We take off from Brisbane’s Metropolitan Archerfield Airport, with pilot Cheryl Arentz from Sunshine Aviation for the first leg of our Granite Belt Wine Country tour.

A clear, smooth flying day offers spectacular views as we fly over Australia's most substantial mountain range and the fourth longest in the world, the Great Dividing Range on route to Stanthorpe. 

On arrival we are greeted with a red carpet runway and Champagne…what a great start on a perfect day!

Heading off with Alan from Granite Highlands Maxi Tours we see the enormous apple orchards on the way into town. This region produces about 130 million dollars worth of fruit and vegetables every year.  The combination of cool weather and the decomposed granite soils are perfect for award winning wines, so it’s no wonder the Queensland Government has built the Queensland College of Wine Tourism...the next stop on our tour.  A complete tour of the facility gives us the rundown on how wine is made right from the vine to the table. After tasting we are treated to a delicious lunch with just the right wine selected by the Colleges Head Chef.

With lunch and good wine taken care of, there’s only one thing left to do on a gourmet food and wine trail and that’s dessert!  Luckily our guide Alan knows just the place… The Bramble Patch a specialty berry farm with amazing produce.

This area has all the charm of a small country town with some of Australia’s best produce with roughly 55 boutique wineries and plenty of B&B’s like the stylish and modern “31 The Rocks”. 

Set in ten acres of bushland, it’s nestled into the side of a steep hill only minutes from Stanthorpe and all the Granite Belt attractions which makes it ideal for a short break, romantic get-away or a longer stay.

Related Information:

Sunshine Aviation
Head Office (Administration)
116 Atkinson Road
Bli Bli  QLD 4560
Phone: 07 5450 0516 (Enquiries and bookings)
Phone: Archerfield Airfield (Cheryl 0419 704 185)
email: tours@sunshineaviation.com.au
Fax: 07 5450 0562
NOTE: Aircraft are operated out of the Sunshine Coast Airport, Maroochydore and Brisbane’s Metropolitan Archerfield Airport.

Granite Highlands Maxi Tours
Post Office Box 206
Stanthorpe QLD 4380
Email: info@maxitours.com.au
Phone: 07 4681 3969    
Phone:: 0417 192 179    
Fax: 07 4681 3969
Email:  maxitour@halenet.com.au

Queensland College of Wine Tourism
22 Caves Road
Stanthorpe Queensland 4380
Phone:  07 4685 5050
Fax: 07 4685 5099
Email: qcwt@usq.edu.au

The Bramble Patch
381 Townsend Road
Glen Aplin QLD 4381
Phone: 07 4683 4205
Fax: 07 4683 4125
Email: bramblepatch@halenet.com.au

31 The Rocks
31 Brunckhorst Avenue
Stanthorpe QLD 4380
Phone:  07 4681 2726
Fax:  07 4681 2221
Email:  stay@31therocks.com

Official Websites:

Tourism Queensland
Granite Belt Wine and Tourism
Granite Highlands Maxi Tours
Sunshine Aviation
31 The Rocks - Villas with Style
The Bramble Patch