Experiences

Wineries

With an ever increasing stable of award-winning wines available from all regions, the secret is out about Queensland's flourishing wine industry.

Established in the 1860s, wine growing has a long history in Queensland but the success of its wines is only now starting to be realised on the national and international stage.

Charming cellar doors, friendly wine makers, vineyard restaurants, gourmet food, wine trails and cosy accommodation options help visitors make the most of the major wine regions which stretch from the Gold Coast Hinterland, through the Scenic Rim and out to the Granite Belt, around the Darling Downs and Toowoomba, and up to the South and North Burnett. Further north in Tropical North Queensland fruit wines are generating increasing interest.

There are eight major areas in Queensland that boast a great selection.

Granite Belt
Thanks to its strong Italian community, the Granite Belt has had a long history of viticulture and winemaking. Its cool winter and spring climates make it an ideal viticultural area and an attractive holiday destination. The wineries of the region are small to medium size and are owned and managed by families or individuals whose passion shows in great Queensland wine.

Click here for Wineries in the Granite Belt.

Toowoomba and Darling Downs
Wineries perched right on the edge of the Great Dividing Range or nestling amongst rolling hills are some of the great finds in this area. Stop for lunch, try some wines and take advantage of the great views. Wine making traditions are strong in this region which produces award winning whites and reds, tasty muscats and sweet table wines.

Click here for Wineries in Toowoomba and Darling Downs.

Scenic Rim
Within a short drive of Brisbane there are a number of vineyards and wineries have been established in the Scenic Rim which stretches from Mt Cotton to the picturesque Brisbane Valley. You can explore this picturesque area in a day, a weekend or longer, but you won't come home empty handed.

Click here for Wineries in the Scenic Rim.

Gold Coast Hinterland
A spectacular wine region featuring boutique wineries and vineyards set in the rainforest beauty of Mount Tamborine and the emerald countryside of Albert River and Canungra. Although it's only half an hour from the beaches of the Gold Coast, the area's temperate climate has ideal grape growing conditions. Look for superb restaurants, cheese tastings, gourmet picnics and vineyard tours at the cellar door.

Click here for Wineries in the Gold Coast Hinterland.

Sunshine Coast
One of the most diverse and fastest growing wine regions is centred around the Sunshine Coast with small boutique vineyards that handpick their grapes and hand-prune their vines. Vineyards can be found high up in the cooler climate Blackall Range, Kenilworth and Traveston areas through to the milder climates in the valleys near the coast. A diversity of microclimates allows a wide range of grape varieties to be grown within the region.

Click here for Wineries in Sunshine Coast.

South Burnett
The gentle, undulating countryside of the Stuart and Boyne River plain in the west and Barkers Creek in the east is the heart of one of the newer wine making areas, the South Burnett, centred around Kingaroy. This award winning region is the fastest developing wine area in Queensland with 600 acres in 25 vineyards currently in the area.

Click here for Wineries in South Burnett.

North Burnett
Most do not expect to find a wine growing region this far north, but the unique coastal dry winter/dry summer climate in Central Queensland combined with prevailing sea breezes has created excellent conditions for creating dry and easy drinking fruity styles perfectly matched to the Queensland climate.

Click here for Wineries in North Burnett.

Tropical North Queensland
The fruit wine industry in Tropical North Queensland has gone beyond being the little cousin to the grape wine industry by producing some award-winning wine with an abundance of flavour shown and consistent quality. Located in and around the Cairns Highlands, the wineries use tropical fruits such as mango, banana, lychee, pineapple, passionfruit, black sapote, pitaya and other tropical fruits, as well as citrus and the Australian native fruits including the Davidson Plum and Lemon Aspen.

Click here for Wineries in Tropical North Queensland.