The South Burnett is the second biggest wine region in the State next
to the Granite Belt. But because of its abundance of rich agricultural land
and temperate climate, it's also generally regarded as the Queensland wine
region with the greatest potential for future growth.
The links on this page will tell you more about the Queensland Wine
Industry as a whole and about the South Burnett in particular.
If you'd like to suggest a link yourself, please
email us about it.
The Queensland Wine Industry Association is the state's peak wine industry
body and the authoritative voice between the State's wine industry and
Government. Many of the South Burnett's wineries are members of the QWIA
and many South Burnett winemakers have served on QWIA's executive over the
years.
The AW&B Corporation is run by the Australian Federal Government and it
provides very useful information about every one of Australia's sixty wine
regions. You can read their overview of the South Burnett by clicking here.
The Royal Queensland Wine Show is run at Brisbane's famous RNA Showgrounds
every July. The Queensland Wine Show one of the State's premier wine shows
and South Burnett wineries have won many awards there over the years.
The Australian Small Winemakers Show is the most prestigious wine show for
small winemakers in Australia and New Zealand. It's held in Stanthorpe in
October each year and is only open to wineries which crush less than 500
tonnes per annum. South Burnett wineries have won many, many medals at this
event over the years too.
The Queensland College of Wine Tourism is a joint venture between the Department
of Education, Training & the Arts and the University of Southern Queensland.
The college is a state-of-the-art $8.5 million education and training facility
for the Queensland wine tourism industry, and the South Burnett supports
its efforts, as do all other Queensland wine regions.
The Queensland State Government has identified that the State's wine industry
is worthy of support and the Department of Industry Development is the main
arm of the State Government that assists the industry's growth. You can find
out all about the Government's broad view of the industry's potential here.
The Queensland Department of Industry Development has also produced lists
of Queensland restaurants and liquor outlets that stock Queensland wines.
These lists are regularly updated and quite extensive.
In 2009 Queensland celebrated its 150th birthday and the State Government launched
a campaign to find the top 150 destinations in the State to mark the occasion. Members
of the publc were allowed to suggest their favourite places and then to vote on them.
The South Burnett Wine Trail was voted as one of Queensland's 150 best places to visit,
and you can see what the public have to say about it on this site.
Since 1955, the Australian Wine Research Institute has been supporting Australian
grape and wine producers with the development and adoption of innovative practices
that incorporate world-class research and development; information and knowledge extension;
and commercial services. AWRI's website provides information about all of these
activities and a great deal more as well.
Wine Diva is a large wine, wine travel and wine education directory and they've
been very supportive of the South Burnett wine industry (and Queensland wines
in general) over many years. Their site is also a very good guide to other
Australian wine regions.
Visit Vineyards is Australia's regional wine and food travel guide. If you love
wine, food and getting out and having fun, this is the website for you. Visit
Vineyards reviewed the South Burnett in June 2010, and you can read their review
by clicking here.
South Burnett Online is a regional portal that was originally established
by the South Burnett Local Government Association in 1999. Over the years
it's grown to become the South Burnett's biggest website and the single best
point to begin finding out about all aspects of our region.
SouthBurnett.biz - another part of the South Burnett Online network - is
our region's online business database and it provides comprehensive and
up-to-date listings of every business in the South Burnett. If you're looking
for any type of business or service in the region, look here first.
South Burnett Tourism is also part of the South Burnett Online network and
if you're interested in more general tourist information about the South
Burnett, this site will provide it. South Burnett Tourism lists every tourist
facility in our region.
Tourism Queensland have also produced an online tourist guide for the South
Burnett. However, this guide only lists businesses which are members of the
Fraser Coast-South Burnett Tourism Association.
The Wine & Food In The Park Festival is held at Memorial Park in Kingaroy
on the second Saturday of March each year. It's been running since 1998 and
has steadily grown to become one of the great wine festivals of Queensland.
It's also an annual showcase for the South Burnett wine industry (as well
as a terrific day out!)
The South Burnett Spring Festival is held on the second weekend in September.
It's made up of many individual Festivals covering everything from the arts
and gardening through to the Kingaroy Peanut Festival and the Nanango Country
Music Muster. The Spring Festival occurs when the first leaves begin to appear
on South Burnett vines and it's a wonderful weekend away.
The South Burnett Regional Council is one of three that cover the South Burnett
(the other two are the Toowoomba Regional Council and Gympie Regional Council).
The South Burnett Regional Council has been very supportive of the region's
wine industry and its predecessor Councils played a significant role in helping
to establish the industry in the South Burnett in the late 1990s.