.......................... .............................. ...................................... .............................. .............................. ............................ ........................................................ ............................................ ........................................ .............................................................................................. ...................................................................................................................................... ............ ...................... .......... ............................ ................ .............. ................ .......................................................................................................... .......... ............ Discove r... .................................................. .................................................................................................................... ...................................................................................................................... ................................ Villa Paradiso offers a selection of one, two, and three bedroom luxury apartments in a magnificent beachfront location. Each apartment is beach facing, with its own private balcony or terrace. A secluded heated swimming pool, heated spa and bbq facilities are on the property for all guest to enjoy. This 4.5 star property has air conditioning in all bedrooms, together with dvd players and 10 Austar tv channels in each lounge. All major excursions pick up from the property and close by is a bus stop for the service into Cairns. 111-113 Williams Esplanade, Palm Cove, QLD 4879 Ph: +61 7 4059 8800 Fax: +61 7 4055 3946 Email: stay@villaparadiso.com.au www.villaparadiso.com.au Queensland Wineries Queensland wineries get a boost Queensland may not be the first place that springs to mind when adding a little wine touring to an itinerary, but the fact is that several of the wines being produced in the Sunshine State are a well-kept secret, and a drive into the picturesque wine producing regions that are within easy reach of Brisbane offer some pleasant surprises. Located north west of Brisbane, the South Burnett wine region is in the hinterlands of the Sunshine Coast, a couple of hours or so from Brisbane. It’s the fastest developing wine area in Queensland. Set in the heart of the South Burnett region, Clovely Estate is Queensland’s largest vineyard and its cellar doors are open seven-days a week. The winery also offers bedand- breakfast in an attractive cottage overlooking the vineyards. South Burnett is an area rich in history, agriculture, welcoming country towns – and a couple of dozen wineries. Head to Kingaroy, a regional centre with towering peanut silos and home to several quality wineries; see Nanango, one of Queensland’s oldest towns where you can still fossick for gold; stop by the Aboriginal community at Cherbourg for a guided tours of its emu farm. While in the area do not miss the majestic Bunya Mountains, a truly spectacular wilderness situated about 150 kilometres from the coast. Visitors can explore numerous walking tracks in the Bunya Mountains National Park, where tracks range from less than a kilometre to around 10 kilometres with lookouts providing breathtaking views. There are plenty of places to stay in this region, from farm stay properties to guesthouses and campsites. Some of the wineries also offer accommodation. The Granite Belt Head south from Brisbane and you come to the Granite Belt of the Southern Downs, where visitors can enjoy wineries and orchards, country hospitality, good food and spectacular landscapes. Located only three hours drive from either Brisbane or the Gold Coast, the region is the only place in Queensland that provides a change of season each year. Ballandean Estate is the oldest and largest family owned winery on the Granite Belt. The award-winning wines and hospitality are a testament to the Puglisi family’s commitment to excellence. They currently export five wines styles to the United Kingdom. Complimentary tours of the vineyard and winery are a speciality and visitors are always welcome. Light lunches, Grape harvesting in the Granite Belt www.clovely.com.au www.canungravineyards.com.au Banana wine 18 S E L L I N G D O W N U N D E R A p r i l / M a y 2 0 0 7

The National Board of the Australian Tourism Export Council recently determined that overseas-based product representation companies can now apply for ATEC membership. The companies must be representing Australian-based product suppliers. ATEC is the peak body representing more than 1,000 key tourism organisations in the Australian tourism industry. For further information visit www.atec.net.au gourmet cakes and freshly ground coffee are available in the Barrel Room Café, situated amongst 125-year-old wine barrels. There is a wide range of accommodation options in the area, many offering the chance to gain a taste of true country hospitality, from home stays and farm stays to bed-and-breakfasts and country pubs. The Granite Belt is also home to several festivals and events including the Annual Spring Wine Festival (in October), the famous Apple and Grape Harvest Festival (held in March in even numbered years) and the Annual Australian Small Winemakers Show (in October). Behind the Gold Coast Situated about half an hour from the Gold Coast and an hour from Brisbane, the Gold Coast Hinterland Wine Country is a spectacular region that features many excellent boutique wineries and vineyards bordering the Lamington National Park. A favourite with many visitors is Canungra Valley Vineyards, run by the well-known O’Reilly family who also own award-winning O’Reilly’s Rainforest Guesthouse, located just a short distance from the winery. O’Reilly’s offers a range of guestrooms to cater to all tastes, from the grandeur of the luxurious Canopy Suites and the tastefully furnished Bithongabel Rooms to the simple yet comfortable motel-style Elebana Rooms. Most rooms also take advantage of the magnificent mountain views. Binna Burra Mountain Lodge is another place to spend a night or two while exploring the region – a cosy mountain retreat nestled in the dramatic rainforest landscape of the World Heritage-listed Lamington National Park. Here’s a top tip: a detour to the Granite Belt and Gold Coast hinterland would fit in well with a Sydney-Brisbane self drive itinerary for travellers who enjoy the good life. A taste of the tropics Tropical North Queensland has several fruit wineries in the Atherton Tableland region within easy reach of Cairns. Most wines are made using North Queensland’s mangoes, bananas, lychees, pineapples and other tropical fruits. Visitors can learn more about the region’s tropical delights on a gourmet tour from Cairns. On Food Trail Tours, visitors are taken to a number of farms and wineries to experience tropical tastes at their source. Meeting the farmers and learning how they produce it is all part of the experience. During the tour guests visit a macadamia plantation, where they learn how the Hawaiians were the first to commercialise the Australian nut. They also visit a coffee plantation, run by a farming family of Italian descent, where they have the opportunity to taste freshly roasted coffee. A standard lunch on the Food Trail Tours is a real Queensland delight, including barramundi, red claw crayfish and an array of tropical fruits. Then there is ice cream to die for: select from sixteen flavours of homemade tropical fruit ice cream – mango, coconut, custard apple, pineapple, and rum’n’raisin, all made from natural ingredients. During the day, Food Trail Tours also visit an award-winning distillery, to taste the banana, coffee, and citrus liqueurs. And there are also tastings at a tropical fruit winery, where all the wines are produced from locally grown fruit. www.oreillys.com.au www.binnaburralodge.com.au www.foodtrailtours.com.au Ballandean Estate winery S E L L I N G D O W N U N D E R A p r i l / M a y 2 0 0 7 19