your favourite picnic wines during a personalised tasting experience with Jeff.
Location: 81 Bents Rd, Ballandean Qld
Open: 10am to 4pm, 7 Days
Accommodation with Private Picnics
For a private picnic experience, look to these accommodation spots that offer amazing picnic table locations.
Pictured above: 31 The Rocks picnic table with a high view across an epic sunset. This location is on private property, available exclusively for accommodation guests. It’s a short, but slightly steep walk in some parts to access this spot, so an ideal private picnic location if you don’t have mobility constraints.
We’ll add more here as we sniff them out! Email info@granitebeltwinecountry.com.au with your own suggestions!
More Picnic Location Ideas…
Donnelly’s Castle Picnic Tables, Giant Boulders Exploring & Lookout
Girraween National Park with picnic tables near Visitor Centre
Mt Marlay Lookout, Stanthorpe, with picnic tables (no toilets)
Entrance to Donnelly’s Castle
… Find a Romantic Cabin or Villa
Now to choose a romantic location to stay overnight in wine country. While you’re in the business of making dreams come true with the romantic picnic, completely stun your partner with a romantic cabin in the vineyard or tucked away amongst private bushland!
…View Granite Belt Accommodation
