GRAZINGTHE GRANITE BELT
Who knew spending time in picturesque regional Queensland could bring so much joy? Well, the people of Stanthorpe in the Granite Belt did. Who knew eating fresh produce, tasting wines, kicking back with a beer, enjoying country hospitality, celebrating festivals and shopping for local artisan products could mean so much? Again, the people of Stanthorpe.
Stanthorpe is the centre of a regional tourist hub, about 2.5 hours south-west of Brisbane, famous for its apple and grape production and 35 wineries with cellar doors. Well, it was a hub until mother nature struck a devastating two-pronged blow. First the drought hit and stayed for three years, sucking the life out of the region.
“Some growers will not get a crop this year — again,” says local Allan Foster, who runs Granite Highlands Maxi Tours. “Some rolled the dice, planted a crop, carted water, still to fail. Graziers have had to cut stock because they can’t afford to feed them, and it will take years to rebuild those numbers.”
Then bushfires struck last September and pulled the rug out from the tourism industry that was keeping the Belt alive. For some operators, business is
