📍12 Best Beautiful, Free & Unusual Things To Do In Stanthorpe, QLD For Nature-Lovers. (Activities & Attractions.) (2025.)

LOOKING FOR THE BEST THINGS TO DO IN STANTHORPE, QLD?

Located in the breathtaking Southern Downs regions of sunny Queensland, Stanthorpe is famous for being the state’s coldest town where it occasionally receives snowfall and for being an agricultural powerhouse where it takes the title of being one of the country’s most prolific apple-growing areas.

It is also an unforgettable paradise for nature lovers and landscape photographers, largely thanks to it being smack bang in the middle of the iconic Granite Belt region, where huge boulders and massive rocky slabs populate the countryside, with the biggest and most breathtaking ones taking up residence in the several of the nearby national parks.

So from taking fun selfies with the Big Thermometer to picking your own strawberries at the local farms and hiking through unforgettable boulder-strewn landscapes, these are the best things to do in Stanthorpe from one enthusiastic nature lover to another.

1. Go Hiking Amongst Giant Granite Boulders.
Girraween National Park. – Free.

If there’s one thing Stanthorpe is spectacularly abundant with, it’s breathtaking national parks, and topping that list is the unequivocal highlight of the Southern Downs, Girraween National Park. This place is the perfect exemplification of why this region is so famously known as the Granite Belt. It’s because the landmark features within its boundaries are some of the most jaw-dropping epic rocky scenery you’ll come across in Australia.

Claiming the title of Queensland’s largest granite monolith, it comes as no surprise that the Pyramid is Girraween’s most famous and impressive landmark, thanks to the monumental exposed sloping rock face being one hell of an intimidating mountain behold. However, it’s not just a scenic viewpoint to be awe-inspired by. The towering slab also invites intrepid hikers to scramble up to its magnificent “pointy-ish” boulder-strewn summit, where outstanding picturesque countryside views await before you’re met with the daunting task of heading back down.

And that’s just the headliner. Girraween has tonnes of other spectacular hiking trails to undertake, from iconic ones such as the Granite Arch to longer and equally breathtaking and more strikingly unusual ones of Castle Rock, the Sphinx & Turtle Rock. Plus, there’s several short picturesque creek walks and challenging multi-day treks. So you’ll definitely want to spend as much time here as possible. Luckily, there are a few campgrounds to help facilitate!

2. Visit The Other Architectural Pyramid.
Ballandean Pyramid. – Free.

As magnificent as the pyramid in Girraween National Park is, it’s not the only one in Stanthorpe’s vicinity. There’s another one just down the road that is almost as iconic of the region as natural granite monoliths. It’s called the Ballandean Pyramid and while resides on public property, so you can’t get close, you can still easily see the unusual landmark, which is more architectural, resembling the world-famous Pyramids of Giza in Egypt, and the many others at ancient civilisation sites all across the world easily from the backroad.

Sure, this one isn’t as monumental or mysterious, but it is a cool feature to come across, and is worth the short detour of the New England Highway near the aforementioned national park. Plus, if you frame it in a certain way, it has the potential to look like something significantly more historically unexplainable, making it a fun, devious con to play on your family and friends.

3. Walk To Pristine Waterholes & Spectacular Gorges.
Sundown National Park. – Free.

Adding to the list of outstanding national parks near Stanthorpe lies Sundown National Park west of town. This breathtaking wilderness features plenty of incredible river walks, wild swimming and paddling opportunities, thanks to most of the trails being along the breathtaking granite-lined Severn River.

Folks with conventional 2WDs can access Broadwater Campground on the southwestern side and all the scenic trails that depart there and to the gate at the Nundubberemere Falls Campground, where it’s then just a short distance to see the stunning landmark of the same name.

Meanwhile, on the eastern side, it’s all only 4WD accessible, but if you can get there, there are even more epic places to discover such as Red Rock Gorge, Hell Hole, Rats Castle, several waterholes and some fascinating old mines, which you’ll want to make the most of by staying a few nights at one of the three campgrounds over there.

4. Spend The Night Under The Stars Looking Up At The Universe.
Camping & Stargazing. – $/Free.

With Girraween and Sundown being just two of the many national parks nearby, one of the most romantic things to do in Stanthorpe is to camp at one of them and spend the night cooking marshmallows over the campfire and gazing up at the universe, pondering all of life’s mysteries with your significant other or have a good get together with your buddies.

If you’re into astrophotography, some of the trees might get in the way of nabbing that perfect shot. However, the great thing about these national parks is that landscape photography territory as they have landmarks that will help you create engaging compositions and clear areas, such as the granite-lined rivers and creeks, that give you clear terrain to capture just the galaxies and stars.

5. Watch The Temperature Drop.
The Big Thermometer. – Free.

You can’t come to Queensland’s coldest town and not get a fun, photogenic selfie with the Big Thermometer to symbolise that status and one of the newest additions to Australia’s long list of towering landmarks of iconic and quirky Big Things to showcase what regional towns are famous for. It’s actually sacrilegious if you don’t! Lol. Just kidding.

This giant 10m tall landmark is located on the southern banks of Quart Pot Creek in Rotary Park near the Visitor Information Centre. And isn’t just a static stone structure featuring a negative space outline of a traditional mercury thermometer, but it also actively, digitally tells the temperature, so you never have to wonder how many degrees Celsius it is outside.

This is especially useful if you’ve come to Stanthorpe in winter hoping to see snow, as it is virtually the only place in the state that occasionally has the right conditions for tiny, delicate flakes of frozen water to reign down from the sky, because this town and the surrounding regions are typically 6 or so degrees cooler than the state capital, Brisbane. And sometimes, it’s more than just a light dusting, but enough to turn the whole town and surrounding landscapes into a gorgeous winter wonderland.

