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The ‘Garden City’ of Toowoomba, some 700 metres above sea level, is famous for its annual springtime festival of the Carnival of Flowers. Toowoomba is the first stop for visitors from Brisbane on their way to exploring Southern Queensland Country that includes the wide crop fields of the Darling Downs, the misty forests of the Bunya Mountains to the north, and the lush vineyards and fruit plantations of the Granite Belt to the south. Visit Queensland can help connect you with the tours and attractions to discover this special corner of Queensland.

Step down a gear and enjoy the easier pace and friendly hospitality when you start exploring Southern Queensland Country. There are museums and galleries to visit, country markets and antique shops of curiosities to browse, historic pubs that form part of the local Dad & Dave stories set here by author Steele Rudd, tea rooms and cafes to keep you topped up with fresh brews, and grand heritage homes and National Parks to include on your itinerary.

One of the most popular districts of Southern Queensland Country is the Granite Belt that lies just inside the Queensland border. The granite boulders and outcrops that are the source of the region’s name are a feature of Girraween National Park which includes granite peaks such as the Pyramid and walkways flanked by boulders that seem like giant marbles balancing precariously or slabs of rock that form gateways on the trails.

The Granite Belt has been a wine-growing district since the 1860s but it is in more recent times that growers and vignerons have focused on alternative varieties that suit the terroir and the cool but humid climate. The result has been sensational with a swag of awards and some stunning wines to taste, many new to Australian wine lovers including Mourvedre, Durif, Tampranillo, Malbec and Sangiovese amongst the reds plus Verdelho, Viognier, Chenin Blanc, Marsanne and Frontignac for the whites.

The alternative wine vineyards are now represented under the Strange Bird Wine Trail. Tours of the vineyards and some of the 30 cellars take visitors in comfort and without concerns of driving so you can relax and enjoy sampling the range of new flavours. Visit Queensland can blend the right tour with the perfect place to stay when you decide on a short break in Queensland’s Granite Belt wine region.