The Best Things To Do In Stanthorpe For The Weekend

There's genuinely so much to do in Stanthorpe, and I'm not just saying that. If you've only ever driven through this quaint township or swung in for fuel, consider this your sign to make a pitstop. Or, heck, stay for the whole weekend. 

A mere 3 hour drive from both Brisbane and Gold Coast, Stanthorpe is experiencing somewhat of a renaissance. Rising as a top contender for weekenders, staycays and romantic weekends of wine in the cool countryside. Plus, it's surrounded by rugged terrain, rolling meadows and granite outcrops that serve drama. So the views are outstanding too. 

Located on the Granite Belt, along the New England Highway, Stanthorpe is tiny. Like, a population of just over 5,000 people level tiny. It's peppered with heritage buildings, hosts winemaker shows and harvest festivals that stretch into multi-week celebrations of food, drink and family-friendly good times. 

The weather varies, from balmy summers days in the high 30s, to winters with lows of -10.6 degrees celsius. Stanthorpe is actually known as the coldest town in Queensland for this record low. So timing your visit to the season suited to your itinerary will genuinely shape your experience. Think June through to August for wine tastings cosied up by the fire, September to November for springtime wildflower chasing on hiking trails. And summertime camping trips featuring trips to stonefruit farmlands.

So without further ado, here's your ultimate guide to the best things to do and eat in Stanthorpe, the true home of the big apple.

Your Stanthorpe Weekend At A Glance

• Best things to do in Stanthorpe
• Best places to eat in Stanthorpe

Best Things To Do In Stanthorpe

Hike At Girraween National Park

Pyramids Rd, Ballandean QLD 4382

When it comes to scenic hikes, Girraween National Park is unmatched. Towering rocks and even underground walks await you. There are 10 truly outstanding tracks to explore that see you wandering or puffing beside creeks, atop rocky outcrops or Stanthorpe's answer to rock caves.

Hike among native wildflowers, along bush creeks, in between massive balancing boulders, through eucalypt forests and even explore underground water-sculpted creeks. The Pyramid is a must-do—the strenuous walk up the massive granite dome to admire the breathtaking views over the park is well worth it.

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• Walks range from 15 minutes to 5 hours
• It's surrounded by campgrounds, best suited to December through March 

Eat Your Weight In Artisan Cheeses 

4 Duncan Ln, Thulimbah QLD 4376

You could never deem a weekend in Stanthorpe complete without a trip to its iconic, award-winning cheesery. Whether you visit the quaint tasting room for a sampling of produce, or select takeaway wheels and wine for one heck of a picnic. Stanthorpe Cheese is where it's at. 

The gourmet cheese platter for two or four comes in at $48 and $90, featuring three or four cheeses of your choice (make sure one's the Stanthorpe Pepepr), regional accompaniments, hot bread and deli meats, plus seasonal fruits and condiments. It's my pick for the best way to taste the region's flavours in one place. 

INSIDER INTEL

• Look for the cow on the roof of the Jersey Girls Cafe

Visit the Big Apple

9 Watson Rd, Thulimbah QLD 4376

Stanthorpe's Big Apple has been sitting pretty since 1978. A short roadtrip from the city centre, head out to Thulimbah to see it perched above Vincenzo's Cafe. An ode to the Granite Belt region's apple crop, this beauty is a sweet destination to guide your roadtrip.

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• The apple was originally green, but repainted to repesent a red Royal Gala apple. Scandalous

Attend The Apple and Grape Harvest Festival

CBD, Stanthorpe QLD 4380

Time your visit right and you could be off to the Apple and Grape Harvest Festival that runs for 10 days every second year from the end of February to the start of March. In 2026 the crew celebrated 60 years of grape crushes, street parades and fiestas. 

The grape crush is when the main street fills with massive wine barrels of grapes that are vigorously stomped by participating hooligans. Why? Simply because they can, and you can too for the ripe price of $40. Or it's free for spectators which is maybe just as fun. It's honestly something else to witness and well worth exploring on your next visit to Stanthorpe. 

