Winter Weekend Getaway Guide to the Southern Downs & Granite Belt

YOUR WEEKEND GETAWAY GUIDE TO

THE SOUTHERN DOWNS AND GRANITE BELT Winter Edition

Southern Downs & Granite Belt

FIND YOUR WEEKEND The perfect weekend getaway is waiting here for you. Whether you’re after a relaxed couples retreat with delicious food and wine, an adrenaline-packed adventure break, or simply to bring the family into nature, it’s all here on the Southern Downs and Granite Belt.

ROMANCE

ADVENTURE

Fireside weekends

Sport and adrenalin

Want to experience a true winter this year?

You’re in luck! As the coldest place in the state, the mercury usually drops well below zero during winter. Make a platter from your day’s gourmet food purchases and rug up with a glass of Granite Belt red by the fire in your BnB.

Whether you’re a wanderer or a warrior, get out under our big skies and take in some fresh country air exploring our beautiful outdoors. Go totally off-grid fishing, mountain bike riding, four-wheel driving, hiking or relax with a round of golf, cycle country roads; or enjoy the excitement of horse and motorsports. It’s a brisk time of year but even more reason to get the heart pumping!

You might like: Sitting by a roaring fire – many of our accommodation providers offer fireside dining or in-room heating by way of pot belly stoves or open fireplaces. Make sure you ring ahead and ask, and just remember to pack the marshmallows!

You might like: Winter boasts an action-packed sports calendar including the Historic Leyburn Sprints, Shannons Nationals Championship, Australian Superbike Championship, plus heaps more car racing events. Horse enthusiasts will love the Polocrosse Carnival or the Warwick Rodeo and Gold Cup Campdraft in October.

Heritage and the arts Heritage and the arts are a big part of life in the region. Discover the stories of our past, admire our stately buildings, share in our creative pursuits at galleries and join us at heritage and cultural festivals.

The Southern Downs was one of the first free settlements in Queensland, so it’s not surprising that the present pays homage to the past in our towns. You’ll see it in the majestic sandstone buildings and the traditional timber Queenslander architecture that still dominate our streetscapes and remind us of our thriving agricultural history.

Refer to the Heritage and History Trails Booklet at your nearest Visitor Information Centre.

FAMILY

NATURE

Trains rides and farm stays

National parks and waterfalls

Looking for holiday inspiration this winter?

Try a farm stay and get the kids back to nature. Take the family fossicking or set off along a country road for a bike ride.

The region’s many national parks are host to some beautiful walks and for those brave enough for a winter camp, numerous campsites without the summer crowds.

If trail riding is more your thing then saddle up and explore the region on horseback.

Our cooler seasons are the perfect time to head outside and explore our three national parks, offering a range of walks, cascading waterfalls and pristine bushland. Head to the popular Girraween National Park for incredible boulders and walking trails, Main Range National Park for rainforest hikes and waterfalls or Sundown for a remote wilderness escape.

You might like: Milk a cow on a working farm at Gleneden Family Farm; enjoy national park camping at Girraween or Goomburra; go fossicking at Swipers Gully; enjoy horse riding at Bestbrook Mountain Resort or Cherrabah Mountain Resort; try your luck at fishing at Leslie Dam.

You might like: Watch the sunset at Girraween National Park; hike the Queen Mary Falls circuit; experience the world heritage listed Main Range National Park Goomburra section; go off the grid at Sundown National Park.

Winter and Spring 2021 Events

JUNE

JULY

AUGUST

Opera Queensland’s Are You Lonesome Tonight Warwick – 4 June Stanthorpe – 5 June

Historic Queensland Race Meeting Morgan Park Raceway, Warwick 2-4 July

Southern Downs Steam Railway Trips Departing Warwick 14 and 28 August and throughout year

Christmas in July Abbey Boutique Hotel, Warwick 2-31 July

Australian Superbikes Championship – Round 5 Morgan Park Raceway, Warwick 20-22 August

QLD Womens Hockey State Masters Championships Warwick 11-13 June Warwick Picnic Races Warwick Turf Club 19 June Motor Sport Sprints Carnell Raceway, Stanthorpe 19-20 June Shannons Motorsport Australia Championships – Rd 4 Morgan Park Raceway, Warwick 25-27 June Fine Vintage Jazz, Blues & Rock Heritage Estate Winery, Cottonvale 27 June

Snowflakes in Stanthorpe Stanthorpe 2-4 July Jumpers and Jazz in July Warwick 15-25 July Killarney Bonfire Night Killarney 17 July Christmas in July Granite Belt Brewery 21 July

IOR Rosebowl Polocrosse Carnival Morgan Park, Warwick 20-22 August Historic Leyburn Sprints Leyburn 21-22 August Warwick 1000 Morgan Park Raceway, Warwick 27-29 August

See the full events calendar at southerndownsandgranitebelt.com.au

SEPTEMBER OCTOBER

NOVEMBER

Summit State School Centenary Fair The Summit 4 September

Stanthorpe Gardenfest and Trade Fair Stanthorpe 8 October

Fine Vintage Jazz, Blues & Rock Heritage Estate Winery, Cottonvale 5 September

Warwick Cup Warwick Turf Club 9 October

Melbourne Cup Cocktails and Fancy Pants Heritage Estate Winery, Cottonvale 2 November

