Travel to Australia’s Top Tourism Town – Stanthorpe

Girraween National Park

The award of 2026 Top Tourism Town tells visitors what we’ve known since the early Triassic period – this part of the Granite Belt is like nowhere else in Queensland. Around 247 million years ago massive bodies of molten magma rose deep within the Earth’s crust, giving the landscape its iconic granite boulders – which today serve as a playground for visitors wanting to escape the city, and feel worlds away.

Geology is the key ingredient of the region, which today is renowned for produce and viticulture with Stanthorpe playing home to cool-climate wines, stone fruit and Queensland’s apple production – worthy reasons to plan a trip around. Relax in boutique accommodation, changing seasons and the promise of a long lunch where the ingredients have only travelled a few kilometres to your plate and you can see why Stanthorpe deserves a place front and centre on your travel list.

Whatever brings you to this corner of Queensland’s Granite Belt, trust us, Stanthorpe has a habit of convincing visitors to stay a little longer.

Stanthorpe at a glance

Distance from Brisbane: just under three hours from Brisbane and the Gold Coast

Best for:

Couples
Families
Day trippers
Road trips
Outdoor adventure seekers

What’s the history of Stanthorpe?

Quart Pot Creek

The clue is in Stanthorpe’s name which translates to ‘tin-town’ and is a nod to its initial settlement of Quart Pot Creek to Stannum. Stanthorpe’s thriving multicultural and agricultural heritage begins in 1854, where tin was first mined, followed by gold, silver, and copper in 1872. When tin prices fell, many miners took up farming, because the town’s advantageous high altitude of 811m above sea level provides crisp growing conditions.

When is a good time of year to visit Stanthorpe?

Stanthorpe has four distinct seasons, which gives you four reasons to come back and see Stanthorpe in new light. Its reputation extends to its status as ‘the coolest town in Queensland’, where winters unfold with frosty mornings that often dip below zero degrees. When winter softens and welcomes warmer days, Stanthorpe comes alive with markets, national park trails, lush vineyards and pick-your-own apple orchards.

What are some must-do activities in Stanthorpe?

Three adults wine tasting indoors with barrels in background

A winery on the Strange Bird Wine Trail

Strange Bird Wine Trail

Don’t be fooled by its name, the Strange Bird Wine Trail has nothing to do with birds. Strange Bird refers to alternative or emerging wine varietals that are grown on the Granite Belt and represent less than 1% of Australia’s wines. Here, wine tasting is less about knowing your chardonnay from your shiraz and more about discovering something new. With smaller producers and lesser-known varieties, there’s every chance you’ll leave with a new favourite and a story about the person who made it.

Girraween National Park

For travellers who want to embrace the outdoors and lace up their hiking boots, Stanthorpe is a 30-minute drive from Girraween National Park. Girraween means ‘place of flowers’ and awakens with vibrant spring wildflowers in September and October, but the trails are worth exploring year-round.

Giant granite boulders balance above walking tracks, while enormous rock formations rise from the bushland. Whether you’re tackling the climb up the Pyramid or taking a gentler walk beside Bald Rock Creek, Girraween is the kind of place that makes you stop and look twice. Bring binoculars for great twitching – tick off blue wrens, rare turquoise parrots, lyrebirds and other forest birds in your bird guidebook. Look to granite rocks for sunning bearded dragons, jacky lizards and even wombats.

Stanthorpe Regional Art Gallery

Wandering without a schedule after a long lunch? Nestled in the heart of town, Stanthorpe Regional Art Gallery showcases national and regional talent. A curated collection of almost 900 pieces including traditional and contemporary paintings, sculpture and textile artworks. Come for the exhibitions, stay to browse the gift shop and chat with friendly volunteers.

Granite Belt Farmers Market

For those who believe the best souvenirs are edible, meander through homemade stalls at the Granite Belt Farmers Market, picking up sweet and flavourful farm-fresh veggies grown at high altitude. Every Friday is an opportunity to ask local farmers about possible recipes to use 14 varieties of apples grown here including Granny Smith, Fuji and Pink Lady.

