5 great ways to celebrate the 2024 Labour Day long weekend
In Queensland, Labour Day always falls on the first Monday in May, and that means we always get an awesome autumn long weekend to kick back, relax, and pat ourselves on the back for all the excellent work we do. There’s no better place to reward yourself than in the Southern Downs & Granite Belt.
The Southern Downs & Granite Belt is simply extraordinary in autumn. Warm days are followed by log-fire ready crisp cool nights, and the landscape is splashed with the crimsons and golds of deciduous trees preparing for winter. As if that isn’t enough, here are 5 more great reasons to spend time in our region this Labour Day long weekend.
1. Allora Autumn Festival
Experience an entire weekend of festivities when the Allora community put on a family celebration like no other. 2024 will see the Allora Autumn Festival reimagined, blending traditional favourites such as ‘Dinner on Drayton’ with exciting new events. The Allora Autumn Festival pays homage to the history and charm of Allora by offering a diverse array of entertainment, historical gems, live music, vibrant markets, captivating displays of vintage and custom vehicles, and a myriad of other engaging activities throughout the town.
2. Southern Downs Stone Sculpture Trail
The Southern Downs Stone Sculpture Trail is a series of artworks by local and international sculptors that have been thoughtfully curated into a tourist drive, taking in the region’s larger towns as well as smaller settlements that wear the hidden gem badge proudly. Frogs, platypus, wildflowers, waterways, horses, fish, a dragon and Mary Poppins are all represented in this eclectic trail. To discover everything it has to offer, download Council’s official Southern Downs & Granite Belt Visitor App, and tap and scroll your way to the Southern Downs Stone Sculpture Trail.
3. Strange Bird Wine Trail
Looking for something beyond Chardonnay and Shiraz? The Granite Belt is Australia’s highest wine region and Queensland’s only cold climate wine region. Home to over 40 cellar doors, you can sip and swirl your way through the region with ease. While the more well-known grape varietals such as chardonnay, verdelho, semillon, shiraz, merlot and cabernet sauvignon are proven in the Granite Belt, it’s the more adventurous style of wine that’s getting attention. You won’t find most of these labels in bottle shops and restaurants because production is boutique and small-run bottlings, meaning you can only taste or buy them at the cellar door or by special order. The best way to taste these wines is to follow the Strange Bird Wine Trail map.
4. Warwick Polocrosse State of Origin
Polocrosse combines the speed of polo, the strategy and tactics of netball, the toughness of rugby and AFL, and the ball handling ability of lacrosse. This unique sport originated in Australia in 1939 and is dubbed as the “King of the One-Horse Sports.” Polocrosse is currently played in 18 countries and boasts over 10,000 players worldwide. This Labour Day long weekend, Warwick Polocrosse Club is hosting the Polocrosse State of Origin competition. Will the maroons be strong enough to defend their 2023 win and take back-to-back titles? Or will the mighty blues bring the heat from the south?
5. Downs Explorer Goondiwindi 3 Day Weekend
Indulge in historic rail travel at its best when you join the Downs Explorer train as it steams its way west from Warwick to Goondiwindi via Inglewood for the Goondiwindi Show Weekend. You can book in for the full 3-day return trip that includes accommodation and food, or choose from a range of shorter adventures. The 3-day tour has a real outback theme with a heritage train, outback towns, meals on historic railway stations, and visits to historical sites. Just turn up and be adventurous. This is historic rail travel at its best. For more information and to book, head to the Downs Explorer website.
While You’re Here
Extend your adventure and fill your days with these essential experiences.
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