6. Snap A Fun Selfie With Another Aussie Big Thing.
The Big Apple. – Free.

Another thing Stanthorpe is known for being Queensland’s largest apple-growing region, growing the entirety of the state’s commercial produce! To showcase its ranking as an apple-growing agricultural powerhouse is the Big Apple, located just north on the corner of the New England Highway and Amiens Road at Thulimbah.

7. Watch The Sunset Over The Town.
Mt Marley Lookout. – Free.

One of the best free things to do in Stanthorpe at sunset is to visit the breathtaking Mt Marley Lookout. Located on the hilltop just east of the CBD, this gorgeous spot faces a generally westward direction, which makes it lovely for sunrise and even better for sunset.

This is thanks to the stunning exposed granite rocks that the Granite Belt is famous for sitting in the foreground, the township’s kaleidoscope of buildings and streets occupying the mid-ground and the distant hills taking up the background, making it an especially beautiful scenic spot to watch the rising or setting sun cast vibrant warm hues across the sky and landscape until it bows out for the day.

8. Tear Up The Terrain On Two Wheels.
Granite Belt Mountain Biking Trails. – Free.

If you love lapping up the restorative power of nature on two wheels using pedal power, Stanthorpe has some fantastic places where you can tear up the terrain on bicycles to your heart’s content. The first place you can do this is on the same hill as the stunning Mount Marlay Lookout, where the surrounding slopes have 7 downhill trails ranging from beginner to intermediate to challenge every rider of various skill levels for an exhilarating day out amongst the famous granite landscapes of the Granite Belt.

Another place where you can venture across the terrain on two wheels is through the Passchendaele and Broadwater State Forest where you can navigate through breathtaking boulder-strewn terrain along the kilometres of easy, intermediate and challenging trails.
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9. Get Lost.
The Granite Belt Maze. – $.

If you have rugrats, one of the best things to do in Stanthorpe is check out the fun and interactive activities at the Granite Belt Maze. The biggest and best is the titular timber maze that you have to navigate your way out of.

Spice things up by using it as an opportunity to free yourself of your kids for a while, or they’ll inevitably use it to do the same to your parents. The only problem is that it is designed to have spaces between each plank so that the adults can “keep an eye on the children” and vice versa. However, we both know that neither of them wants to do that, so you really need to be on the game to keep yourselves continuously separated from the other party, especially when it comes time to leave, so you can prolong the fun for longer.

For times when you actually want to hang around your kids or parents, and I can’t imagine that would be often, you can also enjoy playing with musical instruments or mini golf to see who reigns supreme.

Note: Not open Tuesdays or Wednesdays.

10. Enjoy A Serene Paddle.
Storm King Dam.

If you want to spend time out by the water, one of the most easily accessible places to visit near Stanthorpe is Storm King Dam. Located just over 12km southwest of the Darling Downs township, this picturesque place is a lovely spot to enjoy a picnic and go for a splash in the summer months, thanks to the tables, wood barbecues and swimming areas that are provided for the public to enjoy.

It’s also beautiful for taking the boat for a spin or heading out for a relaxing paddle where the only thing accompanying you is the sound of the water rippling and the birds chirping.

11. Harvest The Freshest Strawberries Straight From The Plant!
Ashbern Farms.

While apples are the agricultural front runner of what’s produced around Stanthorpe, it is far from the only one, as this town is known as one of Queensland’s top food-growing regions, with strawberries being one of the many fruits and vegetables they cultivate.

Better yet, at farms like Ashbern, you can pluck them right out of the ground with a delightful pick-your-own experience, which is always my favourite way to get fruits! Pluck the biggest, reddest and most bulbous ones. Oh boy, they had the most intense and juiciest flavour, straight from the plant to your mouth. It doesn’t get much fresher than that. Unless you eat it directly off the stem, which is not a good idea. Please don’t do that. They’re also amazing in recipes. I made this vegan Strawberry cake by Nora Cooks with the fruits I had picked here and it was outstanding! 10/10 recommend.

Note: Seasonally open between October to April – Friday-Sunday – 8.00 am-3.00 pm.

12. See If You Can Strike It Rich!
Swiper’s Gully Topaz.

If you love gemstones, and who doesn’t? One of the most unique things to do in Stanthorpe is go on a mining adventure to search for some of the shiny stuff that was forged in the bowels of the Earth, God only knows how long ago.

Out past the Passchendaele State Forest near the locality of Amiens, thirteen kilometres northwest of town, is the public fossicking site, Swipers Gully Topaz. As the name suggests, you have the potential to discover beautiful light blue topaz gemstones along with opportunities to find gold and other semi-precious metals and minerals.

However, you can’t just go to this designated site straight off the bat. You will first need to get a fossicking license, which you can buy online here, or possibly at the Visitor’s Information Centre, before hacking away at the Earth.

Unfortunately, not everyone will be able to search for these glimmering rocks, as the road out there is pretty rough, which sadly means it’s 4WD territory only.

Stanthorpe Heritage Museum.

Stanthorpe Street Art.

Red Bridge.

Stanthorpe Regional Art Gallery.

Amiens Legacy Centre.

Things To Do In Stanthorpe Map.

Accommodation: Where To Stay In Stanthorpe.

• Budget: Castle Rock, Girraween National Park.
• Mid-Range: Granite Belt Motel.
• Luxury: Granite Gardens Cottage & Lake Retreat.

From the several nearby national parks that have Queensland and New South Wales’s largest granite monoliths, you can hike to the summit of, to the lovely Mt Marley Lookout overlooking the township and the chance to find gemstones at the Swiper’s Gully Topaz fossicking site, there are many unforgettably unique things to do in Stanthorpe for nature lovers.

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