There is no better reason to put the car in gear and head for the hills than a countryside road trip to one of Queensland’s vineyards. It is a good way to put the traffic of Brisbane behind you and in its place find cellar doors, regional produce and the odd stretch of road that has you questioning your map. The Granite Belt and Stanthorpe, Tamborine Mountain or the Sunshine Coast Hinterland are where you will want to be.
My name is Gideon Edwards. In the course of years making regional travel plans that are of some use to people, I have come to appreciate what is required for a Queensland vineyard road trip: sensible return routes, an idea of driving times, when to expect bad weather and parking, and a word to the effect that wine tasting is more enjoyable if not everyone is at it with equal fervour. You could make a day of it, but two or three days is preferable so you can savour the countryside and not feel as though every visit to a cellar door is an exercise in time management.
The Best Wine Route For You
Every region in Queensland has its own character. A weekend in the Granite Belt is what a traveller after a proper wine country experience would want, while Tamborine Mountain is ideal for a brief respite from Brisbane. The Sunshine Coast Hinterland has wineries but also scenic drives, food producers and villages to see. For more ideas, try exploring Queensland wine areas.
It is a matter of where you start and how much of a winding road you can stand. Many will try to fit two regions into a single weekend and be disappointed; the map may say it is doable but between lunch, the wrong turn here and there and traffic, the day is gone.
| Region | Approximate Drive From Brisbane | Trip Length | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tamborine Mountain | 75-90 km (1.5-2 hrs) | One day or two nights | Rainforest, boutique wineries and short getaways |
| Sunshine Coast Hinterland | 100-130 km (1.5-2.5 hrs) | One to two days | Village stops, regional produce and wine |
| Granite Belt and Stanthorpe | 215-230 km (3-3.5 hrs) | Two or three nights | Cooler-climate wines and those intent on cellar-door hopping |
Making The Most Of Your Time
For a one-day excursion out of Brisbane, go to Tamborine Mountain. An early start, a couple of cellar doors and lunch should be followed by a rainforest walk or some time in the village before the drive back. One can do a day in Stanthorpe but it is a long one and not much room for leisurely tasting.
A weekend in the Granite Belt and Stanthorpe is a different proposition. The length of the drive is justified by the cool-weather accommodation, farm shops, apple products and the range of boutique wineries. The Sunshine Coast Hinterland falls somewhere in between, easy for a short break yet of enough interest for two days.
Wine Country in the Granite Belt
With Stanthorpe as base, the Granite Belt is the quintessential Queensland wine-country road trip. The high country is cooler than Brisbane and has its granite boulders and open farmland; the vineyards are close enough that the drive is part of it and not just an interlude between appointments.
Stanthorpe caters to a flexible itinerary. Along with the wine and local galleries and a long lunch, there are the small-town necessities like fuel and groceries. And a public toilet that is actually proper. Not very romantic until you are on a country road with a coffee in hand and nowhere to go.
A Two-Day Plan
Make the four-hour run to Stanthorpe from Brisbane on the first day via the inland route, factoring in a stop for coffee or to refuel. The sealed roads are unproblematic for the most part, although heavy vehicles and roadworks will put a brake on things. Get in while there is still daylight and put in an appearance at a pub or restaurant or a nearby cellar door.
Day two is for the vineyard loop. Pick three or four wineries, do not be greedy. Work back to Stanthorpe from the furthest point or build the day around a tasting or lunch you have put in order. Put someone in charge of the driving or, where you can, book a private tour or transfer.
Then on day three make the return without any hurry. Farm-gate and roadside stalls are worth a look, provided you have checked they are open. There are regional concerns to be had. Some businesses in the area will not open on certain weekdays or have a seasonal schedule; you do not want to find out your plans hinged on one of them when faced with a locked cellar door.
Be aware of what is likely to trip people up
The Granite Belt has a way of making distances seem less than they are. What appears to be 40 km can eat up time once you factor in turning lanes, narrow roads and a few photographs, to say nothing of a leisurely chat with the one on hand for your tasting. And since mobile reception is not to be counted on, it is wise to have your maps and booking information downloaded before you depart Stanthorpe.
