MELBOURNE TO STANTHORPE

Welcome to our holiday to beautiful Stanthorpe and the Granite Belt. With chauffeured pickup from home, we travel to Melbourne Airport.  Here we’ll be greeted by an O’Shannessy’s Quality Tours representative who will assist us with check in, and see us onto the plane for our direct flight to Brisbane. Arriving at Brisbane Airport, we will be welcomed by our coach crew who will assist us with our luggage, before we board the coach and travel the scenic route to the heart of the Granite Belt, Stanthorpe.  Stanthorpe is best known for its rich history, stunning natural scenery, and delicious food and wine and home to the Big Apple. We will arrive at our accommodation in time to unpack and relax before our first dinner together.

Refreshments inflight

OVERNIGHT:  High Street Motor Inn, STANTHORPE

DONNELLYS CASTLE LOOKOUT, STANTHORPE CHEESE, SUTTONS JUICE

First stop today will be Donnellys Castle Lookout. This is where bushranger “Thunderbolt” roamed and used it as a hideout. It’s a granite rock formation that you can walk between, around and over!  Then just up the road is our next stop – Stanthorpe Cheese. The highest and coldest dairy farm cheese, so you can taste the difference in a true farmhouse cheese. For 12 years the artisan cheeses have been made from a single herd of pure bred Jersey cows from one farm. Enjoy the tasting area, and perhaps buy some to take home. Next is a photo stop at the Big Apple, and then across the road is Suttons Juice Factory Cidery & Café. They are well known for the ‘best apple pie ever’.  Therefore, we can’t leave without having a sample. They make their pies on the premises from start to finish. The apples are peeled and cooked straight from the trees using different varieties. Following lunch we visit the Truffle Discovery Centre where you will find “Truffle Joy”. Unless you are in the know, the location of the Stanthorpe truffle farm with their underground treasures, and the rest of the Granite Belt truffle farms is definitely a well kept secret. There is good reason why truffles are known as ‘black gold’. Selling anywhere from $30 to $75 each, these black nuggets are a valuable commodity. They grow underground in the dirt between the roots of some species of oak trees and can be found by smelling the soil, a job that is usually done by trained dogs. We will learn all about truffles on our visit, have the chance to sample some and enjoy their gift shop.

OVERNIGHT:  High Street Motor Inn, STANTHORPE

EXPLORING WARWICK

Today we take a drive to the township of Warwick where we will take you past some of Warwick’s most grand heritage buildings. At Pringle Cottage, we will experience the history and step back in time viewing the extensive collection of historical household and industrial items, photographs and farming machinery. The iconic Glengallan House, is not just any old house. Uninhabited for more than half its lifetime, it remains frozen in time. Restored from ruin in 2001, the innovative restoration allows Glengallan to tell its own story of boom, gloom and return from ruin.

OVERNIGHT:  High Street Motor Inn, STANTHORPE

GIRRAWEEN NATIONAL PARK

This morning we head south towards the NSW Border, to Girraween National Park, passing via Storm King Dam, which is the local water supply. The dam is in a picturesque rural setting with many water birds. Girraween National Park meaning “place of flowers”, where during Spring, the wildflowers display splashes of colour among the granite. This park is home to curious, natural rock formations, with massive granite outcrops, large angular tors, and precariously balanced boulders. Wear your walking shoes today, as we plan to take a walk. Our next stop is at Heavenly Chocolates where there is a delectable range of chocolates and gourmet goodies to purchase For lunch today we enjoy delicious local food at Jamworks Gourmet Foods. View their products, as they manufacture a range of over 80 gourmet jams, relishes, chutneys, sauces and pastes.  They have recently been awarded medals in both Australian Food Awards and the Royal Sydney. All the jams are gluten and preservative free and made using local produce where possible. We finish the day stopping at a local winery for some wine tasting and buying if you wish.

OVERNIGHT:  High Street Motor Inn, STANTHORPE

LAVENDER FARM, CHRISTMAS FARM AND STANTHORPE

Today we stop at Mt Marlay Lookout for a panorama view of the town, before we visit the beautiful Aloomba Lavender Farm. Learn all about how Lavender is grown and enjoy the country hospitality. Harvesting begins mid November and takes approximately one month with eight pickers. Learn all about how to grow lavender and enjoy some lavender scones with tea or coffee. Next we visit the Granite Belt Christmas Farm. The family-owned and operated Christmas farm is where you will find the Christmas spirit in bucket loads. You can enjoy time in the Mistletoe Store which has the most spectacular Christmas decorations, ornaments and vintage collectibles. You may even like to feed santa’s animals, or relax in the café with a hot chocolate. This afternoon, we can enjoy some free time in Stanthorpe. Wander the street, taking in the easy to find and free street art – many eye-catching and uniquely local stories are beautifully captured on Stanthorpe’s walls. A great place to visit is the Pureheaven Soap Shop, where everything is made using natural ingredients. To finish our day we visit the Stanthorpe Heritage Museum, viewing a great collection of diverse memorabilia showing the history of Stanthorpe.

OVERNIGHT:  High Street Motor Inn, STANTHORPE

STANTHORPE TO MELBOURNE

We pack our bags and depart the motel today for our journey back to Brisbane. We join our return flight back to Melbourne. Upon arrival, our chauffeurs will be waiting to transport us home with many interesting stories to tell of our Stanthorpe and the Granite Belt adventure.

Lunch at own expense and arrangement / Refreshments inflight