Brisbane to Stanthorpe: A self-drive itinerary

Collect your Cosy Campervan rental in Brisbane and head west towards the Lockyer Valley. Drop into Preston Peak Wines for a tasting, or trot on over to Forsdale, where you and a four-hoofed friend can enjoy a one- or two-hour horseback ride through stunning country landscapes.

Further south, the Darling Downs Zoo offers close encounters with big cats, monkeys and Aussie animals. Or you can taste a dram at Castle Glen, Queensland’s only whisky distillery. Continue on to Stanthorpe, the heart of the state’s ‘Granite Belt’ and home to a number of heritage buildings.

Inspiration:

• Enjoy local wines at Preston Peak or beers and liqueurs at Castle Glen
• Saddle up at Fordsdale Horseback Adventures
• Feed an African lion at Darling Downs Zoo

Stanthorpe is a short drive from two outstanding national parks. Sundown National Park offers sharp peaks, plunging gorges, old mining sites and diverse woodland birds. Closer to town, Girraween National Park has granite outcrops, precarious boulder towers, carpets of spring wildflowers, and plenty of parrots and honeyeaters. Both parks offer camping facilities and walks for all ages and fitness levels.

Inspiration:

• Spot wallabies, parrots and fairy wrens at Girraween National Park
• Grab the camera to capture Girraween’s beautiful orchids and wildflowers
• Watch peregrine falcons soaring above Red Rock Gorge in Sundown National Park

Stop for a morning coffee at the heritage-listed Glengallan Homestead, a sandstone mansion dating back more than 150 years. Nearby, the Warwick Art Gallery exhibits work from the many artists living and working in the Southern Darling Downs.

Drive on to Maryvale, where Sharman Apununga Parsons leads fascinating walking tours showcasing Aboriginal culture and philosophy. Your journey through Southeast Queensland ends back in Brisbane, where you drop off your Cosy Camper.

Inspiration:

• Admire local art at the Warwick Art Gallery
• Marvel at the 19th-century Glengallan Homestead
• Go horse-riding at Bestbrook Mountain Resort
• Get an insight into Aboriginal philosophy with Cicada Woman Tours