Jazz Icons at Ballandean

It's big, it's back and it's gonna be a bumper! Mr John Morrison and the Swing City Jazz Band are coming back to perform at Jazz in the Vineyard 2010, Ballandean Estate.   It happens on Saturday 28 August.

Appearing at the Granite Belt winery with Morrison and the Swing Band is vocalist Jacki Cooper. Ms Cooper has performed extensively throughout Australia and overseas and is a regular feature with Swing City.  All this, plus the Caxton Street band. Like we said it's gonna be a bumper.

For info or bookings visit www.ballandeanestate.com, or for a friendly service by phone, ring the winery just south of Stanthorpe on 07 4684 1226.

Granite Belt gourmet goodies grab gold

The Bramble Patch name is synonymous with quality Granite Belt gourmet goodies, and its latest accolades are now its official.  

Judging at the 2010 Royal Agricultural Society of Tasmania Show's Fine Food Awards has given the Bramble Patch four medals.  At the top of the podium Bramble Patch has won gold medals for their Cape Gooseberry Jam; the Red Capsicum Relish and the Pear & Ginger Paste.  Bringing home a bronze medal is the Bramble Patch Green Tomato Pickle.

The Bramble Patch is located just south of Stanthorpe at Glen Aplin and  has established a reputation as a must stop destination within Queensland's leading wine and food region.

Frost one Day - Blossom the Next

In less than three weeks the coolest place in Queensland shrugs off its winter coat and pops the cork on new vintage wines.

Across the Granite Belt spring blossoms and new wines mark the start of the season which resident Italians call Primavera   From 1st September Stanthorpe hosts three months of wine, food and cultural events, plus outdoor and sporting activities.

Tourism Queensland promotes: "Beautiful one day, perfect the next" and while its beautiful here too things are a little different in this corner of the state. And we love it because good winter frosts create the perfect conditions for award winning wine grapes and the crisp flavour of a Stanthorpe apple. 

The coolest place in Queensland is a popular place to take a short break and chill out - just phone 1800 SO COOL.

Meet the farmer at the Ekka

Monday 9 August was official Granite Belt day on the Taste of Queensland stage at the Brisbane Ekka. 

Five sessions showcased Granite Belt wine and food and provided a chance to meet some of the producers and identities from this diverse region.

And it wouldn't be the Ekka if you didn't get to meet a farmer, but the Granite Belt went one better in providing two farmers for the price of one.  David Sutton (left) was a prawn farmer before moving to Stanthorpe to become an apple grower.

While David shared samples of his range of juices and ciders produced under the Suttons label, host Alison Alexander whipped up a quick apple cake.  The day's programme included Vineyard Cafe chef David Black matching his culinary skill with regional produce, winemakers from Ballandean and Golden Grove Estates plus an overview of the spring Primavera events season by Granite Belt Wine & Tourism.

New Digital Front Door to Granite Belt

Eighteen months after stepping up our digital marketing campaign, we've created a new portal to provide access to all our online activity. type in www.stanthorpe.com and you have the key to the door!

The official website remains www.granitebeltwinecountry.com.au but the portal provides access to four streams of information:

• about the destination
• social media
• media centre
• wikis

Stanthorpe has a reputation for being the coolest place in Queensland - so hop on over to Queensland's capital of cool or phone 1800 SO COOL.

Granite Belt insight into a Dirty Job

In what may be described as a "Bluffers Guide to Archaeology" academics from USQ will be using some simple language to explain what happens when they get down and dirty. It's part of the Inaugural McGregor in the Vines 2010 workshops which are set amongst the vineyards of Queensland's Granite Belt region.

A two-day weekend workshop on 4 and 5 September will begin with a broad overview of archaeological methods and techniques. Day two includes an introduction to practical laboratory analysis where particpants will be actively involved in the prelimary sorting, identification and preliminary analysis of an actual archaeological site. We are assured no previous experience is required.


To learn all about these activities at the Queensland College of Wine Tourism (QCWT) in Stanthorpe email now.