A super apple a day keeps the predators away

Queensland scientists based on the Granite Belt have unveiled what they believed to be the 'world's best apple', resistant to disease and able to maintain crispy fresh for months.

Most significantly, the RS103-130 apple was created by careful cross-pollination instead of nasty genetic engineering or chemicals. This is great news for both consumers and farmers alike as the super apple is firm, crispy, sweet and boasts a number of attributes including disease resistant properties, hence requiring few if no fungicides at all.

While the apple will not be commercially available for another 5 years it has already attracted international interest and will certainly have a national application as well - bringing fruition (pun intended) to creator Simon Middleton's passion for apples.

If you don't want to wait 5 years, visit Sutton's Apple Cidery during apple season (end of January to end of July) and pick your own - a sure way to guarantee freshness!

A taste of Sri Lanka on the Granite Belt

The Granite Belt is renowned for its multiculturalism and now we can add Sri Lanka to our list of ethnic delicasies.

This week Vivienne Abeywardena releases Mixing Cultures, a cook book featuring recipes based on authentic Sri Lankan cooking that makes the most of local fresh produce. The book contains a wide variety of recipes ranging from curries to breads, accompaniments to desserts and even includes a section on high tea.

With Mixing Cultures, Vivienne hopes to encourage people to try something different without making it too difficult, making the tastes and flavours of Sri Lankan cooking easily accessible to anyone - but saving the more elaborate and adventurous recipes for her next book!

Vivienne’s recipes have already been trialled to appreciative audiences at cooking demonstrations, which she runs out of her almost newest venture – Vivienne’s Cottage in Stanthorpe.

Mixing Cultures will be available for sale through the Brisbane ABC bookstore.

Heaven is a place in Shanghai

Stanthorpe's very own Pure Heaven has launched its first international concept store in the heart of Shanghai's upmarket Minhang District.

The launch, held at the end of last month, was well received with customers delighted with the organic and bio-dynamic body care range.

Reflecting the roots of Justin and Maria Heaven's blossoming business, the store features a 30kg "Bountiful Harvest Rock Soap", moulded from a replica of granite rock from the Heaven's Stanthorpe garden.

Luckily, visitors to Stanthorpe can enjoy the real thing - minus an expensive airfare! December is perfect for a stress-relieving pre-Christmas Stanthorpe escape. With the original Pure Heaven store, lavender in abundance and the national parks flowing with fresh mountain water, make your visit a Nature & Health getaway (with a little bit of Qld wine)

Granite Belt wins top tourism award

Friday the 13th may be unlucky for some, but Azjure Studio Retreat owners Cathryn Leigh and Ross Bloore would argue otherwise.

Azjure, located just 15 minutes south of Stanthorpe on the Granite Belt, has won the Deluxe Accommodation category at the prestigious and highly competitive 2009 Queensland Tourism Awards, announced on November 13.

Outshining the competition - which included Peppers Palm Bay (Whitsundays), The Point Brisbane, Watermark Hotel and Spa Gold Coast and the Radisson Resort Gold Coast - the award highlights the growing prestige of Granite Belt & Stanthorpe accommodation.

Now is the time to beat the heat and elevate your short break experience with a weekend of luxury on the Granite Belt.