Bony Mountain Music Festival Bony Mountain 24-26 September Southern Downs Steam Railway Trips Warwick 24, 25, 26 September and throughout year

Stanthorpe Cup Armstrong Park, Stanthorpe 16 October Australian Small Winemakers Show – Public Tasting Stanthorpe 23 October Warwick Rodeo and Gold Cup Campdraft Warwick 25-31 October Granite Belt Art and Craft Trail Granite Belt 29-31 October

Condamine Country Art & Craft Trail Warwick 6-7 November Drag Racing Carnell Raceway, Stanthorpe 13 November Southern Downs Steam Railway Trips Departing Warwick 13 and 27 November and throughout year

SAVE THE DATE Stanthorpe Apple and Grape Harvest Festival 25 February – 6 March 2022

3 Short Trips to Take this Season From wineries to waterfalls, explore the Southern Downs and Granite Belt this season with these three trip suggestions while you’re here.

1. Killarney Rainforest Retreat Killarney’s rolling green hills, deep secluded valleys and dramatic waterfalls offer picture postcard views and the best scenic country drives in the region. The waterfall chasing in Killarney is next level, with the popular Queen Mary Falls, part of Main Range National Park, providing ample picnic spots and spectacular views. Spend some time exploring the Queen Mary Falls circuit, a 40 minute walk that takes you from the lookouts at the top of the falls to the creek below.

Chase more waterfalls by heading off on The Falls Drive, which takes in Browns Falls, Daggs Falls, Queen Mary Falls and Carr’s Lookout. While you’re in Killarney, don’t miss the Heritage Centre, art galleries and country cafés dotted throughout the quaint town.

2. Granite Belt Getaway Head to Queensland’s premier food and wine region to wander through 19th-century vineyards and taste cool-climate wines from almost 50 boutique cellar doors. Sample artisan cheese, olives, meat or ice-cream, and produce picked straight from the farm.

Work off all the food and wine with a visit to Girraween National Park, which has almost 30km of walking trails to choose from. In town, the Stanthorpe Art Gallery features works from prominent Queensland artists and also houses a Picasso lithograph. The Stanthorpe Museum will guide you on a journey through the past life of the region.

3. Warwick Wanderer Settled over 150 years ago, Warwick is rich in heritage buildings, featuring a number of well-preserved churches, cottages, railway stations, schools and monuments – each with its own story of old. To soak up the history, pick up a copy of the Heritage Trails booklet from the Warwick Visitor Information Centre.

Two must-see attractions along the trail are the Warwick and District Historical Museum and Abbey of the Roses. Step even further back in time with a trip on the Southern Downs Steam Railway (check their schedule online). Head north 20 minutes to the charming country town of Allora, visiting the historic Glengallan Homestead on your way.

Ask a local Warwick Visitor Information Centre

Stanthorpe Visitor Information Centre

Town Hall, 72 Palmerin St, Warwick

28 Leslie Parade, Stanthorpe

07 4661 3122

07 4681 2057

FROM TOOWOOMBA

North

Allora

Leyburn

2 A3

G NI N CUN

I CUNN

11

6

way 42 high AM N GH

highway 15

3

4

MAIN RANGE GE NATIONAL PARK

1

8 9

Warwick

10

1

15 1

G L A N D HIGHWAY

11

Killarney

NEW EN

From Goondiwindi

Maryvale

5

14

Leslie Welcome Dam to food trail heaven!

42

HAM

15

7 42

From Bris Fro Brisbane

1

14

QUEENSLAND Cottonvale 5

Amiens ROAD

Dalveen 13

5

Applethorpe

Ballandean

Glen Aplin

6 7 8

Stanthorpe 25

3 4 5

24

19 20 21 22

8

1 2

Thulimbah

16

17 18

S TEXA

27

12

14 15

8

23

LISTINGS

15

Storm King Dam 6

9 10 11 12 13 14

26

15

GIRRAWEEN GIRRAWE RRAWEEN NATIONAL PARK P SUNDOWN NATIONAL PARK SU

16 17 18

15

19 20

Glenlyon Lake

Wallangarra

21 22 23 24 25 26

From Northern NSW

Southern Downs and Granite Belt southerndownsandgranitebelt Southern Downs and Granite Belt

Gleneden Family Farm & Bullock Team Echo Valley Farm Freestone Valley Farms Freestone Valley Honey Skyview Pastoral Picot’s Farm Condamine Apiaries Little Gallery Café Bluebird Kitchen & Smokehouse Clarke’s Bees & Honey Carabeen Beef Heritage Estate Wines Restaurant Sam’s Farm Fresh Fruit & Veg Chilli in Stanthorpe Stanthorpe Cheese Suttons Juice Factory & Cidery

27

Paola’s the Winemakers Kitchen Granite Belt Brewery Varias Restaurant Granite Belt Farmers Market Ashbern Farms Traprock Orchard Lancuba’s Fruit Mart Jamworks Café & Larder Hidden Creek Winery & Café Barrelroom Restaurant

Southern Downs & Granite Belt southerndownsandgranitebelt.com.au