Unique Stanthorpe accommodation
TWINSTAR GUESTHOUSE & OBSERVATORY
B&B with an astronomical observatory
Dining facilities & services available around
Twinstar Guesthouse & Observatory (within
10km radius)

1.The Cellar Door Cafe at Mason Wines (Lunch & wine)
Phone: 07 4684 1341
2.  
Vineyard Cottages & Cafe (Lunch & dinner)
 Phone: 07 4684 1270
3.  Ballandean General Store (petrol & shop)
 Phone: 07 4684 1103
4.  
Shiraz Restaurant (Modern Australian Cuisine)
 Phone: 07 4684 1000
5.  Ballandean Tavern (Lunch, dinner & pub)
 Phone: 07 4684 1044
Twinstar Guesthouse & Observatory
28146 New England Highway, Ballandean,
Queensland 4382, Australia
Email: twin-star@bigpond.com
Phone: 07 4684 1135
Home   |   Features   |   Accommodation   |   Night Sky Tour   |   Tariffs & Bookings  |   Location   |   Observatory   |       Gift Voucher   |   
Our Gardens   |   Wildlife   |   Our Meals   |   Girraween   |    How to Find Us   |   Site Map
LOCAL INFORMATION
Ballandean State School
The Ballandean Pyramid
Dinosaur & Ballandean Station
Unique Stanthorpe
Accommodation
Clean & affordable B&B
with an observatory
General Information about Stanthorpe and Ballandean

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.

Climate
At an altitude 800~950m, the Stanthorpe and Ballandean area, also known as the Granite Belt,  is frequently "the coldest area" in Queensland.
From frosty winter to fresh summer, this area displays four distinctive seasons with unique characters.

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. A wide range of accommodation places from caravan parks, B&Bs, motels, guesthouses to luxury cottages can be found
in Stanthorpe and Ballandean.    
Stanthorpe accommodation; Ballandean accommodation;
Unique B&B accommodation in Stanthorpe on the Granite Belt in Queensland, Australia
Twinstar Guesthouse & Observatory
Apple & Grape Harvest Festival - voted an iconic Qld event and one of Qld's longest running & most sucessful event -  

2nd, 3rd and 4th March 2012 at Stanthorpe

The festival, held biennially, is a celebration of the Granite Belt region's produce and booming wine industry. Arguably Australia's leading harvest
festival, it has a successful track record spanning 4 decades.

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