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• Opening weekend often sees long lunches run from 11am through to 6pm, where local produce and wine shine

Sip Your Way Through The Granite Belt’s Finest Wineries 

Various locations

Ok, yes i know you’ve been chomping at the bit to get to the Stanthorpe wineries section. Its cool-climate wines are worth shouting about, and with over 50 cellar doors, the region gets applause on repeat for its award-winning drops.

The wineries and subsequent wine tastings are really the stars of the show in the country town of Stanthorpe. There are wineries upon wineries in this neck of the woods, but here are my top picks.

Balancing Hearts was taken over by entrepreneurs Greg and Lee-Anne Kentish in 2020. Free wine tastings, full-blown wine classes on Saturdays and pizzas slinging from the woodfired pizza oven on repeat. Snuggle up with a blanket by the bonfire and watch the sun go down—just like your desire to return to normal life. 

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• There's a secret onsite whisky and cigar bar hidden behind a barn door

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Then there's Ballandean Estate Wines. Which is the perfect place to settle in and sip all afternoon, into golden hour. Or to pitstop for a tasting then continue on your Stanthorpe explore. I love that the team offer to take you on a personalised wine journey, and the Barrelroom Wine Lounge is a serious vibe. 

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• For a familiar wine-tasting experience of for a 45-minute sesion
• Opt for a charcuerie board overflowing with local produce and paired with vino flights

Turn down the picturesque driveway to Tobin Wines, and you can't help but hear Luigi Boccherini’s Minuetto in your head. If you’re well and truly a wine buff, this is the spot for you. The professionals at Tobin Wines pride themselves not only on their drops but also on their excellent way of explaining wine terms to their visitors.

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• The wine tasting shed is a pretty cosy spot to spend an afternoon
• The tasting pours are incredibly generous

Head to the Snowflakes in Stanthorpe Festival

Maryland St, Stanthorpe QLD 4380
Showgrounds, 8 High St, Stanthorpe QLD 4380

Stanthorpe takes its coldest town in Queensland title seriously. So their Winter Fest hosted every second year celebrates the cold with a swag of daytime fairs with live music, afterdark lantern parades, and a complete snowground for snowfights, snowmen and even a fully fledged skating rink. The next celebration is held on 2 - 4 July, 2027. 

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• Friday is free, with no ticket required

Climb Bald Rock

Girraween National Park, QLD 4382

Ok, you’ve found a new fave wine, and eaten your weight in local artisan foods and cheeses—now you're fuelled up for adventure. Head on out to climb Bald Rock’s dome, the largest exposed granite rock in Australia. Cop the crispest breeze of your life and take in the remarkable surroundings from the top.

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• Providing you book a spot, you can also pitch a tent and camp in this National Park

Check out the Australian Small Winemakers Show

Stanthorpe Showgrounds, Exhibition Centre, 8 High Street, Stanthorpe QLD 4380

Stanthorpe's standout wine reputation is good reason to head along to the Australian Winemakers Show, held in October. It's known for its impressive showcase of small winemakers in Australia and is exclusively for producers who crush less than 500 tonnes. If wine's your thing, see you there. 

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• There's a bus schedule for those ready to induldge in plenty of tastings

Best Places To Eat In Stanthorpe

Essen Restaurant 

2 McGregor Tce, Stanthorpe QLD 4380

As if you needed any more convincing to get out here, Stanthorpe is lowkey a bit of a huge foodie hub. With the perfect soil for growing basically anything, all the local produce is some of the best in the state. This is particularly evident at Essen Restaurant. A female-owned and operated gourmet spot on the main drag of town.

Essen features a weekly changing menu that heroes a boutique selection of the Granite Belt’s finest fresh produce. Word has well and truly gotten out about Essen, with the place being booked out sometimes months in advance, so securing your booking in advance is a must. 

