HIT THE ROAD AGAIN AFTER A LONG BREAK

It has been a long time since we have done a road trip or any trip thanks to Covid and getting older and lazier by the day. However, we made arrangement with friends, Peter and Val, to go to Tenterfield for a short break and hopefully to enjoy some Autumn colours. We decided to stop overnight on the way at Stanthorpe and have dinner at Anna's Italian Restaurant.

Stanthorpe is a small town in SE Queensland close to the NSW border. It is in the Southern Downs Region and is 690m/2,260ft above sea level. It is Kanbuwai Country of indigenous people but in 1860's  the local Catholic priest encouraged grape growing to produce altar wine. There were plenty of Italian settlers who found wine making a pleasant pastime as well as growing fruit and vegetables.

In 1870's tin was discovered and with the influx of miners the township grew and was named Stanthorpe which means 'tintown'. When the tin prices fell the miners turned to growing fruit and vegetables. Today, Stanthorpe is known for its apples and wines. It is also popular with coastal dwellers to holiday in the cool climate.

Driving towards the highlands through the pretty Scenic Rim region. 

We stopped for lunch in Warwick at a cafe in a nursery. It had a funny sign outside.

Our friend Peter enjoyed a burger for lunch.

Then we drove onto Stanthorpe. We had a bit of excitement when we arrived at our Motel accommodation where we had booked. The owner told us their hot water heater had broken down and he had booked us into a different Motel. This one had hot water but no breakfast. Anyway we settled in and then went for a walk to the pretty park.

Not so pretty bats/flying foxes hanging upside down asleep waiting for nightfall.

Dinner at Anna's Restaurant. I had lasagna.