Unique Stanthorpe accommodation TWINSTAR GUESTHOUSE & OBSERVATORY B&B with an astronomical observatory |
Twinstar Guesthouse & Observatory 28146 New England Highway, Ballandean, Queensland 4382, Australia Email: twin-star@bigpond.com Phone: 07 4684 1135 |
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Local attractions/things to do in the area visit the following websites: Granite Belt Wine & Tourism Southern Downs and Granite Belt Regional Tourism Queensland Holidays.com Stanthorpe Escapes Tenterfield Information Centre Tenterfield Business & Tourism Info |
Unique Stanthorpe Accommodation |
Clean & affordable B&B with an observatory |
Local Industry The main industry today includes agriculture such as apple / stone fruits / vegetable productions, and cattle / sheep grazing. Recently, the Stanthorpe and Ballandean area is the centre of a booming wineries with more than 50 wineries. Wine and tourism are very important part of the area's economy. There are great national parks nearby including Girraween National Park, where visitors can marvel at massive granite outcrops and balancing boulders. |
Stanthorpe accommodation; Ballandean accommodation; Unique B&B accommodation in Stanthorpe on the Granite Belt in Queensland, Australia Twinstar Guesthouse & Observatory |
Apple & Grape Harvest Festival Next: 23 February ~ 4 March 2018 at Stanthorpe The festival, held biennially, is a celebration of the Granite Belt region's produce and booming wine industry. It is voted an iconic Qld event and one of Qld's longest running & most successful event. Highlights include the Gala Ball, street parade and mardi gras, wine and food fiesta, and a range of sporting and family activities. For more information, visit www.appleandgrape.org |
Ballandean Pyramid (picture left) Local attraction on Jaconsens Road. You cannot climb, as it is on a private property. But you can take a photo. Do not mistake this with the Pyramid, natural formation in the nearby Girraween National Park. History of Stanthorpe & Ballandean Allan Cunningham, who is a botanist and explorer, discovered the country where Stanthorpe is located. Stanthorpe was founded by tin minors, who came from many countries to mine tin since the "tin rush" in early 1872. Stanthorpe literary means "tin town", as Stannum is Latin for "tin" and thorpe is Middle English for "town." While the first (table) grapes were planted at Ballandean around 1840, it was not until 1931 that they were used to make wine. Since then, wineries gradually have grown to emerge and Ballandean is now recognised as a premier wine producing region on the Granite Belt. |
(c) 2017 Peter Johnson |
Local Climate At an altitude 800~950m, the Stanthorpe and Ballandean area, known as the Granite Belt, is frequently "the coldest area" in Queensland. From frosty winter to fresh summer, the area displays four distinctive seasons with unique characters. The picture below was taken in July 2016 when light snow was covered on the Ballandean Dinosaur and the surrounding grass. |