Then there is the weather which has a habit of turning on a dime in the Granite Belt. Put a jumper in your bag even if Brisbane has been warm and have some closed shoes for uneven terrain. In dry spells the roadside shoulders are dusty; come after a rain and the access tracks can be as rough as guts. Should your place of stay have a barbecue or outdoor fire, make sure of any restrictions in force before you put a light to it.
The Tamborine Mountain Drive
For a vineyard within easy reach of Brisbane there is Tamborine Mountain. You will be climbing from the Gold Coast hinterland into a cooler, greener part of the country where wineries, food, walking and village stops are all within a compact space.
It is an ideal region for those who would like some variety but are not in the mood for a long drive inland. One day is enough for a couple or small party. The mountain roads are not so much hard as winding and will test your patience. If corners are not to your liking, best to put in a good book and let someone else do the driving.
A Compact Day Out
Get an early start from Brisbane to be at Tamborine Mountain ahead of the rush. Under normal circumstances 1.5 to 2 hours will do, but add to that on a wet day or public holiday. Make a winery your first port of call and then pick a village or food stop and a walk of short duration so as not to have a mad scramble from car park to car park.
You will have less trouble with parking the earlier you go. Stick to the marked areas and put anything of value out of sight in the car, at the more frequented walking tracks. For the forest paths you need water and shoes with some grip; roots and steps are slippery in the rain and a kilometre or two can feel like more in the summer humidity.
Don’t be Unrealistic
One might think of Tamborine Mountain as a quick run through the wineries. In fact it is a bit of a mixed outing: countryside, traffic, food and wine combined. Time can be spent at the cellar door or just as easily in finding a park or waiting on lunch. There is no failing in that, the better days here have room to breathe. Book lunch and two wine stops and leave the afternoon open. With non-drinkers or children in tow the region has plenty of other options to see you through.
Stops in the Sunshine Coast Hinterland
Queensland’s wine country is a little softer and more diverse in the Sunshine Coast Hinterland. You can put together a day of wineries and cheese, chocolate, farm shops, gardens and lookouts around the inland villages without being cooped up in the car.
Travellers with an eye for scenery and a good meal as well as the wine list will appreciate this. It makes for a nice change from the coast or Brisbane over two days, so long as one does not expect the Hinterland to be laid out like a single vineyard strip but rather over a number of towns.
Make Your Day of Wineries and Produce
Have an anchor of sorts, a lunch or tasting, and build from there. When you plan for the 20 to 40 minutes between venues, allow for the fact that the direct distance may be short but the roads are not, and that coffee will be called for at some point. Check in advance on any booking requirements. A larger venue will be swamped on a weekend or during an event, a smaller producer will have restricted hours.
In warm weather a small insulated container or a wine bag to keep things cool and secure in the car is worth having. To get back to Brisbane in a calmer fashion, head out of the Hinterland before late afternoon. A scenic drive is fine but don’t assume it is quicker. Nor should one put faith in a driver who has had a drink and says he is “fine” to get behind the wheel. That is no way to plan transport.
Put Some Proper Planning Into It
Enthusiasm alone will not make for a good tour of the Queensland wineries, logistics will. Have your accommodation and transport sorted and a route in mind before you set off, but be prepared for the odd delay in the weather or traffic or because a conversation at the cellar door has gone on.
A sensible budget will have to cover fuel, transport, accommodation as well as lunch and tastings; the exact outlay is a matter of season and venue. For a tasting put aside in the order of AUD 10–35 per head, a mid-range or casual lunch will run you some AUD 25–60 and a good double room in the region some AUD 150–350 for the night. Take these as estimates for your planning, not set prices, since there is a premium to be paid at the better venues or in peak times.
This Road-Trip Checklist
- Put in your bookings for accommodation and any sought after tastings ahead of time, on weekends in particular.
- See what the weather and road conditions are like, enquire about fire restrictions and when the venues open.