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• It's BYO only, so be sure to drop into one of the region's wineries (Varias' cellar door is a short 5 minute drive away)

VARIAS

22 Caves Rd, Stanthorpe QLD 4380

Telling the stories of the region's makers and producers by placing their goods on your plate and pouring into cups, VARIAS knows food. They're all about fine dining, long lunches and gathering to honour the land, locals and legacy of the region. 

Celebrating the spirit of the Granite Belt is in their DNA. And it shows, with each dish featuring a suggested wine pairing. The chef's medley of mains gives a good tasting of three dishes like the barramundi and herb spring roll with nam jim sauce, the szechuan glazed pork terrine wth fennel remoulade and miso beef skewers alongside pickled pawpar and banana ketchup. Yes, you're in for a treat.

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• Despite its fine dining approach, there's a simple children's menu too

Granite Belt Brewery

146 Glenlyon Dr, Stanthorpe QLD 4380

Had enough wine? Just swap to beer. Enter: Granite Belt Brewery. This is widey considered the premier Stanthorpe brewery, and I must agree. They've spent the past 10 plus years crafting refreshing and tasty craft beers and ciders. And in true Stanthorpe fashion, the Sweet Apple Cider is incred. 

The brewery's restaurant is also a firm favourite among travellers and locals alike, which is well justified after one look at the hearty and delicious menu. Pulled pork burgers and chargrilled rump are solid choices. 

INSIDER INTEL

• Choose a tasting paddle to sip around 10 beers and ciders brewed onsite
• The full restaurant is open Friday through Monday only

Suttons Farm 

10 Halloran Dr, Thulimbah QLD 4376

Located smack-bang in the middle of a working orchard, Sutton’s Farm rocks my world. Award-winning cider is the name of Sutton’s game, but their apple pie has earned them their household name status. Almost all of the varieties grown at Sutton’s are included in the pies, which the team reports are very labour intensive to make.

They cook up to 800kgs of apples a week, and enough house-made butter-laden pastry for over 160 apple pies which somehow transport me back to my own grandmother's kitchen with each bite.

Sutton’s Shed, the little cafe that all of this goodness gets dished out of, also serves up other house-made classics like pies and sausage rolls with the crispiest pastry known to man, classic farmhouse scones and all sorts of other produce, condiments and ciders grown and made on site. 

INSIDER INTEL

• Head here in the morning to potentially spot kangaroos grazing on the open field

Josie's Hospitality

137 High St, Stanthorpe QLD 4380

Josie's is Stanthorpe's answer to an elevated dining experience brimming with personality. The warm focaccia is a must every time, and the oysters served on nostalgic crockery win my heart on every visit. 

The pared back, carefully considered menu modernises Italian classics, like baked rigatoni with green sauce, stracciatella and crisp pangrattato. While the mascarpone sorbet with plum and hazelnut praline will have you back for a second helping. Or is that just me? Fall in love with the bustling atmos, humble team and standout dishes that make for a memorable dining experience.

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• My pick for thirst-quenching (and beautiful) cocktails
• Groups of five or more must opt for set menus
• Ask about the chef's tasting menu

Brinx Deli & Cafe

18 Maryland St, Stanthorpe QLD 4380

It’s near impossible to miss the bright pink Brinx Deli and Cafe sign and trust me, you’ll be glad to drop in. A bustling cafe with a sleek interior, Brinx is your one-stop shop for consistently banging classic brunches with specialty coffee.

Swing by for breakfast for generously sized bacon and eggs with everything, or the raved-about French toast to fuel you up for your day of adventuring around. 

INSIDER INTEL

• Kitchen's open Friday through Monday
• Deli's open Tuesday through Thursday
• Pick a seat by the window for ample people watching

Still lusting for adventure?

• Check out our guide to Toowoomba
• Here are cabins to cosy up in near Brisbane
• Queensland's Best National Parks

Image credit: Airbnb, Urban List archives 

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