Highland Drive

Take the long way to a relaxed afternoon and bring a picnic. Set off on a 31km road trip from Ballandean to Stanthorpe, where cellar doors, local providores and fishing spots give you plenty of reasons to stop along the way. Highlights on the drive include Storm King Dam, which contains Murray Cod, yellowbelly and silver perch – but you’ll need to fish with a permit. Or enter the northern part of Girraween National Park for a photogenic place to stretch the legs before retreating to your accommodation in town.

What are some annual events in Stanthorpe?

Held every January, the Stanthorpe Show delivers the best of the wider Granite Belt’s thriving agricultural and cottage industries. Visitors flock to the Stanthorpe Showgrounds for a bustling weekend of hearty country food, market stalls, farming expos, rides and local entertainment.

Visiting Stanthorpe later in the year? Mark November in the calendar for a berry good time and indulge in juicy, country-grown goodness. The Stanthorpe Berry Festival revolves around everything berries, with live cooking demos, chef appearances, jam and chutney competitions, iconic strawberry cake, eating contests, live music and more.

Check out our calendar for a full list of events in region.

Where can you wine and dine in Stanthorpe?

Tray of breads, jams and Stanthorpe Cheese

Local food and Stanthorpe Cheese

Stanthorpe is a destination where generations of family farmers shape the food scene, delivering farm-to-table dining, fresh local produce and country hospitality.

Those with a love language for grazing snack-sized foods with friends will treasure the artisan cheese and wine at Stanthorpe Cheese. If beer is the preferred flavour, raise a holiday pint made with quality ingredients at the Granite Belt Brewery and enjoy a laugh with the locals.

Or take a quick drive down the New England Highway and keep an eye out for two icons of local country produce, The Big Apple and the Sutton Juice Factory. The homemade apple pie is big enough to share … but you might not want to.

Travellers who follow their hearty appetite, settle in for a longer lunch or dinner and try Australian-Italian cuisine served-up at Josie’s Restaurant, paddock-to-plate dining at Essen Restaurant or a wine-tasting at Ridgemill Estates.

To build your own country-style food experience, check out the Southern Downs & Granite Belt food guide.

Where to stay when visiting Stanthorpe?

Two people looking at a view from Alure Stanthorpe accommodation

The view from Alure Stanthorpe

The charm of a visit to Stanthorpe is the unhurried three-hour drive from Brisbane, with scenery changing at every town. The best way to experience Stanthorpe is to stay a little longer. Book accommodation where you can watch the morning frost lift from the paddocks, settle into a vineyard retreat or pitch a tent beneath the Granite Belt’s night sky.

Campers and caravanners, nature and country hospitality intersect at Mountainview Wines Camping and Accommodations, where serene camping grounds provide the perfect setting for nature lovers. Stanthorpe Holiday Park is a popular town choice if you want to be in the middle of action.

If a country-cosy stay that has you sipping a cuppa on the porch overlooking the dewy paddock or rolling hills is what you need, consider 31 The Rocks, Azjure Studio Retreat or Braeside. Sometimes you’ll want quiet in-town, like The Shed Stanthorpe, or country-side bliss like Ballandean Lodge. No matter where your head hits the pillow, we recommend you visit Where to Stay to explore all of Stanthorpe’s stays that make it an award-winning holiday spot.

Frequently Asked Questions

How far is Stanthorpe from Brisbane and Gold Coast?
Stanthorpe and surrounds are less than a three-hour drive from Brisbane or the Gold Coast.

Is visiting Stanthorpe worth it?
From wine and food to big events, to cosy climates and friendly locals, Stanthorpe is Australia’s Top Tourism Town. We recommend making another trip in a different season to see it in a new light.

What is there to do in Stanthorpe?
Stanthorpe is Queensland’s coolest climate destination to sip wine, eat farm-fresh food, admire artwork, star-gaze at a cottage, or take a hike in Girraween National Park.

While you’re here

Drop into the newly renovated Girraween Information Centre for a wealth of information about the park or read A Local’s Guide to Girraween National Park.

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