- Mobile reception is not to be relied on in some places so have a charger to hand, save the numbers and get your maps downloaded.
- See that there is a driver or put in place a tour or private vehicle with one.
- Have water and sun protection in the car along with a jumper, a pair of comfortable shoes and a cooler for the wine you will be buying.
Queensland’s roads and any roadworks should be checked before you set off. What made sense as a route yesterday may not today if there has been maintenance, a crash or flooding from a storm.
Be Selective With Transport
There is no beating the freedom of your own car but it does pose the question of who is driving. A hire car is only as convenient as the driver is at handling roads he or she does not know in the region. Then there are tours which can be worth the money for a small group and do away with most of the navigation, though they stick to their timetable.
Walking from one winery to another is not to be recommended unless the terrain is amenable to it. The rural roads between Queensland vineyards are often kilometres long with little in the way of footpaths or shade. And while an experienced cyclist might find it rewarding, the combination of heat, traffic and alcohol makes it a poor idea to improvise.
Seasons Should Be Handled With Some Sense
What constitutes the best time to be in a Queensland vineyard is down to the region and what you want to get out of it. Granite Belt is more to your liking in the cooler months, Tamborine Mountain and the Sunshine Coast Hinterland have their appeal when it is not at its wettest or hottest. But the weather is fickle, so look at the forecast not long before you go.
Harvest time is lively and there is much going on but you may find the accommodation and tastings fully booked. Summer brings hot roads and the odd bushfire closure, and even with the highway open, wet weather can make minor roads and walking tracks less than ideal.
Some Regional Considerations
For a weekend in Stanthorpe with cool evenings and crisp mornings, the Granite Belt is where you want to be. You will be thankful for a fire or indoor heating after dark so dress in layers. In the shoulder seasons the roads and venues at Tamborine Mountain are not so crowded.
The Sunshine Coast Hinterland is fine for mixing in some village touring and food with your wine. If it is wet, give up on some of the walking and factor in more time behind the wheel. Sunscreen and water are a must in every region; the Queensland sun is cheerful until it is not.
To Answer The Usual Questions
I get asked these most frequently by those making their way around the wine country of Queensland. The answer is simple: pick a region, book in advance as you must and do not skimp on safe driving time from one tasting to the next.
Which are the top wine regions?
Granite Belt and Stanthorpe, Tamborine Mountain and the Sunshine Coast Hinterland are the principal ones for a trip out in the country. The former is right for a wine weekend, Tamborine for a brief respite from Brisbane and the Hinterland for those wanting to see the local produce and villages as well as the wineries.
Wine tasting close to Brisbane?
Tamborine Mountain is the most sensible option, 1.5 to 2 hours in the car under normal circumstances. The Sunshine Coast Hinterland is also very good, travel time being a function of where you start and the venues you have in mind.
Is Stanthorpe worth a weekend?
It is. Two or three nights are called for in the Granite Belt to make the drive from Brisbane worthwhile with all the food producers and countryside there is to see. One night is possible but two allows a more relaxed pace.
When is the right time to visit?
In the Granite Belt you will be comfortable in drier, cooler periods. But then again, if you are after harvest activity or milder weather for a walk, or want to avoid the demand on accommodation, the timing will be different. Forecasts and fire restrictions should be your guide.
How much time for a road trip?
Make it two days for the Sunshine Coast Hinterland, a day for Tamborine and two or three nights for Granite Belt and Stanthorpe. You could do it in less but rushing from cellar door to cellar door is like having to do your admin with a glass of wine in hand.
Enjoy The Drive
You will have a better road trip in Queensland if you consider the countryside part of what you are there for. Plan for three or four stops of substance in a region and let safety take precedence over the tasting schedule.
Tamborine Mountain for something quick, the Sunshine Coast Hinterland for a break with an emphasis on food, and for the full measure of wine country a proper weekend in the Granite Belt and Stanthorpe. Put the jumper in the bag, have the map on your phone and the driver sorted, and take your time on the road, there will be time for another story before the billy is ready to boil.
